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South Carolina SC midlands area brewers
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dieharduscfan
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No we haven’t moved in yet but we have plenty at the brewrage right now
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SHAIV
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So guys im contemplating getting/ building a hop screen for my kettle. What do/have you guys used for straining hops in the kettle. Im trying to minimize trub in fermenter and wort loss. Ive been researching different things and i was thinking a Bazooka screen might work but people say they clog easily with pellet hops. Ive watched videos on utube of people making their own and they typically maximize the surface area of the screen to keep from clogging and keep the pickup in the middle of the screen. Most people keep the screen as close to the bottom as possible. Why? Couldnt you make the screen go up off the bottom some? Like slope it up so it would have a lesser chance of clogging? You might clog the bottom part which could mean more wort lost but the higher part would still flow right? Idk i guess id have to see how it would work with chiller and everything. Maybe put a T on it and use 2 screens or braided hose? Keep it out of the center so whirlpool hops wont be so close to the screen?
I made this for about $10. I'm sure there are better options, but it was fun to build.
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SHAIV
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Nice. Yeah I used a biab bag last year for my fresh hop ale at harvest time. Obviously it was whole hops and worked out great. People do say that containing the hops decreases utilization. I am thinking about a stainless hop spider if i dont go the bazooka screen route. Do you use that for pellet hops? Does it contain them pretty good?
Yes, it contained the pellets very well, almost too well. I didn't squeeze the bag after the boil but I did run my spoon down the sides of it to help it drain. There was probably 1/2 to a full quart of water in it. It was slow to drain. This was with a paint strainer bag.
TravelingLight
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I was getting ready to build one exactly like this. But then I started seeing stories and pictures of the PVC flanges melting and deforming from the heat of the boil, despite PVC being rated for much higher temps. e.g.: https://thebeerspy.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/img_42581.jpg
Obviously an easy workaround is to use steel threaded rod and a SS sink flange. But the SS sink flanges are obviously a little more expensive than the PVC. Point being, I went round and round on this until I found a SS hop spider on ebay for less than $20, so I went with that. Bottom line, regardless of whether you buy or DIY, I think a hop spider is the simplest, cheapest way to cut down on pellet trub in the kettle.
I was planning on using ss rod, but I couldn't find any at Lowe's and knew I had cpvc at home.
PVC is only rated for 140°.
CPVC is up to 200°
I used the ABS coupler (black). Its rated for use to to 176°.
I figured it wasn't going to actually have any liquid running through it, so it should be ok. I had no issues the first boil.
PVC is only rated for 140°.
CPVC is up to 200°
I used the ABS coupler (black). Its rated for use to to 176°.
I figured it wasn't going to actually have any liquid running through it, so it should be ok. I had no issues the first boil.
Of course my boil was an extract and had lots of room in the kettle. Once I switch over to all grain and have a boil with more liquid, I may have to adjust the design to have it sit higher.
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SHAIV
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Yes i read that somewhere too. So how do you like the stainless one? I saw some on amazon
TravelingLight
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They're perfect. Nice that it hangs over the edge of the kettle, staying out of the way of my immersion chiller (I always toss in the immersion chiller at flameout), which helps since I do a lot of post-boil additions for my NEIPAs and other hoppy beers.
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SHAIV
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You got any eye candy? Haha. Im kind of on the fence about getting one of those or just putting a bag around the lip of the kettle next time i brew
TravelingLight
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Well, actually, I have a new one on the way, so don't have a picture of it now, sorry. But, something else I've done in the interim is using nude/undyed pantyhose for hop socks. I use them all the time for keg hops, so I figured why not in the boil? And it works perfectly. I just load up a pantyhose/knee high with the hop charge, tie it off, and drop it in the boil. I also usually take the end of the pantyhose and clip it to the side of the pot with a binder clip. Works great, and is cheap as hell. I think I was using pantyhose the last time Oceangrace24 was over for a brew day.
My first home brew was finally ready to drink last night. It isn't anything special, a SN pale ale extract clone. Turned out ok. I'm happy with the clarity and the carbonation after 2 weeks, should be better in another week. The taste is ok. It is definitely malt/caramel heavy, probably due to this partial boil. I have an IPA fermenting now that I did the same way, but I am done with that method. I am going all grain, already have purchased the needed equipment.
Overall, I'm happy with it. I consider it a win. It's drinkable. My goal was to learn the process and end up with something drinkable. Cheers!
TravelingLight
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That's what I'm talkin' bout!
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SHAIV
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Nice man! Congrats. Yeah the partial boil is not the best way to do it. You get more out of your hops if you do a full boil. Id try a full boil extract before you do an all grain. Thats just my opinion. My last extract. I only added like a gallon to the fermenter. That seems to work out pretty good for me because i dont have to chill it all the way. I can chill the gallon of water and let that finish off the chill. Next time i brew i think im gonna do a double extract batch in my new 10 gallon kettle. Probably boil like 9 gallons and end up with around 11 gallons in two fermenters hopefully...
I think im gonna hold off on a hop spider. I may get a another ingredient kit instead idk
TravelingLight
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Hey SHAIV, whoever your boy is that has the Shandon/Rosewood route has been really pissing me off!! Three attempted deliveries of my new Verizon phone and nada. Put in my neighbor's address as an alternate, they said no answer, which is a complete lie because he was home and saw the UPS truck drive off, i.e., they didn't even knock! Not bitching at you, lol, not your fault. Just crappy that he straight up lied about it. Sheesh, what a pain in the ass.
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SHAIV
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They didnt leave a note on your door? Not sure who it would be. It depends on the day and volume and exact location. I used to deliver to that area sometimes you called ups? Hey you can go online and do an electronic signature for anything but alcohol and guns so they would be able to leave a signature required box without a signature. You should also have the option to pick it up at the hub
TravelingLight
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Yeah, I called them and they're going to hold it at Old Dunbar and I can get it in the morning, because this driver doesn't get back to Old Dunbar until after 6:30. In the past, I've been able to go into my UPS profile and tell them to leave it without a signature. Apparently Verizon no longer allows this?? Hell, I even initially tried to get them just to leave it at the hub and I would pick it up, but that wasn't available either. It's like Verizon thinks they're shipping me a gold doubloon. Next time I'll just get it shipped to my wife's office.
TravelingLight
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I'm a big fan of Griffin's Pest Control. It's a small operation, husband and wife who left Modern Exterminating to start their own thing. Pam used to spray my old townhouse, and now she treats my current house. Let me know if you need their contact info. Good old laid back country folk from out in Gaston I think?
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SHAIV
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Ok cool. Thanks man! My wife wanted to go with home pest, she has some friends who use them and they seemed reasonable compared to what my mom told me she paid with terminix. I got some termites trying to invade my brewery! Idk man...
grandetacos
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Man don’t mess with termites. Get some bait stations in the ground ASAP. It is such a pain to try to sell a house with termite damage.
On another-nother note- has anyone had Foothills Brewery’s Carolina Blonde? It is supposed to be a cream ale but tastes more like a Czech Pilsner. Not sure if I got an off six pack or if they use Pilsner yeast for their brew. It’s fantastic but now I want to try to make it
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SHAIV
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Why would you sell a house with termite damage? Why not just have it fixed? I mean thats all it ever boils down to, is what needs to be fixed. Idk i might have to clean out my brew closet and rip up carpet and pull the wall down and expand! I mean, cough, “check for termites”
grandetacos
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So in my case, I bought a house that previously had termites. Then found the damage. Cost about 6k to repair all the damage. Hurt my soul.
TravelingLight
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You're sure it's termites, right? Not trying to insult your intelligence! I only ask because I had what I thought was termites in my brew shed behind the house but turns out it was carpenter ants. Still a pain in the ass, but definitely better than termites!
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SHAIV
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I had ants before too i feel like ive always known what termites looked like. And these had wings so they are spawning termites and this is the spawning season. I also looked it up on google and done some research on what attracts them and signs of having them and im like yep yep yep
TravelingLight
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Damn bro, that sucks! It's in your house right? Like not in an out building? Is your termite bond current?
Not necessarily termites. There are flying ants that look like termites that are out this time of year. Look at their antenna. The ants have hinged antenna and termites are straight. I get some of the ants every year
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SHAIV
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Well we are getting termite protection and pest control bundled. Never had it before and its definitely needed Either way they will be taken care of. If they are in fact ants then that would be awesome but im pretty sure they are termites
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SHAIV
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So its confirmed that we had termites... but the good news is they were only starting on the back porch post. The ones we saw inside came from there through the back door so we got them taken care of. On with the brewing!!!! Haha
TravelingLight
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I'd be thinking, dang I need to get paid in beer! Lol.
But in all seriousness, it'll be fine. Pretty sure I've had my quarterly sprays done before when they sprayed all around active fermenters in a closet. Never had any issues.
TravelingLight
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Diluted or concentrated? Concentrated I just keep it in the bottle it came in. I assume you mean mixed up/diluted starsan? I keep a 32 oz. spray bottle full. When I need to refill that, I know the ratio is 1.5 ml starsan to 32 oz. water. I always use distilled water for this because as we all know, it stays "good" longer with distilled.
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SHAIV
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Yes thats what i mean. So you just keep a spray bottle and spray everything you need to sanitize? Man i usually keep around 5 gallons of it mixed with distilled water and use that to soak sanitize everything. But i keep it in a pickle bucket from firehouse subs. It smelled like pickles for a long time but it finally went away. The bucket is basically air tight with the rubber seal around the lid. Just wondering how everyone does it
I mix a 5 gal batch for brew or bottling day and dump when I’m done. I buy a gallon of distilled and dump a bit and mix it in the jug. I pour as needed from there to my squirt bottle. My wife uses it everywhere in the kitchen and bathroom after she cleans.
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