Lil' Sparky is tha Man!

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ScubaSteve said:
Crap. It seems the pics can't be viewed anymore. I have a photobucket account....we just had our first kid and I started a new album. Naturally, I made it private...but I naively made ALL my albums private at the same time; forgetting that my pics were linked to this forum. I have since made it public, but it seems the photos are still inaccessible. Sorry guys! If you really want to see pics, let me know and I will repopulate.
Click to expand...

You could always just load them into your HBT gallery and re-link them. Then they'd always be there, regardless what happens to Photobucket.


Cheers!

:mug:
 
ScubaSteve said:
Crap. It seems the pics can't be viewed anymore. I have a photobucket account....we just had our first kid and I started a new album. Naturally, I made it private...but I naively made ALL my albums private at the same time; forgetting that my pics were linked to this forum. I have since made it public, but it seems the photos are still inaccessible. Sorry guys! If you really want to see pics, let me know and I will repopulate.
Click to expand...

You can put all your beer pics here for free.

http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/
 
Danek said:
I couldn't find paint straining bags either, and the guy at the hardware store looked at me like I was stupid when I asked. But then I remembered I have a net curtain left over from when I made my brew-in-a-bag bag, and that it would be perfect for making a hop sock. So if you have no luck with finding paint strainers, you can use net curtain fabric (or "swiss voile" as I believe it's called). I think using swiss voile in brewing was an Australian idea originally, so it should be readily available at least somewhere in the antipodes. If you google BIAB or brew-in-a-bag you should be able to find out the exact material.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I've seen the BIAB on some Aussie websites but forgot all about it when researching hop bags.

I've found some drain filter nylon mesh, it's made to go around those plastic drainage pipes that you bury in the ground with the holes in them, that's probably what I'll use if all else fails.
 
10 minutes and $9.00 at Lowe's and i'm ready...

HopBag1.jpg

One note....the auger bit I'd intended to use didn't do so well. Get yourseslf a simple paddle bit...it's much easier.
HopBag2.jpg

I wanted a threaded PVC coupler so the worm clamp would have something to grip and therer'd be no chance of slipping off.
HopBag3.jpg

Easy peasy and ready to go...but first...
HopBag4.jpg

I needed to figure out how to keep first wort hopping my batches so I simply drained off my first gallon into a seperate bucket to allow the hops to steep while the kettle was filling. Then I'd drop the hop rig into the kettle and pour in those runnings.
hopbag5.jpg
 
Under full boil
HopBag6.jpg

Nice clear wort...4 points over my target on this 60 schilling blonde
clearwort1.jpg

And this is using a simple racking cane with no filter of any kind...
clearwort2.jpg

Can you say clear, cold break?
ColdBreak2.jpg
 
those pictures bring a tear to my eye... except for the one with your keggle in it. I winced at that one:D
 
deathweed said:
those pictures bring a tear to my eye... except for the one with your keggle in it. I winced at that one:D
Click to expand...
It does look slightly less dangerous now though. Did you take a grinder to it BM?
(those tetanus shots were getting expensive huh):D
 
Liquidicem said:
Looks good. I just made one up the other day. Haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Maybe this weekend.
Click to expand...
I made mine at the weekend, and I'm giving it its first run-out tonight.

Thanks again to Lil' Sparky and the other hopsock pioneers. This thread makes hop-bags look so last century :D
 
BierMuncher said:
I needed to figure out how to keep first wort hopping my batches so I simply drained off my first gallon into a seperate bucket to allow the hops to steep while the kettle was filling. Then I'd drop the hop rig into the kettle and pour in those runnings.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea! Let me know what you think of the hop utilzation.

I think it works great and am getting great utilization with mine. I love the cheap paint strainers at Lowe's. For a buck fiddy, you can clean it or toss it. I know BM would make one last for at least 50 brew sessions (two months worth). :D
 
EdWort said:
Excellent idea! Let me know what you think of the hop utilzation.

I think it works great and am getting great utilization with mine. I love the cheap paint strainers at Lowe's. For a buck fiddy, you can clean it or toss it. I know BM would make one last for at least 50 brew sessions (two months worth). :D
Click to expand...


or make 1 BM last for 50 sessions? (I just had to say it)
 
I didnt even use anything to attach the hop bag like a dowel or threaded rod I just drilled two holes and used SS wire . I can adjust the bag up or down into the wort.




I see a ripped bag in your future BM :)
4948d1206923643-lil-sparky-tha-man-hopbag6.jpg
 
SS Braided hose for the wrists at bare minimum! Ever try getting some of that uhh..whats that padding with a slit in it to fit onto things? Like a padded frame... usually black... push that on. Then who knows if it would melt, but at least it would cover the mess and look like a neat new fashionable keg idea... and no more trips to the emergency room!
 
I'm going to go buy the stuff to make on of these today, but have a couple questions.

1) Are the bags big enough to use for a 5 gal batch in a keggle?

2) How do you stir the wort with these in there?
 
smellysell said:
I'm going to go buy the stuff to make on of these today, but have a couple questions.

1) Are the bags big enough to use for a 5 gal batch in a keggle?

2) How do you stir the wort with these in there?
Click to expand...

The bags are probably big enough, but you'd probably want something that is adjustable.

Also, why are you stirring your wort? Is it during chilling?
 
I couldn't decide how to do this one, but finally went with some spare copper tubing. Works great - and I even ventured into First Wort Hopping using this baby... thanks guys!
IMG_4505.JPG

IMG_4506.JPG
 
Ack, after about 30 batches, I finally melted mine!

My own fault. The wind kicked up and started blowing some leaves around, so I set the kettle lid on top of the coupler to partially shield it. Figured there was still a 3" gap to allow steam & DMS to escape. I didn't think about all the heat the lid would reflect back down, plus the added weight...came back after a couple of minutes to see the rig all caved in and about to plunge into the wort!

No big deal...another $2 coupler and I'm back in business. I got a slightly larger, heavier duty one this time.
 
I just put a dip tube on my new keggle and I use one of these hop bag (I love it so far). I was thinking a SS scruby over the end of it with it pointed to towards the edge. What do you guys do?
 
If you don't mind me asking.....

What is the point of suspending the bag? Why not just tie it off and attach it by rope to a keggle handle or something and keep it as the same height?
 
Really, the benefit is a constantly open bag that you don't have to dig out and untie to add more hops. Keeping it open kind of necessitates it being suspended. ;)
 
BigJay13 said:
I just put a dip tube on my new keggle and I use one of these hop bag (I love it so far). I was thinking a SS scruby over the end of it with it pointed to towards the edge. What do you guys do?
Click to expand...
I don't use any other kind of filter, just an open dip tube in the center of my keggle. No problems with clogging, even with a plate chiller.
 
Lil' Sparky said:
Really, the benefit is a constantly open bag that you don't have to dig out and untie to add more hops. Keeping it open kind of necessitates it being suspended. ;)
Click to expand...

Ahhhh gotcha. Wasn't sure if it was a thing of convenience or actually benefited the wort.

I may have to give it a go and say goodbye to burnt fingertips

:ban:
 
BigJay13 said:
I just put a dip tube on my new keggle and I use one of these hop bag (I love it so far). I was thinking a SS scruby over the end of it with it pointed to towards the edge. What do you guys do?
Click to expand...

I use a SS scrubbie around my dip tube and no longer have to use my hop bag. Bought a big pack at Sam's Club and toss it after the brew. More convenient for me over the painstrainer bag rig. I always thought it got in the way.
 
IrregularPulse said:
I use a SS scrubbie around my dip tube and no longer have to use my hop bag. Bought a big pack at Sam's Club and toss it after the brew. More convenient for me over the painstrainer bag rig. I always thought it got in the way.
Click to expand...

What exactly is the SS scrubbie? I'm picturing steel wool but I don't think that's quite what you're talking about.
 

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