anyone using a hop spider with immersion chiller?

[ilikeguns]

I only brew IPAs and have been throwing my pellet hops right in the kettle. I'm loosing too much wort and cleanup is a PITA, so I'm thinking about investing in a hop spider.

I do 5 gallon batches in a converted sanke keg and throw my 1/2"x50' immersion chiller in the boil during the last 15 minutes. Is anyone using a hop spider with an immersion chiller? If so, how? i'm trying to figure out a way to use both.. I'd like to get one that is 8 5/8" OD but it wont fit inside my chiller and I'm concerned the 6 5/8" wont get me the same hop utilization.

 

[logdrum]

I've actually gone the opposite direction, I recently switched from hop spider/plate chiller to free balling/immersion chiller. I used a 7" OD stainless mesh tube that I made from 30x30 screening. The wort loss is about the same, clean up is a bit easier with the spider, but on big IPAs I just factor in an extra 1/2 gal or so.

 

[Schumed]

I only brew IPAs and have been throwing my pellet hops right in the kettle. I'm loosing too much wort and cleanup is a PITA, so I'm thinking about investing in a hop spider.

I do 5 gallon batches in a converted sanke keg and throw my 1/2"x50' immersion chiller in the boil during the last 15 minutes. Is anyone using a hop spider with an immersion chiller? If so, how? i'm trying to figure out a way to use both.. I'd like to get one that is 8 5/8" OD but it wont fit inside my chiller and I'm concerned the 6 5/8" wont get me the same hop utilization.

Got a spray bottle and fill it with star san...then just sanitize with the spray bottle when you ready to chill

 

[ilikeguns]

Got a spray bottle and fill it with star san...then just sanitize with the spray bottle when you ready to chill

I was thing that, but doesn't starsan dissolve the copper?

 

[Schumed]

I was thing that, but doesn't starsan dissolve the copper?

Never heard of that??? I do this myself and never had a problem

Don't fear the foam

 

[ilikeguns]

Never heard of that??? I do this myself and never had a problem

Don't fear the foam

Starsan is an acid.. I don't fear the foam, but I do fear dissolved metals..

 

[GotPushrods]

Starsan is an acid.. I don't fear the foam, but I do fear dissolved metals..

Copper is fine pre-fermentation. The yeast will take it up. They actually like a little copper in their trace element diet.

Beer wort is slightly acidic as well and shines up your chiller too. If you were dropping lead ingots in your BK that's a different story, but don't sweat a little Star-San on copper.

 

[masonsjax]

I use a paint strainer bag spring clamped to a strip of wood long enough to sit across the top of my kettle. It's easy to move aside when it's time for the immersion chiller.

 

[billl]

If you make DIY hop spider, you can fit it right inside the immersion chiller. 5 gallon paint straining bags are flexible enough to fit in pretty much any configuration.

 

[ilikeguns]

thanks everyone for the input.. based on the feedback i'm gonna try the paint strainer in a strainer that came with my turkey fryer.. just need to widen the opening of my keggle. Im debating about using the strainer at all but i figure it might make it easier to add the hops.

 

[KyBeer]

This is my 15 gallon electric BK. I make 5 gallon brews most of the time. The Hop Spider is just under 6" and about 14" deep so it can set just off the bottom for the 5 Gallon brews. I made the chiller so it fits in the kettle with the spider in the BK.
Plan, build and modify to work.

 

[KyBeer]