Hop Spiders

[szap]

For those that use hop bags, do you weigh them down ? And if so, what do you use ?

Putting hop bags in the boil they will sink (they're bad to block the output valve). Will float in dry hop.

 

[szap]

Why do the baskets have the legs on them? If the basket was on the bottom wouldn't it heat up with it's contents at the same rate as the kettle?

I put my hop spider flat on the bottom of a kettle using propane burner and it scorched badly as a matter of fact it scorched bad enough that I have not been able to get it totally removed from my kettle.

 

[Don_Coyote]

I put my hop spider flat on the bottom of a kettle using propane burner and it scorched badly as a matter of fact it scorched bad enough that I have not been able to get it totally removed from my kettle.

With the widespread bastardization of the term 'hop spider', not sure what you are talking about. I'm guessing this isn't the bag from a 'proper' hop spider. Is it one of the smaller mesh tubes or a large mesh basket like Beermeister32 posted above? Was the wort around the bottom overheated and scorched onto the kettle?

 

[szap]

With the widespread bastardization of the term 'hop spider', not sure what you are talking about. I'm guessing this isn't the bag from a 'proper' hop spider. Is it one of the smaller mesh tubes or a large mesh basket like Beermeister32 posted above? Was the wort around the bottom overheated and scorched onto the kettle?

It is thistypehttps://www.wish.com/product/5b6d06c0387408788c3b1430?from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=US&_force_currency_code=USD&pid=googleadwords_int&c=%7BcampaignId%7D&ad_cid=5b6d06c0387408788c3b1430&ad_cc=US&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=USD&ad_price=8.99&campaign_id=6948791183&gclid=CjwKCAiAuoqABhAsEiwAdSkVVHelJtMrXXD9AcMjTjEzkEfwM_jTvMrz9FDcB1dvo5H9HlxqZfOkuhoCILsQAvD_BwE&hide_login_modal=true&share=mobileweb

With the widespread bastardization of the term 'hop spider', not sure what you are talking about. I'm guessing this isn't the bag from a 'proper' hop spider. Is it one of the smaller mesh tubes or a large mesh basket like Beermeister32 posted above? Was the wort around the bottom overheated and scorched onto the kettle?

It is the mesh basket that hangs on the side of the brew pot and yes, it did overheat the wort.

 

[Don_Coyote]

It is thistypehttps://www.wish.com/product/5b6d06c0387408788c3b1430?from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=US&_force_currency_code=USD&pid=googleadwords_int&c=%7BcampaignId%7D&ad_cid=5b6d06c0387408788c3b1430&ad_cc=US&ad_lang=EN&ad_curr=USD&ad_price=8.99&campaign_id=6948791183&gclid=CjwKCAiAuoqABhAsEiwAdSkVVHelJtMrXXD9AcMjTjEzkEfwM_jTvMrz9FDcB1dvo5H9HlxqZfOkuhoCILsQAvD_BwE&hide_login_modal=true&share=mobileweb

It is the mesh basket that hangs on the side of the brew pot and yes, it did overheat the wort.

That site is a worse mess than Amazon- some of the pics show one with hooks at the top, others show no hooks but a screw on cap. How do you know what you are ordering? Sounds like you got the first kind.
Any idea what kind of mesh it is? When I've looked around most have used 300 microns, a few 400. Sounds like 600 might be good in this application if flow is producing boil issues. I might just try a whole batch with the legs before considering removal...

 

[szap]

This is the one I have. I thought I had removed the first link before posting but apparently not.

https://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/841036.htm

 

[day_trippr]

I put my hop spider flat on the bottom of a kettle using propane burner and it scorched badly as a matter of fact it scorched bad enough that I have not been able to get it totally removed from my kettle.

I did the same thing once, and indeed it left a matching scorche. I was able to get it all off but it took time and effort. Not gonna do that again...

Cheers!

 

[InspectorJon]

A 5 gallon paint strainer bag works good for me. I tie a string around the top and hang it from the pot handle. I use the stir spoon to press the bag against the side of the pot to get the wort out when it's time to pull the bag.

 

[belowi]

I put my hop spider flat on the bottom of a kettle using propane burner and it scorched badly as a matter of fact it scorched bad enough that I have not been able to get it totally removed from my kettle.

Arrgh, I just did this a couple weeks ago, wish I’d seen this thread. I have the same mesh filter you have, 6”x14” stainless one that hangs on the side of the kettle. I didn’t feel like it was getting the amount of circulation I wanted from the boiling wort for a 5 gal batch so I put it on the bottom of the kettle for about 20 minutes with the propane burner on. Bad idea. After draining the kettle there was a perfect scorched circle on the bottom. I forgot about it after the brew day and when I tasted the finished beer this weekend I thought there was a funny taste but couldn’t place it. My wife took one sip and made a face and said it tasted burnt, like burned popcorn. No mystery there! But I wonder if it is scorched hops or malt taste (or both). Either way its pretty gross. The beer was also quite a bit darker than another I had just brewed with the same malt bill. Between this experience and the almost complete absence of hop flavor and aroma in the beers when I’ve used it for late additions I think the mesh filter is going away for a while.