I don't see why it wouldn't? What problems are you expecting?
Boil kettle condenser - no overhead ventilation needed
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processhead
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Of course it will work!
The only problem I see is that kettle is way too pristine.
I would like to see some pictures of it with a heavy coating of trub and boil debris coating every bit of that shiny surface!
I think you'll find somewhat lower hop utilization. I did the hop spider thing for a while, and always found I needed more hops to get equivalent effect to just dumping in them in commando. I even set it up so it was above boiling bubbles so they'd come up through the hop spider but it didn't make much difference.
In your case, no bubbles will come through that spider, so I'd also expect lesser utilization.
However--lots of stuff that seems logical don't quite meet the test of experience, so your best bet is to try it. It's not like it's going to produce bad beer, and you may find just increasing your hop bill by 25-50 percent makes up for lower utilization.
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BTW: I'm doing an extended tryout of the hop shots that Yakima Valley sells. They're concentrated hop extract with the bittering effects of hops but not the trub. They're sold in 3 and 10 ml syringes, plus you can buy a can of 150ml. You get about 10 IBU of bittering in a 1.050 wort per ml in a 60-minute boil.
@Morrey put me on to this. We did a couple of California Common beers from the same recipe with the difference being he bittered with the hop shot, I bittered with Northern Brewer hops. We compared and both were very similar, except the beer I did (using the hops) had a bit more bite to the bitterness, Morrey's had a fuller, more rounded bitterness. Both were great, just depends on what you're looking for.
I just brewed a Kolsch yesterday using them, we'll see how that turns out. I used one of my own homemade hop shots which I made using the 150-ml can of hop extract. You can get the syringes on Amazon for 16 cents apiece in a 100-pack. The hop extract is $30 for a can, so 3 ml of bittering costs....about 75 cents.
Now, I know this isn't what you're trying to do, it's my approach to trying to solve the same problem as you, i.e., how to get hop essence in the beer without all the hop trub. Might try it, see what you think, and it might help others.
Here's my pile of homemade hop shots:
Nothing really. There won't be much circulation under the spider. I know it wouldn't work with a propane burner, there'd probably be scorching. I was just asking in case there's something I didn't think of.
I think it's a good idea, good call on the silicon so it doesn't scratch.
In my one-shot experience resting my spider on the (gas fired) boil kettle bottom it did scorch under the spider. First time I'd ever scorched wort in that kettle. It wasn't horrible but it was obviously something to never do again.
btw, that spider is indeed from Stainless Brewing, I have the 6" diameter version. I'm pretty sure they don't make them like that any longer (with the three tubular appendages for the SS rods)....
Cheers!
btw, that spider is indeed from Stainless Brewing, I have the 6" diameter version. I'm pretty sure they don't make them like that any longer (with the three tubular appendages for the SS rods)....
Cheers!
OP
OP
None of my business... but I think a whirlpool is the way to go.
I'm setup to do that too. But based on my trial run, I'll have wait until I'm finished chilling. The output through the CF chiller was pretty dismal. I have ordered a big impeller for my March 809 pump.
Fired up the steamslayer today for the first time with my first brew on my electric rig. Things went pretty well, still have some fiddling to do with my temp probe. Also, forgot to put the steel wool behind my trub dam and whoops, whole hops don't go through pumps and whirlpool valves well. [emoji4]
Anyway, ran my 5500W element at 40% power, and was getting roughly 135 F effluent out the drain. Was using the 9gph sprayer head btw. I had about 1GA boil off in an hour, in my 15GA ss brewtech kettle. The smell was mostly delicious Willamette hops, but I did notice that sweet corn smell people have been replying with. It wasn't terrible though, and I can't say that there was any bad smells at all. My son said he didn't smell it in the next room, wife of course smelled it when she opened the basement door. Interestingly enough the 9gph sprayer after an hour produced 11GA.
Anyway, super happy with it after one batch, thank you @Bobby_M for offering the complete package and @BrunDog for dreaming it up!
Anyway, ran my 5500W element at 40% power, and was getting roughly 135 F effluent out the drain. Was using the 9gph sprayer head btw. I had about 1GA boil off in an hour, in my 15GA ss brewtech kettle. The smell was mostly delicious Willamette hops, but I did notice that sweet corn smell people have been replying with. It wasn't terrible though, and I can't say that there was any bad smells at all. My son said he didn't smell it in the next room, wife of course smelled it when she opened the basement door. Interestingly enough the 9gph sprayer after an hour produced 11GA.
Anyway, super happy with it after one batch, thank you @Bobby_M for offering the complete package and @BrunDog for dreaming it up!
I have been running at 29% lately. I think if you sneak a quick peek at 40%, you'll see it's pretty violent in there.
For sure, had the table rocking. I wanted to make sure I got as high a boil off as possible cause it was my first biab and my PBV was a lot higher than I expected. Energy savings aside, and other reason to go lower?
I'm getting around 0.5gal/hr with my 5500W element set to 38% once the boil gets going. Exit water is around 120F and I believe the 9gph nozzle is installed.
I believe @mabrungard spoke on this subject at the last Homebrew Con. I wasn't able to attend, so this is second hand info, but I think he said that boiling too hard can hurt the longevity of a beer. Then they said he proved it with a bunch of sciency stuff. Hopefully he will pop in here to clarify.
One reason I'm not a fan of filling the entire headspace with boil foam is that it deposits your precious hops on the sidewalls. Check on it a few minutes after a hop addition to be sure all the hops are not out of the boil.
Franktalk
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Yes, this^^.
Apparently, heat stress from a too vigorous boil can result in many detrimental effects including, reduced head retention, color darkening, and less flavor stability to name just a few.
processhead
Well-Known Member
How does the temperature of a boil exceed 212 degrees?
Clearly something other than heat, if in fact there are detrimental effects of a vigorous boil.
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Gravitysucks
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This article gives some ideas on the thoughts on less vigorous boiling.
http://www.********************/uncategorized/low-oxygen-boiling/
OP
OP
Temperature doesn't need to climb, but pumping more heat into the wort will deteriorate it. You need just enough for a gentle simmer. The key is exposure with surface air to promote volatile transfer. Hence why some pro systems use calandrias.
processhead
Well-Known Member
Interesting reading. Thanks for sharing.
I am kind of confused on the right angle put fit valve connections to the spray head. I am building my own and that is the part i am confused on.
Why is it confusing? You need a way to feed the cold water in so small diameter poly tubing is a nice lightweight way to do that. Right angle to keep the tubing from kinking. Valve so you can turn the water off right there. You don't have to do it that way.
Yeah I follow after looking at it again. Thanks. I just ordered the parts.
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Is the 1.5" version of this discontinued? I couldn't find it on BrewHardware.com until I did a Google search. Really debating between this and a new hood.
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Yeah, seems like a huge advantage. Just a little concerned about the the odor some have reported.
Well it isn't odorless by any means, you can certainly tell I'm brewing in the basement. My wife says she can smell it on the first floor as well but it isn't bad, I can't even tell up there. It dissipates quickly though.
I second that, but my experience is only on one brew with two ounces of hops.
DexterBrewing
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Anyone know when these will be back in stock?
RockfordWhite
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Bobby told me 3-4 weeks. However, in the order comments you can request a free 2-1.5 reducer and they’ll throw it in.
So I just finished re-reading the whole thread and I have some thoughts...
1. This whole system works kinda like a hvac system. You expand a gas (steam) and then force a phase change to release the the unwanted heat.
2. As the steam expands it will cool due to it displacing other gas ( work). Could you increase efficiency with a concentric or even an eccentric reducer. This would have the added benefit of having your sprayer higher and no worry about water back flowing. It doesn’t seem to need it really.
https://www.brewershardware.com/Tri-Clover-Concentric-Reducer-2-X-1_5.html
https://www.brewershardware.com/Sanitary-Fittings/Eccentric-Reducers/
3. Some have reported Higher GPH sprayers reduce the smell? Has anyone tried to confirm this? Smell isn’t going to be an issue for me as the wife is pushing me to brew more. But lower exit temp may mean less aromatic undesirable released. I wonder if we are smelling some of the flavors of hops that normally get boils off like cheese, garlic, vegetal. Several people have reported burnt hop smell. Anyone want to make a malt liquor? I personally love IPAs but some make me gag because of a combo of hops taste like cat piss smells to me.
1. This whole system works kinda like a hvac system. You expand a gas (steam) and then force a phase change to release the the unwanted heat.
2. As the steam expands it will cool due to it displacing other gas ( work). Could you increase efficiency with a concentric or even an eccentric reducer. This would have the added benefit of having your sprayer higher and no worry about water back flowing. It doesn’t seem to need it really.
https://www.brewershardware.com/Tri-Clover-Concentric-Reducer-2-X-1_5.html
https://www.brewershardware.com/Sanitary-Fittings/Eccentric-Reducers/
3. Some have reported Higher GPH sprayers reduce the smell? Has anyone tried to confirm this? Smell isn’t going to be an issue for me as the wife is pushing me to brew more. But lower exit temp may mean less aromatic undesirable released. I wonder if we are smelling some of the flavors of hops that normally get boils off like cheese, garlic, vegetal. Several people have reported burnt hop smell. Anyone want to make a malt liquor? I personally love IPAs but some make me gag because of a combo of hops taste like cat piss smells to me.
Any idea when Bobby_M will be getting the 1.5” back in stock. It seems to be removed from the site just 2”. I can get to thru google but it isn’t listed if you go thru the drop down menu.
*edit* haha I didn’t see the three posts above mine sorry for a repeat.
*edit* haha I didn’t see the three posts above mine sorry for a repeat.
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It's not really removed from the site but rather being hidden due to being out of stock. They are due back in a couple weeks. I mistakenly over ordered 2" and under ordered 1.5" based on how many inquiries I was getting on 2" before they were made. It turned out to be a lot of tire kickers in the 2" size.
I will take a 2 inch but I will need a reducer my kettle has 1.5” tc’s I will also need another integrated ripple element. Nothing like coming back to electric brewing and having all new parts to upgrade to. Expect a order as soon as I clear it with the boss.
OP
OP
Spike apparently liked the condenser to add it to their nano system: https://spikebrewing.com/pages/nano. I guess you can do 1 BB easily enough with it. Interesting they opted to call it "Our" condenser...
Especially since it's essentially what has been detailed here. Which is the first most of us had seen of the idea, I would assume.
They have the defense of the “our” meaning there particular style of condenser. Considering you pioneered it at this scale, let’s hope their customers google “steam condenser”.
OP
OP
I guess. I’m not hating - I offered the design up freely to the community . If others want to make money on it... so be it. I just found “our” to be an interesting choice of words.
I agree entirely. It is essentially poaching of the idea for scalable profit. unfortunately I think it will be everywhere at the next nano con.
CodeSection
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Yes. With this recent addition, there are three companies that are selling a product with the design. Two companies have been selling it for awhile now.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...
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