Quick Hopback questions...

I want a hopback reeeal bad... but I don't have a pump.

Do I need a pump?? Can it just be gravity fed? I fear clogging...

My setup goes: keggle (elevated) to a counterflow chiller to the fermenter.

Also, does a hopback go before the chiller or after?

Beer!,

Drew

You should be OK using gravity to dump your hot wort over the hops. So to answer your question, the hot wort needs to be pushed through the hops before chilling. I'm not sure on what kind of filter/screen to use to prevent clogging but some kind of stainless mesh would probably work.

Thanks Seaner. I was hoping you said gravity fed... Though it seems like most people on here us a pump?

I am still debating the stainless mesh vs a false bottom.

Someone on here wanted to use a 5 gal mash tun with braid for a hopback and I was waiting to see how it turned out. My concern was putting 212 degree wort into a plastic cooler. Hopefully they can chime in. A pump isn't really necessary (I don't have one) but can be pretty handy.

Big10Seaner said:

Someone on here wanted to use a 5 gal mash tun with braid for a hopback and I was waiting to see how it turned out. My concern was putting 212 degree wort into a plastic cooler. Hopefully they can chime in. A pump isn't really necessary (I don't have one) but can be pretty handy.

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I think that person would get only one use out of that hopback. Then on trash day, there would be a very deformed cooler for the garbage men...

I was eyeing up an awesome hopback about 6 months ago from, dare I say, B3. Stainless with sanitary fittings and a glass lid to check the level. I have a sanitary fitting on my BK so it would of hooked directly off of that. It had a false bottom and I think most do.

Look up "thumper" elsewhere on the net. I guess it looks like a miniature corny keg in design. You can use a big mason jar, or one of those stainless latching sugar containers. Feed beer through a dip tube into the bottom and it will flood the hops and push up through the hole at the top of the container. Stainless or copper scrubbie can be used for the filter on the out post going to your cfc.

-OCD