Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 19, 2020 13:15:09 GMT 10
I've been using 2ft x 2ft paint strainer bags in my 40L urn as an absolutely brilliant hopsock, peg it around the top and it forms a swimming pool for the hops and strains out nearly all the hop material, including pellets.
They lasted for years but were starting to disintegrate. The ones available from paint stores have been too small for the urn.
I recently switched to a BrewZilla - I was in Bunnings today and found a pack of three that fit the BrewZilla perfectly, as well as being elasticated around the top for a snug fit. The Zilla is smaller diameter than a 40L urn. They appear to be polyester, but nylon should work just as well... brewing later and will report.
Around $8 for the three pack.
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Joined: Jan 3, 2018 15:38:38 GMT 10
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Post by Farsideofcrazy on Aug 20, 2020 10:57:35 GMT 10
I've tried making SS mesh screens to keep the hops out of the fermenter and nothing has worked perfectly, this is the next thing I was going try. How snug is the fit? I've got a guten which is a bit bigger in diameter. When layed flat what's the measurement across the bag? I'll be able to work out if it'll fit my vessel if I know that. Let us know how it performs next brew Bribie. Cheers |
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Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 20, 2020 12:16:51 GMT 10
When fully stretched, circumference is bang on 100cm (2 x length of fully sideways stretched elastic) so applying equation worked out by dead Greek Dude that would fit diameter of 31.85mm max. However the guten is 35cm so you would miss out there, but for the sake of 8 bux you could try just cutting the elastic at a few strategic points and stretching the material itself over and pegging it, should work.
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dozer
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Post by dozer on Aug 20, 2020 12:55:49 GMT 10
Could also just peg it in 4 locations around the top without cutting it. Kind of like having a square in a round hole.
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Joined: Dec 28, 2017 10:28:54 GMT 10
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Post by earle on Aug 20, 2020 13:09:54 GMT 10
Could also just peg it in 4 locations around the top without cutting it. Kind of like having a square in a round hole. It'll never work   |
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Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 20, 2020 13:51:09 GMT 10
Actually I just tried it on my 40L Crown Urn and it still fits, at a diameter of 34cm. I'd give it a go on the Guten for sure, give it a bit of welly and it should give a wee bit more.
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Joined: Dec 28, 2017 10:28:54 GMT 10
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Post by earle on Aug 20, 2020 13:53:25 GMT 10
I'm guessing these do disrupt the boil as much as they have a more open mesh. I've tried this sort of thing using a grain bag and it seems interfere with the boil a bit - the bag bubbles up a bit, sometimes causes something like a boilover. These paint bags seem like a much more satisfactory solution from what you've posted.
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Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 20, 2020 14:07:36 GMT 10
Yup the grain bag method looks like a deep sea monster billowing and rolling. With the smaller headspace of the Zilla compared to an urn the strainer should give a better boil.
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Quinny
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Post by Quinny on Aug 20, 2020 17:32:15 GMT 10
Mate ... that second photo, with the overflow pipe sticking up, have you got that bag under the mesh screen ? What's going on there - I'm obviously missing something  |
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Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 20, 2020 17:47:24 GMT 10
Mate ... that second photo, with the overflow pipe sticking up, have you got that bag under the mesh screen ? What's going on there - I'm obviously missing something No, that was just the unit asleep while I was checking if the bag would fit so I could take a photo.
In the middle of a boil now and doing just fine.
Yess.... my precioussss...
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Quinny
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Post by Quinny on Aug 20, 2020 18:18:56 GMT 10
Excellent  |
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Post by Farsideofcrazy on Aug 20, 2020 20:38:27 GMT 10
Cheers for that Bribie. Would like to see what is left in the zilla after it has been drained. |
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mje1980
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Post by mje1980 on Aug 21, 2020 8:30:24 GMT 10
I got the hop spider, don’t like it. I might try that!
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Joined: Dec 24, 2017 9:15:10 GMT 10
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Post by Bribie on Aug 21, 2020 16:00:56 GMT 10
I was thinking about the hop spider myself, fortunately it was out of stock or I'd be lumbered with one  Now, the paint bag retained nearly all the hop material - from pellets. Also the wort out of the tap was clear right to the bottom, and the last bit provided some wort into a cup for refractometer test, (with much tipping of the Zilla). It turned out nice and clear as well. But having said that, the Zilla has a fine mesh false bottom that sits on legs above the tap hole and collects nearly all the rain that comes down, mostly hot break (brewbright) and presumably most of any hop material that gets out of the bag. So the couple of cups left in the bottom of the boiler were pretty clear as well. I don't know if Guten, GF or BM have false bottoms. One of the best features of the Zilla IMHO. The bag perced up nicely and on clothesline now. I reckon it must be polyester as nylon mesh can deform and stiffen up when heated to near boiling, as I found out with a couple of nylon BIAB bags I tried about ten years ago. This came out perfect.   |
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