Blichmann HopRocket First Use (with photos)

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bobbytuck

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2010
Messages
310
Reaction score
51
Just brewed a couple of batches this weekend and used the HopRocket for both. First batch was Denny's Rye IPA, second was a brown ale.

I fitted my HopRocket with quick connects. It seems to work pretty well, but several key points I've realized: (a) hoses have to be free of liquid before starting the pump (otherwise the flow seems to seize up -- I had wort in my hose to sanitize before connecting the HopRocket -- a mistake), (b) pump output has to be started minimal in order to not compact the hops in the HR (first time -- I had the output full blast -- and my wort into the Therminator was just a trickle -- another mistake), and (c) figure about a half-gallon (maybe more) of wort loss due to the hops in the HR.

Third batch tomorrow, and I should have the process figured out. I plan to boil down 8 gallons of a Double IPA to about 6.5 gallons or so over a 90 min boil -- aiming for 5 gallons (more or less) into the fermenter.

Wort in the fermenter definitely smells nice -- big, hoppy smell. First batch, I used 3oz of Cascade, second batch 2oz of Wilammette. I may stick with 2-3 oz or so in order to make sure I've got the process figured out.

Cleaning is a bit of a pain. Definitely needs a soak in OxyClean free after using. Lots of scraping off hops and stuff from the interior and the filter grates. But the actual assembly (and disassembly) is pretty quick.

Photo #1 -- 3oz Cascade.

Photo #2 -- All the parts.

Photo #3 -- Looking down into the HopRocket. Under the hops is the small filter grate with the rubber seal. I'm about the put on the rounded base (and rubber seal) -- and then I'll crank everything together.

Photo #4 -- In action. Wort-in is on lower right. Wort-out (to the Therminator near the top of photo) is out the top.

219.jpg


218.jpg


221.jpg


222.jpg
 
Nice review.

If the hoses have to be clear to start, how do you prime the pump?
 
Nice review.

If the hoses have to be clear to start, how do you prime the pump?

I have two valves on the output side of the pump. I connect the hose to valve 1 (which is closed). Valve 2 is closed. I start the wort from the BK, open Valve 2 a bit (spilling a couple ounces of wort) to prime, then close it.

Then I start the pump and gradually open valve 1 to the hop rocket. This seems to work.
 
Just got a Hop Rocket and I'm just waiting for winter to break to use it.

I'm curious how did these turn out, and how well did the rocket impact the flavor and nose.
 
For me, aroma-wise seemed nearly identical to a normal whirlpool. The hoppyness was definitely there -- but it was no better or worse (in the 4 IPAs I made with the Hop Rocket) than the whirlpool I was using before. I plan to try it more in the spring.
 
I've got one of these, yet to use it as I've just upgraded to AG with my new system and didn't want to introduce too many variables.

One question, why wouldn't you have this upside down? Wouldn't it flow a bit better??
 
I would sanitize the hop rocket itself, after cleaning it, but there is no need to sanitize hops.

Thanks for the rapid response. I appreciate that its not necessary-and i believe you are right...but i'm curious, however, why. it goes against the principle of cleaning everything.

If the hops go into a hop back or torpedo, and then warm wort goes into them, then the wort is cooled, and on to the fermenter, any bugs in the hops will be alive.

do you mind explaining where i'm going wrong here. people do it as you said...so its no doubt done.

I'm just not sure why its not a problem.

thanks!
 
Thanks for the rapid response. I appreciate that its not necessary-and i believe you are right...but i'm curious, however, why. it goes against the principle of cleaning everything.

If the hops go into a hop back or torpedo, and then warm wort goes into them, then the wort is cooled, and on to the fermenter, any bugs in the hops will be alive.

do you mind explaining where i'm going wrong here. people do it as you said...so its no doubt done.

I'm just not sure why its not a problem.

thanks!
 
Generally you are pumping hot wort through the hops, this seems to kill off potential issues. I supposed if one were worried they could soak the hops in some StarSan for a minute before putting them in the hop back. When I do a flame out hop addition the wort is still 180F or so which does the trick.
 
The wort is hot enough to sanitize any thing in the hops when you pump it through one of these.
I have one and have only used it once so far, but the results were excellent. I used it just like pictured above. I plumbed it in line between my boil kettle and chiller. Used 2 or 3 oz of whole hops and got a very nice aroma/flavor profile of those hops in the finished beer.

I'd also like to use it as a randall as well by hooking it up to a keg and doing a keg to keg transfer of bright beer to get the freshest hop aroma possible. I plan on doing this with my next batch of IPA which might be this weekend:)
 
As other said, 200+F wort will sanitize the hopback and plate chiller in < 2min.

I do recommend you recirculate hot wort for 1 - 2 min to ensure proper sanitization.
 
Is anyone still using this thing? I've had one, brand new in the box, for over a year now. Does it make a worthwhile difference or is it mere novelty?
 
Yep I've used mine for a few beers now (I got mine in December)... it definitely makes a difference in hop aroma making it to the finished beer.
 
Is anyone still using this thing? I've had one, brand new in the box, for over a year now. Does it make a worthwhile difference or is it mere novelty?

Definitely worthwhile to use! I've used mine a couple of times so far for IPAs and it was the most fantastic fresh hop character I've had in any beer yet. I used it first for transfering from the boil kettle to the fermenter, then after the beer was finished fermenting I used it to transfer beer from one keg to another before finaling carbonating it. That batch turned out insanely awesome. Its a bit of extra work doing all that and you have to be careful with your sanitary skills, but its WELL worth the extra effort IMO. You can't get this kind of fresh hop character from just dry hopping alone. :mug:
 
Definitely worthwhile to use! I've used mine a couple of times so far for IPAs and it was the most fantastic fresh hop character I've had in any beer yet. I used it first for transfering from the boil kettle to the fermenter, then after the beer was finished fermenting I used it to transfer beer from one keg to another before finaling carbonating it. That batch turned out insanely awesome. Its a bit of extra work doing all that and you have to be careful with your sanitary skills, but its WELL worth the extra effort IMO. You can't get this kind of fresh hop character from just dry hopping alone. :mug:

So with one of these bad-boys, would I be able to put it in-line when transferring my fermented beer from the fermenter to the keg/bottling bucket?

I figure I would use this for IIPAs, and add 2-4oz of hops to it in addition to a generous hop schedule when brewing, as well as a dry-hop. I could say it's "triple-hopped" I guess.

Would this be worth it, or should I just double my dry hopping? I'm looking for a slap in the face of hop aroma when you have a beer - similar to Heady Topper.
 
I just got a HopRocket for Christmas, and I was wondering since you aren't necessarily able to use pellet hops; has anyone used a hop sock attached to the end of the hose coming out the HR into your chiller so you could use pellets as well?
I'm just wondering cause I would like to be able to use a combination of both whole cone and pellets.
 
Ailstock said:
I just got a HopRocket for Christmas, and I was wondering since you aren't necessarily able to use pellet hops; has anyone used a hop sock attached to the end of the hose coming out the HR into your chiller so you could use pellets as well?
I'm just wondering cause I would like to be able to use a combination of both whole cone and pellets.

I think I understand what you mean but I am confused. I don't know how you would run the hose into the hop sock after the HR and then into your chiller. I assume you have a plate chiller or cfc. As I understand the setup, the hose runs from the out side of the hop rocket directly into the chiller. I don't know where or how you would ass the hop sock. I would just use whole hops.

Mark
 
Well I don't have a plate chiller yet. I still haven't used my hop rocket. My idea was to have it be pumped from the boil kettle, through the hop rocket, then into another kettle where I will chill it with my copper coil for the time being.
So my idea was to have the opening of the hop sock tied/clamped to the end of the hose that comes out of the hop rocket.
I know it sounds unpractical.
 
I think I understand what you mean but I am confused. I don't know how you would run the hose into the hop sock after the HR and then into your chiller. I assume you have a plate chiller or cfc. As I understand the setup, the hose runs from the out side of the hop rocket directly into the chiller. I don't know where or how you would ass the hop sock. I would just use whole hops.

Mark

So that idea came from this video from The Alchemist brewery

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u-Ra1Hoaog"]The Alchemist[/ame]

If you pause it at :26 it kind of looks like that's what he is doing.
 
I just made a new thread with question about hop rocket and subsequently found this one . . .

To OP, do you know approximately how much wort you are losing when using hop rocket? I used 4 oz of whole leaf hops and think I lost ~ a gallon of wort in the process. My tubing (1/2" ID) from BK to pump is about 2-3 feet, from pump to Hop Rocket is about 1 foot, from hop rocket to chiller is about 1 foot and from chiller to fermenter is about 5-6 feet.

I think one of my biggest problems is that I'm leaving lots of wort in the chiller. Any tips on how you minimize losses in your setup?
 
Back
Top