Blichmann Hop Blocker install problem

I have a MoreBeer 15 gal kettle with 2 welded fittings for ball valve and sight gauge or thermometer. The Blichmann kettle output fitting must be 1" or so higher than my kettle. I tried to jury rig a fitting that would rise 1" enter the Hop Blocker chamber then right angle to the floor of the kettle . While it is possible, my solution would make it difficult to remove it for cleaning and I would need to reconfigure my whirlpool immersion chiller. Doing design like this is not my strong suit. Has anyone else encountered installation hurdles and solutions for kettles other than Blichmann

I must be either, the only one having issues with the hop blocker installation in a non Blichmann kettle, or the only to have tried it in a non Blichmann kettle.

Lol Probably the latter. Can you get some pictures posted? May be easier to diagnose. I was looking into one of those they have them at my LHBS. I'd have to flatten my IC a bit to fit it though.

Whiskey said:

Lol Probably the latter. Can you get some pictures posted? May be easier to diagnose. I was looking into one of those they have them at my LHBS. I'd have to flatten my IC a bit to fit it though.

Click to expand...

Here ya go. My concern is the all the angles the wort would need to traverse to get out of the kettle

Current configuration



my dip tube adapter dry fit



The dry fit in the hop stopper


how the hop stopper would sit in the kettle

It might be easier to just leave that fitting as-is for whirlpool and add a new weldless fitting w/ dip tube to match the location of the hopblocker.

Rotate your compression elbow fitting so it's facing straight up, now go over and down into the screen. That avoids at least one elbow.

That thing is for leaf hops right?

Bobby_M said:

Rotate your compression elbow fitting so it's facing straight up, now go over and down into the screen. That avoids at least one elbow.

That thing is for leaf hops right?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. It's the simple things that elude me.

The picture doesn't show that the sleeve with hook slides up revealing a much smaller mesh. The idea is to whirlpool the kettle, let it set for 20 - 30 min, start the the wort transfer and when the wort has drained close to the top of the sleeve, slide the sleeve up and the rest of the wort be screened by the finer mesh. You are supposed to reduce the flow of the wort as well. They said they did tests for a pound of pellet hops in a 20 gal batch and it filtered 90 -95% of the break/hop material

Bobby_M said:

Rotate your compression elbow fitting so it's facing straight up, now go over and down into the screen. That avoids at least one elbow.

That thing is for leaf hops right?

Click to expand...

do this... and just press fit the copper elbows

rcrabb22 said:

Thanks for the tip. It's the simple things that elude me.

The picture doesn't show that the sleeve with hook slides up revealing a much smaller mesh. The idea is to whirlpool the kettle, let it set for 20 - 30 min, start the the wort transfer and when the wort has drained close to the top of the sleeve, slide the sleeve up and the rest of the wort be screened by the finer mesh. You are supposed to reduce the flow of the wort as well. They said they did tests for a pound of pellet hops in a 20 gal batch and it filtered 90 -95% of the break/hop material

Click to expand...

I have the same kettle and am thinking about picking up a hop blocker. How has it been using it with this setup?