Stainless braid as a hop strainer.

[hungrymonkey]

After my failed hop spider (my kettles are very broad and deep). The plastic became rubbery and allowed the coupling to drop into the wort.

I started Trying to figure out how to filter the hops from going through the valve. So I made a trip to the hardware store and found this. I figured it woudl work in the mash tun, why not the boil kettle.

 

[hungrymonkey]

At first I toyed with the idea of attaching it to the drop tube, but gave up and decided to just screw it into the valve.

I have to tip the kettle, but I was having to do that anyways with the drop tube.
The braid kept all of the hops out of the valve. I used yesterdays boiled hops. Most of which had come apart into tiny bits. The bucket did not have any hops or leaves floating in it.

I used 3/4" stainless braid, which apparently is for a hot water heater gas line. A 1/2" npt to 3/4" barbed end. And a 5/8" sealed flared end. I could not locate a 3/4" one at my local hardware store.
I tied it all together with some stainless hose clamps.

total cost of $25

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Looks like you boiled some water for the test run. Let us know how it works out once you brew up a batch and have some break material to contend with.

 

[Golddiggie]

Interesting... Be more so once you've put a few batches through it... How do you chill your wort?

Personally, I made my spider from all stainless steel...

In action, it's maiden voyage:

I'm already planning on making another one, just in case some other local brewer wants one (after seeing mine)... All I need to do is order the ring (already in my cart) and done. Still have enough threaded rod to make another. If you want, PM me and I'll give you the break-down on how I made mine...

 

[hungrymonkey]

I added the hops from yesterdays boil. I heated it up to around 80* to simulate the cooled wort, then drained.
I am cooling with an immersion chiller.

I will brew tommorow and see if it holds up and see if it plugs.

 

[hungrymonkey]

This is what I was dealing with yesterday. My kettles are fairly wide, and I did not have any deeper bags.

I bent the arms so the bag was submerged and the coupling was about 8 to 10 inches off the wort. But the coupling became malleable and bent, eventually allowing the whole thing to go into the wort. Had to do a quick fix with some pliers.

 

[Golddiggie]

Probably less of an issue with an IC than either CFC or plate chiller...

BTW, the spider I made fits standard 1/2 bbl kegs easily as well as my 10 gallon BoilerMaker... I can make different length legs to fit whatever it's going to be used on. Actually ordering up more threaded rod so that I can do exactly that. Parts to make it are surprisingly cheap...

Wow, just saw the shot of your old spider...

 

[hungrymonkey]

Probably less of an issue with an IC than either CFC or plate chiller...

BTW, the spider I made fits standard 1/2 bbl kegs easily as well as my 10 gallon BoilerMaker... I can make different length legs to fit whatever it's going to be used on. Actually ordering up more threaded rod so that I can do exactly that. Parts to make it are surprisingly cheap...

Wow, just saw the shot of your old spider...

My kettles are 15 gallons, 18" across and probably 16" deep. I had to bend the arms to make it work for this brew, Which worked for the first half hour or so. The problem I ran into, was the plastic started to get very pliant, and it started creeping lower, which made it get hotter and more pliant. Until it was submerged. I had to keep pulling it up and bending the coupling and letting it cool back to a shape that would hold it out of the wort.

I am starting to think that I was boiling to hot. Which might explain why my last brew was over a gallon short.



Regardless, I am brewing tomorrow. So I will see how it works. I am running pellets, but I think I will bag those and save them to test and see if they run through.

 

[Golddiggie]

Well, I have the parts on the way to make one that would easily span your kettle. If you want one made after tomorrow's brew day, let me know.

 

[hungrymonkey]

worked wonderfully for me today. I did bag the pellet hops. Whole leaf hops are no problem at all.

 

[Boy]

I have a stainless braid over the dip tube. Dip tube has 50 holes drilled in it. Definitely does not work well with pellets. Drains crystal clear until the last gallon when I combine a hop pider with it

[/IMG]

 

[Tinga]

I use a hop spider to filter the hops and this same exact stainless braided hose to filter break material. Works well and was a very simple build.