Blichmann Hop Rocket

[Hoser]

28paws,

Are you able to still use 4oz. of whole leaf hops like they recommend, or did you have to cut back on the amount of hops you used? I am also trying to run it back up into my kettle with a JZ whirlpool chiller so that may be a problem as well? I am going to try some test runs with just water and some old leaf hops this weekend to see if I can't work out the kinks so that I am not wasting precious wort when it comes time to brew.

[28paws]

I think I was using more than four ounces. I buy my hops by the pound and add them by the fist full so I can only guess. I did try to fill it up the first few times but haven't had any problems since I backed off a bit.
I think the main thing to look out for is not overfilling it and not trying to pump the wort too fast.
When it does stop up I unclog it by unscrewing the in side and draining the hr back into my kettle which creates a back flow. I then reconnect everything and start over.
Hope this helps.

Peace

[mickp]

OK, I have another question. On a recent Brewstrong, (the last Q&A show) Jamil was encouraging the removal of as much trub as possible. Now, I see that Tasty has the Hoprocket before the chiller, but I also know that Tasty ferments in a conical and drops the trub before pitching.
I have a therminator, but no conical, so all my cold break ends up in the carboy. Do you think it would work to use the Hoprocket or a similar coarse filtering device on the cold side of the Therminator, to catch the cold break?

[JohnF]

OK, I have another question. On a recent Brewstrong, (the last Q&A show) Jamil was encouraging the removal of as much trub as possible. Now, I see that Tasty has the Hoprocket before the chiller, but I also know that Tasty ferments in a conical and drops the trub before pitching.
I have a therminator, but no conical, so all my cold break ends up in the carboy. Do you think it would work to use the Hoprocket or a similar coarse filtering device on the cold side of the Therminator, to catch the cold break?

Jamil doesn't really encourage the removal of as much cold break as possible because the whirlpool chiller doesn't do that (it takes hours at freezing, or much longer at warmer temps, for it to all form). I don't see how removing the maybe 15% you get with the whirlpool chiller makes any difference.

If you want a visual demonstration, take a hydrometer jar full of wort from after your chilled whirlpool and keep it in an ice bath for a few hours.

[mickp]

Ah, right, so, is this also true with the plate chiller? the cold break doesn't "instantly" form as the wort is cooled passing through the plate chiller? If so, the conical/ Tasty method is the only realistic way (other then transferring, which I won't be doing!)

[Lewybrewing]

I just got the hop back and I will attaching it the same way as Tasty did on page 8. I think that is the best way for my system. I also want to try it as a Randell...but after I get used to it as its primary job.

[JohnF]

Ah, right, so, is this also true with the plate chiller? the cold break doesn't "instantly" form as the wort is cooled passing through the plate chiller? If so, the conical/ Tasty method is the only realistic way (other then transferring, which I won't be doing!)

There are lots of ways to get near complete cold trub removal. You can settle (eg in a carboy) and then rack to the fermentor, you can float the cold trub (google this, common German process), you can settle in a unitank (conical) and dump..

At the end of the day though I am personally not convinced that cold trub removal is important. I'm pretty sure that leaving 10%-15% of it in the kettle doesn't do anything so I think it should not be a factor as you choose a cooling method.

[Hoser]

How did we get off topic talking about cold trub removal? I thought we were talking about the hop rocket?