21 replies to this topic

[pkrone]

A nice cool front blew through last night, so it's actually pleasant in the brewery (garage) today.   Doing 10 gallons of a new helles recipe.    Getting to try out my newly installed whirlpool arm today too.   Gonna pitch 2206 in one carboy and 2408 in the other to compare.  Prost!  

[HVB]

Sounds like a good day/plan to me! Report back on the yeasts please.

[positiveContact]

so how'd it go?

[pkrone]

Awesome.    The whirlpool arm worked great.   Much easier to chill to pitching temp when the ambient temperature is 70 instead of 95.  heh.     Both carboys are bubbling away this morning.   

[neddles]

I'll admit my ignorance here. As a guy who has only ever brewed in a bag I don't exactly know what a whirlpool arm is. I can imagine it does something with the whirlpool. Can someone help me out here? 

[HVB]

I'll admit my ignorance here. As a guy who has only ever brewed in a bag I don't exactly know what a whirlpool arm is. I can imagine it does something with the whirlpool. Can someone help me out here? 

It has nothing to do with mashing but is used in the boil instead.  You pump the wort back in the help create a whirlpool to allow the hops to cone in the center and it will also help cool the beer down faster as the cooled wort is brought back to the kettle of the warm wart is pumped around an IC to help with stratification.  You can see mine below in the picture and here is an old article from Jamil on it http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php.

 

[neddles]

Ok thanks. So I am understanding the function correctly... are you drawing out from the stainless elbow to the pump and back in via the copper tube and discharge along the side of the kettle? Also are there other advantages to doing this as opposed to just stirring with a spoon (my method) other than the obvious "you don't have to stir"?

[HVB]

Ok thanks. So I am understanding the function correctly... are you drawing out from the stainless elbow to the pump and back in via the copper tube and discharge along the side of the kettle? Also are there other advantages to doing this as opposed to just stirring with a spoon (my method) other than the obvious "you don't have to stir"?

I have to think a bit about any other advantages.  For me I am cooling as I do it.  The way mine is set up I go out the SS elbow and then pumped to the CFC to cool and back in to the kettle to form the WP and cone.  I could do the WP with a spoon but I would not be able to get the cooling in my set up.

[neddles]

When you get that whirlpool going do you keep it going while you draw off to the fermentor or let it settle after cooling? How clear does the wort around the perimeter get... does trub end up in the center of the whirlpool while it is spinning or mostly just large particulate like hops?

Edited by neddles, 23 October 2017 - 08:20 AM.

[HVB]

When you get that whirlpool going do you keep it going while you draw off to the fermentor or let it settle after cooling? How clear does the wort around the perimeter get... does trub end up in the center of the whirlpool while it is spinning or mostly just large particulate like hops?

I pump for 10-15 and then let it settle for 10-15.  The wort is pretty darn clear as it is running off to the fermetner.  In the past I was a lot more careful not to disturb the cone and once it started to "fall apart" I would stop my run off so that I did not get the hops/trub into the fermenter but I am wiser now and realize it makes no difference on my beer so I just run it all out until I no longer have suction on the pump.  My main goal in the WP these days is to help drop the temp for hop additions.

[neddles]

Thanks. All of that is helpful because Ive never seen anyone else brew and sometimes Im a little lost when dicussing the process with everyone elses systems.

[pkrone]

Here's a shot of my kettle.   

 

 

 

I still have a false bottom to trap hops/hot break/cold break.  I wanted to whirlpool to increase my cooling efficiency and leave the cold break in the kettle.  I use a SS immersion chiller and the have my SS CFC in-line w/ with whirlpool setup.   My cooling was much better with this and the wort in the fermenter was very nice.

[neddles]

Here's a shot of my kettle.   

 

 

 

I still have a false bottom to trap hops/hot break/cold break.  I wanted to whirlpool to increase my cooling efficiency and leave the cold break in the kettle.  I use a SS immersion chiller and the have my SS CFC in-line w/ with whirlpool setup.   My cooling was much better with this and the wort in the fermenter was very nice.

 

Thanks. Again, some basic questions here. You are drawing off from under the false bottom to your pump and later to your fermentor? Using the false bottom essentially as a filter? Is that FB in there while you boil? I would assume 'yes'.

 

Also, I can figure out which one it the whirlpool arm, what are the other two and that clip-looking thingy?

Edited by neddles, 24 October 2017 - 10:59 AM.

[pkrone]

So the whirlpool arm is at 11 0'clock in the photo.  I drilled a hole in the keg to mount it and it's attached to a tri-clover fitting on the outside.  When I'm done whirlpooling and ready to transfer to the fermenter, I just unclamp that tri-clover fitting and direct the hose to the carboy.    So, yeah, that the false bottom in there and I leave it in there all the time.  That's the pick-up/drain tube running from the center of the false bottom.    That clip-looking thingy is the clamp for the tri-clover fitting.   The long tube at 3 o'clock is the drain tubing from the mash tun. 

[neddles]

So the whirlpool arm is at 11 0'clock in the photo.  I drilled a hole in the keg to mount it and it's attached to a tri-clover fitting on the outside.  When I'm done whirlpooling and ready to transfer to the fermenter, I just unclamp that tri-clover fitting and direct the hose to the carboy.    So, yeah, that the false bottom in there and I leave it in there all the time.  That's the pick-up/drain tube running from the center of the false bottom.    That clip-looking thingy is the clamp for the tri-clover fitting.   The long tube at 3 o'clock is the drain tubing from the mash tun. 

 

Ok that all makes perfect sense. Thanks pkrone.

 

I have no idea what a tri-clover fitting is but I have seen it mentioned enough times I should probably google that one.

[pkrone]

https://www.brewhard...gory_s/1841.htm

[pkrone]

So I tapped the 2308 keg and it is awesome.   The malt bill for this one was pils/carahell/caramunich II/sauer  89.5/5.3/2.6/2.6.   26 IBU's.  The malt flavor is really nice but I might prefer the pils/Golden Promise base malt blend in my other helles.   Planning on more analysis (tasting) this weekend.  Hopefully will make room to try the 2206 keg too for direct comparison.   

[Big Nake]

So I tapped the 2308 keg and it is awesome.   The malt bill for this one was pils/carahell/caramunich II/sauer  89.5/5.3/2.6/2.6.   26 IBU's.  The malt flavor is really nice but I might prefer the pils/Golden Promise base malt blend in my other helles.   Planning on more analysis (tasting) this weekend.  Hopefully will make room to try the 2206 keg too for direct comparison.   

[pkrone]

2308 on the left,  2206 on the right.   Lots of condensation, so clearer than they look in the photo.

 

I think I prefer the 2308.   They're very similar, but the malt flavor seems a little fuller with it than the 2206.  

 

[neddles]

Very nice to have done that side by side. Never used 2206. I don't think I have made bad lager with 2308. Full malt and a bit unique among lager yeasts that, at times, don't seem too far apart.