Has anyone has success whirlpooling on the Pico Z? I have done a couple of batches now and I suspect that the hops in the various compartments continue to isomerize while the water temperature drops to whirlpool temp.
I think the way the Z works is to drain the hop compartments and then circulate the water through the machine until cooled. But that means the hops are not cooling at the same rate. And as they are not completely dry, the acids continue to isomerize. So when the whirlpool water recirculates, it flushes those hop compartments and you get unintended bitterness? That is my theory.
I think even if you have your whirlpool hops in compartment 4 for example, the machine whirlpools all compartments... if that's the case, then it would support my theory.
Any thoughts?
I think the way the Z works is to drain the hop compartments and then circulate the water through the machine until cooled. But that means the hops are not cooling at the same rate. And as they are not completely dry, the acids continue to isomerize. So when the whirlpool water recirculates, it flushes those hop compartments and you get unintended bitterness? That is my theory.
I think even if you have your whirlpool hops in compartment 4 for example, the machine whirlpools all compartments... if that's the case, then it would support my theory.
Any thoughts?