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wildwest450

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I'm teetering on the edge of blowing massive cash on some blingman pots and had a few questions. The main one is do you use the "hybrid" false bottom in your bk? If so, will it strain out pellet hops? Not 100%, but enough to empty kettle without plugging? And for some reason I can't find the pot dimensions? I was looking at the 20 gallon. Does anyone have a 20 and do 5.5 gallon batches with it? I would be doing both single and double batches.
 
I have the 20, but do 10 gallon batches. Unless you're brewing some really big beers, you're not going to have much in the way of a grain bed for sparging a 5.5g batch.

As for draining the kettle, I put a ss scrub pad around the drain tube. Works just fine.
 
I have the 20, but do 10 gallon batches. Unless you're brewing some really big beers, you're not going to have much in the way of a grain bed for sparging a 5.5g batch.

As for draining the kettle, I put a ss scrub pad around the drain tube. Works just fine.

Scrubbies work for hop pellets? I thought they were only for leaf hops?
 
Blichmann doesn't recommend the false bottom in a boil kettle, just for a mash tun.

+1 dont use their false bottom for boil kettle. But it works incredibly well in the mash tun.

I have their boil kettle screen/filter. Works great with whole leaf. I have had 6 oz of whole leaf in there with no problems. Plugs like a son of a b!itch with pellets. I have yet to find a pellet filter that works as well as the paint strainer bag. To Blichmann's defense, they do recommend using whole leaf hops only with their boil kettle screen.

HopsBrewKettle.jpg
 
OK, I'm tempted by those pots as well. I share the concern of plugging that small screen with pellet hops.

Here's a thought. Has any tried the Blichmann with a Jamil style recirc whirlpool? I'm thinking that the whirlpool would drive the trub/hops into a cone at the center of the pot and that the small screen would be adequate for scavenging relatively clean wort from the periphery.
 
OK, I'm tempted by those pots as well. I share the concern of plugging that small screen with pellet hops.

Here's a thought. Has any tried the Blichmann with a Jamil style recirc whirlpool? I'm thinking that the whirlpool would drive the trub/hops into a cone at the center of the pot and that the small screen would be adequate for scavenging relatively clean wort from the periphery.

I whirlpool also but it doesnt take much in the way of pellet hops to clog that boil kettle screen.
 
I still have a bunch of pellets to use, so I 'm thinking a big tea ball (I have a basket looking one that's 4" in diameter) might do the trick.
 
+1 dont use their false bottom for boil kettle. But it works incredibly well in the mash tun.

I have their boil kettle screen/filter. Works great with whole leaf. I have had 6 oz of whole leaf in there with no problems. Plugs like a son of a b!itch with pellets.

Good to know as I have their 20 gallon with a the screen/filter for the BK. I'll stick to whole hops. (MLT is 20 gallon with the false bottom and the HLT is a 'nakid' 20 gallon pot).

To the OP: The dimensions are on their website here: http://www.blichmannengineering.com/BoilerMaker/Selection_guide_&_data.htm

Did anyone else find it odd that the BK screen/filter has a little copper elbow in the middle of it? I was kind of disappointed that it wasn't stainless like everything else since I'm hoping to go 100% stainless on my setup. I know it's tiny and won't make a difference, still.... ;)

Kal
 
I am sure they did it for cost reduction. But a bit of copper in the boil is actually beneficial and provides nutrients required by yeast.

Before I used the Blichmann's, I actually would toss a small piece of copper tubing into my boil just for this reason.

Michael Shannon
BJCP Certified Judge

Good to know as I have their 20 gallon with a the screen/filter for the BK. I'll stick to whole hops. (MLT is 20 gallon with the false bottom and the HLT is a 'nakid' 20 gallon pot).

To the OP: The dimensions are on their website here: Performance Data

Did anyone else find it odd that the BK screen/filter has a little copper elbow in the middle of it? I was kind of disappointed that it wasn't stainless like everything else since I'm hoping to go 100% stainless on my setup. I know it's tiny and won't make a difference, still.... ;)

Kal
 
I am sure they did it for cost reduction. But a bit of copper in the boil is actually beneficial and provides nutrients required by yeast.

Before I used the Blichmann's, I actually would toss a small piece of copper tubing into my boil just for this reason.

Michael Shannon
BJCP Certified Judge
Thanks Michael. That's very interesting. I didn't realize that. Is the amount of copper in the Blichmann filter/diverter in your opinion enough?

I whirlpool also but it doesnt take much in the way of pellet hops to clog that boil kettle screen.
What about the hot break? I've been thinking of building a stainless Jamil style recirc immersion filter but am wondering if having the cold break in the brew kettle's going to completely clog up the Blichmann boil kettle screen as badly as using pellet hops.

If yes, I'll just go with a CFC and have the cold break in the fermenters. (Haven't bought my chiller yet).

Kal
 
Good thread. I had read/posted in it a few months ago. (Scored some great 1/2" thick-walled silicone tubing off ebay thanks to that thread!).

I'm still confused as to what the best cooling solution is for me but I'll figure it out. No hurries.

Kal
 
I still think, hop bag (the BIG kind), immersion chiller, and a good strong whirlpool is the best. I am going to use my BITCHES (Bi-Immersion Thermal Coil Heat Exchange System) when I get my system up and running. (I am back to collecting cash for my system! :rockin:)
 
Why would anyone pay $400 for a kettle that doesn't have a suitable screen for leaf and pellet hops? That pisses me off.
 
Then buy a hop stopper instead of the boil screen. That screen is an option, just don't get it.

I aint made of money!:D Thats $400 for a pot then an extra $60-70 for a hop stopper, that's bananas.:ban:

Check that, if you want stainless it's $100:eek:
 
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