Whirlpooling practices - how do you do your whirlpools

[BitterSweetBrews]

I have a general whirl-pooling question and would like to see what others are doing.

I usually whirlpool with my pump for 10-15 minutes after I have removed heat from my boil kettle. Lately, I have been simplifying and been doing mostly BIAB instead of 3 vessel brews and using my immersion chiller instead of my counter-flow chiller, because it is just easier. But, my question should apply regardless. In line the beer goes from my kettle drain to the pump, then to the counterflow chiller for sanitization if I am using it, then to the whirlpool arm back into the kettle. When I am done whirlpooling I move the hose from the whirlpool to my fermenter.

How long do you whirlpool?

Do you keep stirring the wort to keep the whirlpool going while it is draining? Would there be value in this?

If there was a way to keep whirl-pooling while draining, would you?

Do you chill while whirl-pooling? How cool do you go?

Some breweries have an external whirl-pool vessel they pump into as they are draining the boil kettle into the fermenter (and maybe even between the lauter tun and boil kettle). If you could do this would you? Would it be worth it?

Just curious.

 

[Nagorg]

I use my pump to whirlpool for ~10-20 minutes. Immersion chiller user here, I just stop the water from flowing at whirlpool temp.

After the ~10-20 minutes at whirlpool temp, I start the water flow through my immersion chiller again and take things to pitching temp.

When at pitching temp I pull the immersion chiller, then let it continue recirculating for just a few minutes and then stop the pump.

Now, I wait for another ~15-20 minutes to let trub settle out. Once settled, I transfer to my fermenter.

 

[November]

How long do you whirlpool?

-I pump it through the tangential return for 15 minutes then turn it off and let it sit for 15 minutes

Do you keep stirring the wort to keep the whirlpool going while it is draining? Would there be value in this?

-No, I've found that without the rest time, I don't get the benefits of whirlpooling, that is the hop debris and such are still spinning around in suspension.

If there was a way to keep whirl-pooling while draining, would you?
-No, see above

Do you chill while whirl-pooling? How cool do you go?

- I don't because I do single pass chilling. The beer goes through my chiller and directly to the fermenter.

Some breweries have an external whirl-pool vessel they pump into as they are draining the boil kettle into the fermenter (and maybe even between the lauter tun and boil kettle). If you could do this would you? Would it be worth it?

-No, I don't see the venefit.


Hope that helps

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

How long depends on your goals. Are you steeping WP hops or just trying to get a cone? If I were just trying to get a cone, I'd WP for 10 mins, let it sit for 10 mins and transfer.

I've whirlpooled as long as 40 minutes with late hop additions on some batches.

In general, I think you want to let the whirlpool settle before transferring. This is when the matter settles into a cone in the middle.

I run out the drain to the pump, then from there back to the WP arm inlet. After the wort settles, I close the pump exit valve, raise the pump above the WP inlet (so that wort doesn't run back out the hose when I disconnect) and disconnect the host from the pump. I do this because I have a different hose with a siphon spray aerator on it that I use to transfer to the fermenter. This aerates the wort during the transfer.

 

[enkamania]

I pump for 10 and let them sit for 10

 

[Wagon_6]

I whirlpool wide open with a pump while immersion chilling (jaded chiller). With winter ground water temps i’m chilled to pitching in 8 or 9 minutes. So i whirlpool for that long, pull chiller, start pumping to fermenter.

 

[Vale71]

Some breweries have an external whirl-pool vessel they pump into as they are draining the boil kettle into the fermenter (and maybe even between the lauter tun and boil kettle). If you could do this would you? Would it be worth it?

Just curious.

This is exactly how I do it. Mostly because my boil kettle sits at floor level (I sparge by gravity) and this allows me to pump the wort back up to tabletop level so that I can once again chill and transfer to the fermentor (a Unitank) by gravity. If you can repurpose you mash vessel into a whirlpool vessel then it's not really going to cost you much. I just remove the false bottom, install a trub dam and a tangential inlet and voilà, I have my quasi-dedicated whirlpool vessel.
A dedicated vessel is certainly more effective than recirculating wort in the boil kettle. As long as your pump is running you're not really allowing the trub a chance to settle into a cone in the middle as suction from the pump will keep disturbing the whirlpool until the pump is shut off.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is exactly how I do it. Mostly because my boil kettle sits at floor level (I sparge by gravity) and this allows me to pump the wort back up to tabletop level so that I can once again chill and transfer to the fermentor (a Unitank) by gravity. If you can repurpose you mash vessel into a whirlpool vessel then it's not really going to cost you much. I just remove the false bottom, install a trub dam and a tangential inlet and voilà, I have my quasi-dedicated whirlpool vessel.
A dedicated vessel is certainly more effective than recirculating wort in the boil kettle. As long as your pump is running you're not really allowing the trub a chance to settle into a cone in the middle as suction from the pump will keep disturbing the whirlpool until the pump is shut off.

Why not WP and chill in the boil kettle and use the pump to go straight to the fermenter?

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

This is exactly how I do it. Mostly because my boil kettle sits at floor level (I sparge by gravity) and this allows me to pump the wort back up to tabletop level so that I can once again chill and transfer to the fermentor (a Unitank) by gravity. If you can repurpose you mash vessel into a whirlpool vessel then it's not really going to cost you much. I just remove the false bottom, install a trub dam and a tangential inlet and voilà, I have my quasi-dedicated whirlpool vessel.
A dedicated vessel is certainly more effective than recirculating wort in the boil kettle. As long as your pump is running you're not really allowing the trub a chance to settle into a cone in the middle as suction from the pump will keep disturbing the whirlpool until the pump is shut off.

What do you mean by a trub dam?

 

[geoffm33]

It's a dip tube that forms a barrier to help keep the trub from getting into the fermenter:

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products...MIppbqm5aC4QIVyJCfCh2dUQsVEAYYAyABEgKV-fD_BwE

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

It's a dip tube that forms a barrier to help keep the trub from getting into the fermenter:

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products...MIppbqm5aC4QIVyJCfCh2dUQsVEAYYAyABEgKV-fD_BwE

I have never seen one of these before. I may see if I can fashion something like this to attach to my dip tube. I know I have sucked trub in when the draining is finishing.

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

Thanks for all the responses and the good ideas.

I usually whirlpool while the chiller is working to keep the wort circulating. I have stopped for a hop stand then continued after a that is done.

I never have pulled the chiller when at transfer temp and let go a few more minutes. My chiller sits on my heating element so it is off the kettle floor. I don't think I have consciously let it rest at the end.

I usually get a cone but I bet I transfer it too fast and could get better results waiting to do so.

I have my whirlpool arm longer and close to the bottom of the kettle. I recently learned that it should be closer to the top or middle of the kettle, about 2-3" below the top of the wort. I am going to make that change.

Based on this I think I will do the following:

1. Whirlpool till at pitching temp if using the immersion chiller (stopping for hops in the middle if necessary). Do it 10-15 minutes if I use my counter-flow chiller, as long as it takes if using the immersion chiller.
2. If using the immersion chiller, after whirl-pooling for whatever time I need to chill, pull the chiller and whirlpool for 10 more minutes.
3. Let the wort sit for the inner wort to settle and the trub to drop into the cone before draining the kettle.

 

[Vale71]

Why not WP and chill in the boil kettle and use the pump to go straight to the fermenter?

I forgot to mention I use a plate chiller.