Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Stout 3BBL Whirlpool Help

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Stout 3BBL Whirlpool Help

    So I would love a little help if anyone on a Stout system has any pointers. We are really trying to iron down processes to increase our yield. I'm not looking for the moon but I think we should be doing better than this.

    We've always had a hard time getting a tight cone. We made some modifications by adding a 3" high curved hop dam and it helps but not great. We purchased a standpipe from blichmann and it helps but not great.

    Here's our process.
    Whirlpool for 10 minutes at 38hz. This is not through the HX.
    Let settle for 30-45 minutes
    Dump tub until it runs clear and then knock out.

    I'm a few inches above the heating elements when I am finished. Granted the pic is a big hoppy beer but I'm losing 1/3 of my yield.

    If anyone has had a lightbulb moment on this system I'd love to hear some ideas.

    Thanks all!!!

    Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

  • #2
    Originally posted by Crosley View Post
    So I would love a little help if anyone on a Stout system has any pointers. We are really trying to iron down processes to increase our yield. I'm not looking for the moon but I think we should be doing better than this.

    We've always had a hard time getting a tight cone. We made some modifications by adding a 3" high curved hop dam and it helps but not great. We purchased a standpipe from blichmann and it helps but not great.

    Here's our process.
    Whirlpool for 10 minutes at 38hz. This is not through the HX.
    Let settle for 30-45 minutes
    Dump tub until it runs clear and then knock out.

    I'm a few inches above the heating elements when I am finished. Granted the pic is a big hoppy beer but I'm losing 1/3 of my yield.

    If anyone has had a lightbulb moment on this system I'd love to hear some ideas.

    Thanks all!!!

    Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
    We have a very similar setup but we use muslin bags for hops to avoid this very problem. it has not effected our hop utilization which is actually over 100% in beersmith. we still get some break and whirlpool but its enough were it stays in the center and we can drain from the side bottom port without issue... Maybe just Try using bags for a brew if you havent already?

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by augiedoggy View Post
      We have a very similar setup but we use muslin bags for hops to avoid this very problem. it has not effected our hop utilization which is actually over 100% in beersmith. we still get some break and whirlpool but its enough were it stays in the center and we can drain from the side bottom port without issue... Maybe just Try using bags for a brew if you havent already?
      I tried bags at first with no luck. How big of a bags are you using??

      Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Crosley View Post
        I tried bags at first with no luck. How big of a bags are you using??

        Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
        Well we use one for each hop addition they are around 16-18" tall and we hang them with string we tie off to one of the lid clasps so they dont just drop to the bottom.

        Comment


        • #5
          Have you tried slowing down the whirlpool to a gentle circulation? We've found it really doesn't need to be that vigorous of a whirlpool to do the trick.

          Cheers,
          John

          Comment


          • #6
            One of the drawbacks of this type of kettle. If you look into the research that was done on whirlpool tank design and operation, you will find that the best results are from tanks with no protrusions into the vessel. You've got 4, its going to make the whirlpool less effective.

            I would make sure you have a good strainer inline before your heat exchanger. You could also consider getting a separate whirlpool vessel, to which you pump the entire wort over to at the end of the boil.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by John@Brewmation View Post
              Have you tried slowing down the whirlpool to a gentle circulation? We've found it really doesn't need to be that vigorous of a whirlpool to do the trick.

              Cheers,
              John
              That is for the info John. I've tried everything fro. 12 hz to 50 hz and our optimum seems to be around 38.

              I am not blaming Stout or you guys. Its just the nature of having protrusions and seeing if anyone has any help.

              Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

              Comment


              • #8
                Would adding a grant be any help? I've been considering a grant and one thought I had is that I could gravity drain through a bag, into the grant, then pump from grant through HX into FV?

                Comment


                • #9
                  I have the 2bbl Stout and I purchased the wort grant from them, but have not used it, how would I incorporate it in the transfer from BK to HX on the way to the FV?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Brwd.By.Boucher View Post
                    I have the 2bbl Stout and I purchased the wort grant from them, but have not used it, how would I incorporate it in the transfer from BK to HX on the way to the FV?
                    We have a Stout 3BBL system, I go from the rotating racking port on the kettle to the tangental inlet on the grant, then HX to ferm.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      A bit late in the day, but you will never get this to work as a whirlpool with heating elements in like these. They simply create too much turbulence and prevent formation of, and or destroy any sort of cone formation. I suspect that even if you had an intrusion free whirlpool. operating to the best practice parameters, that you are grossly overloading it with vegetable matter. This is simply a fact of life - simple whirlpools are easily overloaded with vegetable matter. An over shallow (compared to BP) intrusion free WP may work better, but I think the better way would be to dry hop if you are looking for aroma (which it sounds as though you want), and if looking for high bitterness, a higher alpha hop (if available) or even hop extract. Recommended inlet speeds for a WP are around 3.5 metres / second and I suspect you are a long way short of that - but the heating elements will destroy the cone eve faster at that speed!!
                      dick

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I would ignore all the comments about protrusions causing turbulence and preventing you from being able to form a proper hop cone. While this is true and I totally agree with the sentiments because the physics make sense, you should still be able to effectively whirlpool and get what you need out of your setup.

                        We have a 7 bbl brew kettle from Stout with 3 heating elements. Essentially the same setup as yours. We have done numerous brews on the system and are able to form a pretty decent cone after whirlpool with minimal losses in our yield.

                        My recommendations for changes to your process would be:
                        1) Longer whirlpool / shorter rest. We do our whirlpool for 20 minutes. Followed by a 20 min rest. You would see no increase in brew day time from your current process.
                        2) Don’t dump trub before knockout. If you have a secondary bottom outlet behind your hop dam which I’m assuming you do, then just knockout from this outlet and leave the trub and hop cone until after knockout. By dumping your trub right after your whirlpool you may actually be disturbing your cone defeating the purpose of the whirlpool.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          filter will help but can get clogged, less the veg load and you're halfway there. extract for bittering. cryo in the kettle when you can use it after flameout. how hard is your knockout temp crash? you can always go into the ferm a bit warm and use glycol to crash down to pitch temp. then any trub will be in the bottom of the cone and easy to dump right before you pitch.

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X