A Few Issues..

[deserter]

Hi all had a few issues with my first mini mash wonderin if i could get a bit of advice..
I used a 15L water cooler with an expandable steamer in the base as a filter screen thought it was a marvellous idea until the steamer closed and clogged the outlet an hour later i had finished straining the grain by hand.. pain in the ass but i managed..
I used hop flowers which smelt awesome and looked amazing. My siphon is a copper tube with a SS scrubber attached to the bottom the problem being it blocked up completely with the flowers so i had to strain that by hand too spending way too much time exposed to air..
Thought I'd ask you mob if you got any ideas on how to avoid these problems again..
Cheers,
Caleb E.

 

[manticle]

For the minimash, try purchasing a grain bag from one of the site sponsors or a decent LHBS.

For the hop flowers try using a hop bag or large tea ball. Make sure you don't pack it too tight (in fact pack very loosely) as the flowers expand with moisture and Alpha acid utilisation in bags can be problematic. Alternatively the steamer you mention might make a decent hop screen in the kettle. I have no idea what yours looks like - we have an old 50s (?) one that looks like a metal flower which is what I'm imagining. For that to work you would need a tap fixed below the level of the steamer.

If you post some pictures of your set-up it would help - the above is largely conjecture based on a mental picture of what you are doing.

 

[benno1973]

Hi all had a few issues with my first mini mash wonderin if i could get a bit of advice..
I used a 15L water cooler with an expandable steamer in the base as a filter screen thought it was a marvellous idea until the steamer closed and clogged the outlet an hour later i had finished straining the grain by hand.. pain in the ass but i managed..
I used hop flowers which smelt awesome and looked amazing. My siphon is a copper tube with a SS scrubber attached to the bottom the problem being it blocked up completely with the flowers so i had to strain that by hand too spending way too much time exposed to air..
Thought I'd ask you mob if you got any ideas on how to avoid these problems again..
Cheers,
Caleb E.

Issue 1: filter. Maybe buy a SS filter from your LHBS or a site sponsor? otherwise there's lots of threads on putting together a copper manifold for all sorts of water coolers.

Issue 2: syphon. You could use a hop sock (like this) to contain the flowers in the boil. There's arguments that it reduces your hop efficiency, but you can always add some more hops to make up for this. Then remove the hop sock at the end of the boil and syphon away. You can still leave the scrubber on, as it will remove some of the hot break.

Good luck next time!

 

[deserter]

dammit.. I've got a grain bag too, for some reason i thought it wouldn't work. Don't ask me why now.. the old flower style is the one ive got and it was above the tap i think I may have closed it up when I stirred the mash. hop bag is a good idea too. first try is always a bit shonky i guess thanks for the help. how would i use the steamer as a hop screen? put it in the bottom of the kettle and pull it up at the end of the boil sort of deal? Thanksagain for the help guys.
cheers,
Caleb E...

 

[manticle]

Steamer as hop screen would only work if you installed a tap in the kettle/boiler much like your mash tun is set up. Otherwise a hose clamp and some mesh over your siphon tube might work. Hop bags are probably easiest till you set yourself up for full volume full mash (presuming that's what you want to be doing.

 

[brettprevans]

I do full AG batches and double batches and still use a hop sock. Been using the same one for years. Started out as a grain bag now hop sock. In fact I've just upgraded to the jumbo size one from craftbrewer. 80cm long! Yeah baby. Will work ace with my double keggle as it's very tall

 

[Brewme]

I guess if a bag is big enough to allow the hops to do it's job, it's OK.

But if the bag is too small, the hops will end up like a potato dumpling in a bag. The outside cooked by the boiling water and the inside cooked by the heat. The hops swells and takes up the room in the small bag.

The compacted hop ball will be good to use for another batch as only half of the flavour has been used.

Probably why some tea companies brag about bigger tea bags......better steeping.

Then again, part of the hops thrown in loosely into the boil, end up stuck to the side of the boiler.

Would pre-boiling the hops in a separate pot and adding to the main boil at the required times be any good?

Could be strained through a loincloth and added to the boil with no floaties

Just a thought.

Xmas cheers