Invest in Stainless Hop Spider or Whirlpool ?

[AtotheJ]

I've done some searching on here for a few days reading about the Hop Spiders and the benefits of whirlpooling. I've done a few brews on my new AG setup, and I've continued to use the Hop Spider with a 10 gallon paint strainer bag attached to it for hops. On the last brew I found that the bag was holding a large amount of wort and was draining slow. Also looked like hot break was in there also maybe stopping it from draining.

Here is my question, from experience which would benefit me the most, buying a nice all stainless steel hop spider, such as the one from Utahbiodesiel.com or Stainlesssteelbrewing.com which are similar in price ~ $80, or get new fittings for a whirlpool port on the keggle? I current have a center dip tube on the keggle so that will have to be changed to a side pick up. By the time I get another valve, weldless bulkheads, compression fittings and tubes I come out to almost he same price as the Hop Spider

Also I'm chilling through a plate chiller.

 

[tyler2you]

I've tried both and had the best luck with a side pick up dip tube and whirlpool port.

 

[Cajun_McChicken]

By the time I get another valve, weldless bulkheads, compression fittings and tubes I come out to almost he same price as the Hop Spider



Also I'm chilling through a plate chiller.

You can build that setup without a compression fitting if you don't mind not having your ball valve handle a little crooked. My setup goes like this from outside in: valve, washer, 1/2" nipple through kettle wall, oring and nut and into a stainless elbow. Just turn the valve instead of the elbow to get it tight.


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