Boil kettle to fermenter issues

[Techie101]

Well, in the spirit of continusously improving my brewing process I've decided that I am doing one thing COMPLETELY wrong. After I have cooled my wort and I transfer it to my fermenter I use one of the ~10" funnels with the fine strainer in them. I pour the wort thru the strainer that is attached to the fermenter. This works for about the first 60% of the wort. Then the little hops "sludge" (pellet) will clog up the strainer and it just stops flowing. I have to put down the boil kettle and stir the wort in the funnel until it starts flowing again, and repeat. All the while my cool wort is being exposed to the air.

How do other people who use pellet hops, and don't have pumps transfer from BK to fermenters? One answer would be to use some kind of bag for my hops, but even then I have to pick up 5 gallons of wort and pour it into the strainer/funnel. Just seems like there should be a smoother way to do this.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Matt

[Kaiser]

When I started brewing, straining the wort caused me the most problems. All that messing with the strainer and the wort being exposed to air all that time.

Then I finally figured out whirlpooling and use it ever since. Early on I siphoned the wort from the kettle into the strainer to see how much break and hop material I get through the siphon. Since there is mostly very little, I stopped using the strainer alltogether. Now I siphon straight into the fermenter.

Here is a write-up that I did in another forum:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7682

The key is to let it settle for at least 20 min.

Kai

[bub]

yeah there is this cool process called Siphoning... I think the greeks invented it... you might want to try.
BUB

[Push Eject]

Don't be an ass, Bub.

Do you have a spigot on your kettle? If not, can you drill it out for one? With a spigot all kinds of options open up like pick-up tubes, false bottoms, diverter plates, stainless steel scrubbies (my favorite).

Or hey, you could siphon.

Kisses, Bub

Push Eject

[Lufah]

[valorian]

Definetely invest in an Auto-siphon.

[Techie101]

Yeah, I have an auto siphon, I figured it would become cloged with all the hop sludge. I can put a spigot on my boil kettle just like on my HLT so I may try that. On a spigot, do you think it would get hot enough during the boil to take care of any microbial beasties that may be lurking inside it? If not, I have heard of people running boiling wort thru it before killing the fire. Just the idea of moving boiling wort is a little unsettling.

Thanks for the help guys (and the "Smart-assity" bub ) I appreciate it!

~Matt

[valorian]

I use an Auto-Siphon all the time and it never clogs. The piece that fits onto the end prevents it from sucking up the sludge.