Big nylon mash bag to replace hop spider?

[MikeSkril]

I’ve used a 15’’x 18’’ nylon bag hop spider till now. I was looking around on how to improve the contact area without dropping hops directly into the wort.
There is a lot of fanzy and expensive stuff out there, but what’s about a big bag?

I can get a very large bag for a few $$ which is as big as my kettle. Attached to the edges of the kettle with out any spider. Anybody doing this? Any comments?

Thanks guys!

 

[m00ps]

Id go for the bag, as long as you keep it off the bottom of the kettle it works great

 

[GHBWNY]

Id go for the bag, as long as you keep it off the bottom of the kettle it works great

This^ I use the 5 gal nylon paint strainer bag from HD. From experience I can tell you that keeping it off the bottom is essential. It wouldn't surprise me if they are more susceptible to scorching than muslin. Fortunately, I had two on hand since I let the first one make contact with the bottom of the kettle for just a few seconds and it melted a 4 inch hole in it. What a mess!

 

[MikeSkril]

Thanks! Oh, I did not think that nylon will melt.

I boil my chiller for the last 15 mins and it will put the bag to the ground.
So here goes the great idea....

 

[blizz81]

Thanks! Oh, I did not think that nylon will melt.

I boil my chiller for the last 15 mins and it will put the bag to the ground.
So here goes the great idea....

I would consider putting the chiller in at flameout instead. Either way, you might have success lifting the hop bag, put chiller in, put hop bag back down.

edit: hell, my comprehension wasn't the best here. If you have a big enough bag this probably isn't a good option.

There's at least one thread on here of a guy making custom hop baskets for your kettle to a given micron spec. That's what I was going to do if I went with anything different than my large BSG nylon hop bag (that might be similar to yours)...but I've really found no problems with the large bag over time.

 

[m00ps]

send an email to @wilserbrewer

he makes custom bags sized to your kettle that are a bit finer mesh than the paint strainer bags I used to use. You can also get a pull-cord to go around the lip of your kettle. Then you dont need to worry about the possibility of it touching the bottom

 

[McKnuckle]

I used a paint strainer bag clamped to a hop spider until one day, I just took the bag off, clipped it to the kettle rim with a binder clip, and realized that it works even better. Easiest thing ever - nothing fancy, just works, adjust it for any depth needed, etc.

 

[yono1986]

I use the 5 gallon HD paint strainer bag on my hop spider. Works great.