Stainless Hop Spider

[Fingar]

Hi Folks,

I bought a stainless steel hopspider - https://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/st ... pider.html - after years of just throwing hops straight into the kettle. My initial thoughts were that this was a great piece of kit as it made the clean up a bit easier, but after today's brew, the small mesh seems to be clogged. How do you go about cleaning these things to ensure that they remain effective? Is it worth having? Should I just stick to dropping the hops into the kettle as before or consider using a hop bag? Penny for your thoughts!

Cheers... Fingar

[nickjdavis]

330 microns is very fine, I've got an 800 micron spider (did have a300 micron but that was way too fine) and that gets clogged up with pellets and takes a bit of cleaning (stiff nail brush helps, as does a powerful jet from a hose).

Like many brewing accessories, these devices whilst seemingly solving one problem, often introduce another "problem"....as the Moody Blues said...Its a Question of Balance....your kettle clean up might be easier but you have an extra gadget to clean.

[Jocky]

Everything is a compromise in brewing.

I gave up trying to filter hop pellets. When I use them I just let everything settle after cooling and then run off without a filter.

If I’m using a really big hop load (10 grams per litre) then I boil a BIAB bag and stick that in my fermenter. After draining the kettle I can lift the bag out and it takes out all the hop debris.

[barneey]

I have used Hop Spiders in the past in the hope that cleaning up at the end of a brew would be easier. No longer use a spider preferring to let a good mechanical hop filter in the bottom of the pot do the job. The amount of cleaning isnt much less using a spider than a traditional filter + the hops get bounced around alot more in the boiler not using a spider.

For storage pellets are a lot easier to store or split amongst friends, whole leaf I prefer in the boil as they will provide a natural filter without to much reliance on a mechanical means. Hop pellets & whole hops in the boiler will also provide a good balance of natural / mechanical filter options.

My mechanical filter of choice is a BAC spring

[MashBag]

330 microns is very fine, I've got an 800 micron spider (did have a300 micron but that was way too fine) and that gets clogged up with pellets and takes a bit of cleaning (stiff nail brush helps, as does a powerful jet from a hose).

+1 I have a 800 mangrove jack. 300 is good for dry hopping.

Truck wash, hose and brush make clean up easy.

I stuck with hop spider, because I kettle ferment. And bulk of the hops are better gone.

[IPA]

Fortunately I have one of those tap heads,a bit like a shower head, that pulls out on a hose. The is a setting on it which produces a needle sharp spray which cleans the spider with ease. It also does a brilliant cleaning job on the BacBrewing Springer

[LeeH]

I throw mine in the dishwasher.

[Fingar]

All,

Thanks for your replies. I may try and see if it cleans up/de-clogs by throwing it in the dishy, if not, I will donate it to Steptoe and Son!

Cheers... Fingar

[Nashbrew]

I went down the truck wash route when I used a spider.
Currently trying some heat sealable giant tea bags.
no mess whats so ever.

[MashBag]

Veg bags in the supermarket might work

[MashBag]

Currently trying some heat sealable giant tea bags.
no mess whats so ever.

Do you have a link? Not sure what you mean

[Nashbrew]

Currently trying some heat sealable giant tea bags.
no mess whats so ever.

Do you have a link? Not sure what you mean

Hi Mash
I can send you some to try if you wanted to have a trial run ? just PM me your address.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... 1802I3Xq3k
They also have a drawstring as well if you don,t want to use a sealer on them.

[MashBag]

Thanks Nash. Will do.

[MashBag]

Just arrived. Thank you.
How much are you using in each of them?
I am thinking 30 or 40 grams of hop pellets in each.

I am brewing in the next few days. Looking forward to trying these. Particularly as with ferment in kettle. These could be real good.

Thank you.

[Nashbrew]

Hi Mash
I have been getting 50 to 60grms into them myself but am still at the trial stage.
Results so far have been exellent.