Bioler

[vonromanz]

Hi All

I'm planning on making myself a boiler. I mainly use hop pellets and have a 50L SS keg to convert. What do you guys use as an hop filter? I also use a plate chiller and doesnt want any debris going into it. I do have a March pump for recirculating the wort if necessary.

Please help with any ideas.

Thanks

 

[Fermented]

You might like to think about a hop sock to contain your hops.

There are some other methods that other forum members have come up with... might be worth having a search around.

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[chappo1970]

Yep as fermented said a Hop sock best $20 you will spend IMO.

 

[Yorg]

This exact problem has been an absolute pain in the but for me for a while, since I don't want to use a hop sock - just one more thing to clean.
I have gone back / forward to a counter flow, so that I won't worry about the debris.
I have tried quite a few things, and it occured to me that I had created the problem by using the plate chiller, and the solution wasn't another gadget down stream, but the removal of the plate chiller.
If you must stick with the plate chiller, look up "hop stopper".
In that line of thinking, I saw an oil splatter guard at Kmart that was the next thing I was going to try - and it looked hopeful.
Surface area is the key for pellet hops. It would sit in the bottom of your converted keg, like a (unfortunate analogy) contraceptive diaphram, and keep hops from your dip tube mouth.
To get your dip tube through the screen, get some brass threaded pipe, trace it on the screen, use some nail scissors for a neat cut, feed the threaded pipe through the screen, then use a brass nut on either side to clamp. Use regular bsp brass plumbing fittings from there. For a really smick job, get those nuts with the recess in them from the home brew shop, and the o-rings to make a supportive seal on the screen.
PM me if you like.

 

[Fermented]

If you don't mind going Occam's Razor on this a little, there was a thread somewhere here where someone made a capsule from stainless screen mesh which they made into a cylinder that could be disassembled. Materials could be sourced from off-the-shelf strainers and the like for a lowest cost approach.

The overall solution was akin to using a tea-ball but on a larger scale and cylindical. Shouldn't be too costly and shouldn't need as much engineering as a 'proper' solution. Make as many as required to accomplish your hops schedule. Better suited to AG or full volume boils.

Cleaning could be accomplished by a brief bath under the tap and then tossing into the dish washer I imagine.

HTH.

Cheers - Fermented.

EDIT: Clarified point.

 

[Insight]

Kettle hop screen cylinder
http://www.beerbelly.com.au/beerequip.html

or suggest using a SS tea ball on the end of your pickup tube

 

[vonromanz]

Thanks guys. I have seen the Beerbelly hop cylinder. Does anyone know if it will block up with pellets or is it made for flowers?

 

[Fents]

i use pellets and plugs all the time and the BB hopscreen has never once even thought about blocking. It does what it says on the tin basically

 

[Swinging Beef]

Hopscreen, good whirlpool, draw from the side of the kettle.

 

[sav]

I have tried alot of things and since I bought a hop sock I would not go back, they are easy to clean you have to wash out your boiler any way,As I cant wirlpool very well cause of the bottom in my 18gallon so I dont have to worry now its a pretty cheap option.

 

[samhighley]

Thanks guys. I have seen the Beerbelly hop cylinder. Does anyone know if it will block up with pellets or is it made for flowers?

It will block up with pellets if you don't whirlpool effectively.