Start whirlpool pump during boil to sanitize?

[rtracer]

I should be receiving my new pump and accessories on Monday and plan to use Tue. on a brew.
Chugger pump, high temp hoses and brew hardware spin cycle for whirlpool.

Is it common practice to start the whirlpool a few minutes before end of boil to sanitize pump and hoses? Or what is your common practice?

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I know a lot of people that run the pump during the last 15 minutes of the boil. I used to do that, but it disrupts the boil, so you have to stop your timer as the wort comes back up to a boil. Instead, for the past four or five years, I've been running the pump as the wort is coming up to a boil initially, then keep it running during the first 15 minutes of the boil. I turn the pump off and reduce the heat slightly and continue with the boil as usual. It should be noted that I do 90 minute boils, so I'm not pumping hops through the chiller and hoses unless I do FWH.

 

[govner1]

In addition to flushing my pump lines, & CFC w/StarSan prior to use I run the wort immediately post boil for 5 minutes or so. The wort is still hot enough to "sanitize" everything. Then I turn on the chilling water.

 

[Zinc_Saucier]

Like Govner1 I run the wort thorough my pump/cfc just after shutting off the flame on the boil, and let it recirculate for a few min until everything is nice and toasty. However I don't use StarSan on it, rather let the heat kill off any wild bugs, and then flush well with very hot water after to clean it out.

 

[govner1]

Like Govner1 I run the wort thorough my pump/cfc just after shutting off the flame on the boil, and let it recirculate for a few min until everything is nice and toasty. However I don't use StarSan on it, rather let the heat kill off any wild bugs, and then flush well with very hot water after to clean it out.

I flush just in case. I also flush the system post chill w/ SaniClean.

 

[rtracer]

Intersting, so you think that just the post flameout temps are hot enough to sanitize?
Also, the pump I ordered is a SS Chugged, do I need to worry about the hops driving thru the pump? I use a heavy dose of large addition pellet hops

 

[mxstar21]

I used to run my pump and cycle through my cfc at the 15 min mark. However, it's a pain, because the pump will cavitate with the boiling wort. I then tried cutting the flame at 15 min, cycling the pump and then turn the burner back on and stop the pump once the wort got back to boiling.

I thought those methods would be more sanitary, but after awhile of doing that I just started the same cycle at flame out and haven't seen any bad effects from it. It is actually a better method I believe and saves time.

 

[mxstar21]

Intersting, so you think that just the post flameout temps are hot enough to sanitize?
Also, the pump I ordered is a SS Chugged, do I need to worry about the hops driving thru the pump? I use a heavy dose of large addition pellet hops

I think if you start the whirlpool at flameout the temps will be high enough especially if you clean/flush the pump out after your brew day. Trying to pump boiling wort through the pump is a pain.

 

[mxstar21]

I know a lot of people that run the pump during the last 15 minutes of the boil. I used to do that, but it disrupts the boil, so you have to stop your timer as the wort comes back up to a boil. Instead, for the past four or five years, I've been running the pump as the wort is coming up to a boil initially, then keep it running during the first 15 minutes of the boil. I turn the pump off and reduce the heat slightly and continue with the boil as usual. It should be noted that I do 90 minute boils, so I'm not pumping hops through the chiller and hoses unless I do FWH.

That sounds like a pretty good method as well, especially if you are worried that the flameout temps aren't enough to sanitize.

 

[schematix]

I run my pumps in recirc during last 10-15 mins. Usually a couple 2 minutes bursts. The boil will slow, but I'll up the power to compensate until it recovers. No need to adjust boil time because it stops a rolling boil for a minute.

 

[govner1]

Intersting, so you think that just the post flameout temps are hot enough to sanitize?

Also, the pump I ordered is a SS Chugged, do I need to worry about the hops driving thru the pump? I use a heavy dose of large addition pellet hops

I use a SS mesh hop basket for the bulk of my hop additions. If you get your whirlpool going for a few minutes manually ( slowly) before turning on your pump then you shouldn't see any issues w/late (flameout, whirlpool) additions. The trub will form a nice cone in the middle of your BK bottom.

 

[rtracer]

Good deal, thanks guys. I think I will go with the pump right at flameout method. Looking forward to some actual flameout whirlpool hop additions.
Trying to get a whirlpool with an immersion chiller in there by hand is a bit%$.

 

[luckybeagle]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm curious if this method would work for pump sanitizing:

I usually keep a 5 gallon bucket full of Starsan+water during my brew days. I set my clean brewing spoon in it so I can do a manual whirlpool at flameout, keep my plate chiller hoses that carry wort in it until it's time to chill, etc... Couldn't I just recirculate this bucket of Starsan water through the pump for a few minutes as a closed system before moving the pump over to my plate chiller? Once I get the pump, my goal is to ultimately hook it up to the boil kettle valve and have it both chill and whirlpool simultaneously.