hop spider/ vs non and pump issue

[Covrich]

All in one system user here in my case hop cat 45l but I am sure most of you will pretty much know how they are given all the variation of the same system here.

My issue is this .. In general great system really like it. However it comes with a hop spider and despite what people say I do have the opinion with the times I used it that the hops have been reduce, in once case pretty significantly to the point I don’t thin it gave enough bittering despite agitation of the thing.

So I just did a single hop cascade and to be honest I just threw them in.. what happens? Well the pump blocked as you’d expect.. something I never had when throwing them in a spider.

So what else can I do? Bag them up? I think that also restricts .. or bag up or hop spider up and increase hops qtys by 20% to account for the loss..

Or is there a better alternative anyone can think of? Or some way I can maybe put a large filter over the pump inlet (without it blocking obviously)

thanks in advanced

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

That’s a really good question. I have a Brewzilla 35l which I have been using for a few months now. In my experience the hop spider works well enough with small amounts of both leaf or pellet hops for bittering. 20-30 grams or so at the start of the boil seem to circulate freely enough throughout and the spider still drains well. However, a moderate amount later on and I find the mesh in the spider gets clogged. I have had about 100g in there and lifted the spider out at the end only to find it filled with wort that drains really really slowly. This poor circulation must have a negative impact.
Recently I have taken to use the spider for the bittering additions only and I use a nylon supermarket fruit and veg bag for any later additions. They are pretty big and easily allow 100g or so the circularly freely. The spider comes out when I start cooling, the bag stays in until it’s chilled, then removed before the wort goes into the FV.

 

[foxy]

It does make a significant difference using the spider and not, I used the spider only once, never to be used again. Throw the hops in loose, there is no need to use the pump again after mashing. Check the impeller of your pumps to see if they are the high temperature impellers, if you are using the ppumps for whirlpooling just use a paddle, far better.

 

[Moe]

Do you have a false bottom?

I have a Brewzilla and just throw the pellets in loose. I also had issues (perceived at least) of poor hop utilisation.

I attach the fine mesh filter (should go in bottom of malt pipe) on top of the false bottom. This seems to work well, the most hops I have added is 130g into the kettle for a 23l batch.

Ive never had a complete blockage, but once the pump slowed right down to a trickle. I just switched it off and blew down the hose. This unblocked it.

 

[chillipickle]

I just throw the hops in, never used the hop spider that came with my brewzilla 35ltr.Only used pellets and not leaf hops.Touch wood never had a pump blockage, always use the whirlpool arm/pump.

Most pellets i have used in hop stand is 200g, a few times i have used a strainer when transfering to the fv, and to be honest there was next to no hop matter in the strainer.

No idea what the impeller is rated for, its the one that came with the brewzilla, if it does pack up, it can be replaced.

 

[The Baron]

Hi Cov I always use a spider and my hopping as always been reasonable I do understand that free boiling hops will give better utilisation but I have never had a massive difference, you could always up the hops slightly to compensate or do as Foxy says, I never use the pump to transfer or during the boiI but just create a whirlpool and use the tap to transfer. I have just said that constant use of the pumps in most of the AIO's is not recommended at 100c as the ratings are dubious on some of the pumps used

 

[Covrich]

THanks I think you all confirmed my thinking on it.

the tap on my thing tends to get so clogged aswell which is annoying so I syphoned my last batch.

Like you lot I find a lot of hops the spider becomes a soup basket and it doesnt seem to get around the wort enough so in those cases I think upping the volume wont help..

I think I will just stick to throwing in loose and maybe use my bike pump to release if i want to pump wort into the FV..

Thanks again

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

THanks I think you all confirmed my thinking on it.

the tap on my thing tends to get so clogged aswell which is annoying so I syphoned my last batch.

Like you lot I find a lot of hops the spider becomes a soup basket and it doesnt seem to get around the wort enough so in those cases I think upping the volume wont help..

I think I will just stick to throwing in loose and maybe use my bike pump to release if i want to pump wort into the FV..

Thanks again

Why not empty the malt pipe out & rinse then put it back in the boiling wort - at least with leaf hops you should get a decent flow of wort.

 

[Covrich]

Why not empty the malt pipe out & rinse then put it back in the boiling wort - at least with leaf hops you should get a decent flow of wort.

I might try leaf hops actually as I guess they are less likley to clog up in the small pump pipe.. i do wonder if i put a small mesh over the pipe too to prevent any clumps going down there.

I dont use it during boil I do try and use it to get the temp up .. but use it for transferring (and chilling recirc) as the taps a bit crap on mine to be blunt (again leaf hops may aid this)

 

[dannythemanny]

I throw pellets in the kettle and don't use the pump after mashing. I drain from the tap via gravity and have never had a problem with that. I'm using an immersion chiller, so most of the trub drops below the outlet which means it can drain pretty freely. I scale up so I'm left with about 25 litres at the end of boiling, 22.5 of which go into the fermenter. I use 150g of hops in the kettle and not had issues thus far (probably just jinxed it though!)

 

[HarryFlatters]

I bought one of these mahooosive helix filters and a nipple to plug into the hole on the bottom of my hopcat.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962319962.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.4f1b31eelIDz4o
Never had the pump block after this, and I just lob my hops straight into the boiler.

 

[foxy]

No idea what the impeller is rated for, its the one that came with the brewzilla, if it does pack up, it can be replaced.

It won't be the impeller being replaced it will be the pump. While the cost of a pump wholesale from China may be about $8 Au, with all the markups you could be looking at $50 Au. The plastic impeller has a rating of 80 C the metal 100 C

 

[chillipickle]

Thanks, will look at getting a metal replacement.

 

[Covrich]

I bought one of these mahooosive helix filters and a nipple to plug into the hole on the bottom of my hopcat.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962319962.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.4f1b31eelIDz4o
Never had the pump block after this, and I just lob my hops straight into the boiler.

Interesting I might try something like that