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Author Topic: Hop spider design  (Read 27802 times)

Offline ukolowiczd

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #30 on: July 06, 2012, 11:11:07 am »
I used one once and noticed that too - decrease in hop utilization. Of course disclaimer here my brewing partner made it and had three aluminum legs that went down into the kettle. It was more like a hop crab. We never really got the boil where we wanted it and our FG suffered a lot 1.036!

not sure why your fg suffered from this unless you are suggesting there was not the expected boil off/concentration?

do many of you use a spider, hop bag?  i usually just throw them in the boil, but i am not pumping my wort yet and just pour it through a strainer

Sorry, yes misspoke. Our OG wasn't that high and we had a lot of wort due to the minimal boil. (We also mashed around 158F and added lactose and believe that we had way too many dextrins thus the high FG).

Offline kgs

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #31 on: July 06, 2012, 07:32:55 pm »
I agree that it's likely a non issue in this case, but I'd avoid galvanized even in this situation if possible.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

So once again I can start phoning hardware stores in SF... last time it was "excuse me, how long are your wallpaper trays?" Now it can be "Hi, do you carry stainless steel carriage or eye bolts? No, not short ones..." I usually explain it's for a craft project.

It's all good... these projects are so easy, compared to real work!
K.G. Schneider
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Offline brewsumore

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #32 on: July 08, 2012, 12:23:37 am »
I just drilled a couple holes, one through a little above midway of opposite sides the pvc coupling, and stick a dowel through it that props over the top of the kettle.  It is a keg kettle, and so the dowel can't be knocked off since there is an additional rise of the sides above the kettle opening.  Very simple, no metal, works fine.  However, I don't like the clogging of the paint strainer bag mesh, and so use it pretty rarely.

I likewise recommend against using galvanized anything suspended above the boil!
« Last Edit: July 08, 2012, 12:30:10 am by brewsumore »

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #33 on: July 08, 2012, 01:16:41 am »
I agree that it's likely a non issue in this case, but I'd avoid galvanized even in this situation if possible.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

So once again I can start phoning hardware stores in SF... last time it was "excuse me, how long are your wallpaper trays?" Now it can be "Hi, do you carry stainless steel carriage or eye bolts? No, not short ones..." I usually explain it's for a craft project.

It's all good... these projects are so easy, compared to real work!

I find if you bring a bottle of homebrew to your local hardware store and explain that you are a homebrewer those folks can get mighty creative and help out a lot with design on these kinds of things. just a thought!
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline kgs

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #34 on: July 08, 2012, 08:13:57 pm »
I agree that it's likely a non issue in this case, but I'd avoid galvanized even in this situation if possible.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

So once again I can start phoning hardware stores in SF... last time it was "excuse me, how long are your wallpaper trays?" Now it can be "Hi, do you carry stainless steel carriage or eye bolts? No, not short ones..." I usually explain it's for a craft project.

It's all good... these projects are so easy, compared to real work!

I find if you bring a bottle of homebrew to your local hardware store and explain that you are a homebrewer those folks can get mighty creative and help out a lot with design on these kinds of things. just a thought!

When I built my mash tun 3 years ago this was exactly the treatment I got. I told some young men I was doing this to make beer and I thought they were going to pass out. They practically carried me around Home Depot on a chair. They even chopped the ends off my plumbing supply line so I could make my strainer.  They didn't ask for beer... they were just in awe of being in the presence of Queen Ninkasi. ;)

This time I went to several busy, understaffed big-box hardware stores and could barely get anyone's attention. Buy a single 8" SS carriage bolt? I don't think so. Special order? For 3? Not likely. Tonight we went to our favorite bar for pre-dinner beer (and wine for my other half) and I went to a very longstanding local hardware store across the street and found 8-inch SS eye bolts w/nuts, plus the guy found me the right wingnuts (at first he thought I said "Windex"...).  I didn't even have homebrew with me. :-) It was one of those hardware stores where you could say "I'm building a rocket ship and need Krypton" and they would go in the back and find it. I hope these stores survive.
K.G. Schneider
AHA Member

Offline jeffy

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #35 on: July 09, 2012, 05:18:41 am »
I agree that it's likely a non issue in this case, but I'd avoid galvanized even in this situation if possible.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

So once again I can start phoning hardware stores in SF... last time it was "excuse me, how long are your wallpaper trays?" Now it can be "Hi, do you carry stainless steel carriage or eye bolts? No, not short ones..." I usually explain it's for a craft project.

It's all good... these projects are so easy, compared to real work!

I find if you bring a bottle of homebrew to your local hardware store and explain that you are a homebrewer those folks can get mighty creative and help out a lot with design on these kinds of things. just a thought!

When I built my mash tun 3 years ago this was exactly the treatment I got. I told some young men I was doing this to make beer and I thought they were going to pass out. They practically carried me around Home Depot on a chair. They even chopped the ends off my plumbing supply line so I could make my strainer.  They didn't ask for beer... they were just in awe of being in the presence of Queen Ninkasi. ;)

This time I went to several busy, understaffed big-box hardware stores and could barely get anyone's attention. Buy a single 8" SS carriage bolt? I don't think so. Special order? For 3? Not likely. Tonight we went to our favorite bar for pre-dinner beer (and wine for my other half) and I went to a very longstanding local hardware store across the street and found 8-inch SS eye bolts w/nuts, plus the guy found me the right wingnuts (at first he thought I said "Windex"...).  I didn't even have homebrew with me. :-) It was one of those hardware stores where you could say "I'm building a rocket ship and need Krypton" and they would go in the back and find it. I hope these stores survive.

Nice!  We used to have one of those stores not far from my house.  They had a fat store cat that sat on the counter, a cool collection of pocket knives for sale and even had small brass thumb screws for my 1956 toilet right there in a galvanized bin.  The guy said he had never sold one of those in the 15 years he had been working there.  Sadly, the store burned to the ground a couple years ago.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline PSUhomebrewer

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #36 on: July 09, 2012, 08:10:04 am »
Instead of carriage/eye bolts you could use the create a bolt kit. Te threaded rod comes in ss(or galvanized so watch which one you grab) and up to 18" long, though commonly they are 12". Total cost may be slight higher than a bolt, but it's 100% customizable. The hardware also comes in a kit with all the washers lock washers and nuts you need and are numbered to match the rod.

Offline jeffy

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #37 on: July 09, 2012, 08:39:55 am »
For mine I just drilled three holes with a step drill bit and inserted 1/2" pvc pipes.  I put 90 degree fittings on the ends so it will stay centered.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline kgs

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Hop spider design
« Reply #38 on: July 09, 2012, 08:35:25 pm »
I actually bought PVC this weekend but really wanted stainless. No real logic, it's just what I wanted. The PVC goes back... Not that much dough but it will buy a couple of ounces of hops.
K.G. Schneider
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Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #39 on: July 10, 2012, 06:47:08 am »
Just re-did my spider this morning with 8" SS bolts, washers, and nuts.  The first run went great, but it was only a dry stout with one 60 minute addition ( 2 oz ).  I will have to see how it does with some of the more hop-heavy recipes.
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Offline kgs

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #40 on: July 15, 2012, 06:52:42 pm »
Just re-did my spider this morning with 8" SS bolts, washers, and nuts.  The first run went great, but it was only a dry stout with one 60 minute addition ( 2 oz ).  I will have to see how it does with some of the more hop-heavy recipes.

Monday I am brewing the same (somewhat hoppy) recipe I brewed without a spider three weeks ago; I may boost the hop schedule by 10%. Should be interesting to compare the two. It may also be the maiden voyage for my new pump, depending on whether my new ball valve passes the leak check. If not, I'll boil in my smaller kettle and not sweat it.

Here's the spider (and ball valve): http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgs/7578874940/
K.G. Schneider
AHA Member

Offline FirstStateBrewer

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #41 on: July 17, 2012, 11:01:45 am »
FYI.  I drop an extra stainless nut or washer into the nylon bag with the hops to weigh it down during the boil.
Scott B

Offline Pi

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #42 on: July 17, 2012, 11:44:19 am »
FYI.  I drop an extra stainless nut or washer into the nylon bag with the hops to weigh it down during the boil.
And you're done! If you want to add more hops, use a plastic zip tie instead of a knot.
I am on the fence about this hop spider thingy. Seems like just another thing you have to clean at the end of the day.
After thru hiking the Appalachian trail you learn simpler is better and all the other stuff takes away from what's really important. If you are really bored and want to make something, here's a novel idea: Step 1)make beer! Step2)while you are brewing, read this (and other forums or books) to learn how to improve your technique. Step3)your beer will get better, you'll be more proficient and have more time on your hands. When you find you have more time to RDWHAHB, repeat steps 1, 2, and 3... and always remember the best things in life are not things!
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Offline FirstStateBrewer

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #43 on: July 18, 2012, 07:50:16 am »
FYI.  I drop an extra stainless nut or washer into the nylon bag with the hops to weigh it down during the boil.
And you're done! If you want to add more hops, use a plastic zip tie instead of a knot.
I am on the fence about this hop spider thingy. Seems like just another thing you have to clean at the end of the day.
Actually, I'm talking about weighing down the bag I use with my hops spider.  Yes, I have to clean it at the end of the day.  So what?  After a couple brews, I throw the bag away and replace with a new one.
Scott B

Offline thebigbaker

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Re: Hop spider design
« Reply #44 on: July 18, 2012, 09:16:17 am »
The hop spider bags are no harder to clean than the hop sacks, especially if you had multiple hop additions.  My hanging hop filter is simple and easy and really makes brewing with pellet hops much easier.  I haven't tried weighing down the bag, so I may give that a shot next time to see if it makes any difference in the final product.
Jeremy Baker

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