Hop Rocket Temp?

[XXXBrewDude]

When using the hop rocket, do you run your wort through right after flameout, or do you cool your wort down to 170F first to prevent isomerization? I currently do not have a way to chill the wort "in" the kettle because I use a therminator counterflow chiller. I would like to place this after the kettle and before the chiller. Also, I have a gravity feed system, will I get adequate flow through both the rocket and chiller? Kinda hate to raise the kettle 10 feet in the air to get this thing to work LOL

 

[BPal75]

Blichmann's website says you can gravity feed thru rocket and chiller with a 4 ft drop. Never tried though so I can't confirm. I'm curious your method for keeping trub and hops from your boil from clogging up the rocket. Do you whirlpool then draw off thru rocket and into chiller? Or is clogging with trub not an issue?


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[Indian_villager]

That is fine, the heat will help extract your oils better and if the therminator is immediately after the rocket on the flow path you won't have sufficient time for significant isomerization. In terms of flow rate you will probably be better off using whole leaf hops in the rocket to increase the bed porosity. Another option would be those ebay 12v pumps. Check this
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cheap-compact-wort-pump-375904/

 

[IslandLizard]

That is fine, the heat will help extract your oils better and if the therminator is immediately after the rocket on the flow path you won't have sufficient time for significant isomerization. In terms of flow rate you will probably be better off using whole leaf hops in the rocket to increase the bed porosity. Another option would be those ebay 12v pumps. Check this
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cheap-compact-wort-pump-375904/

Plus, once your wort had reached your target hopstand temperature (say 170°), shut off the chilling water to the therminator to keep recirculating at that temp for whatever time period. When finished, resume chilling to fermentation temps.

Clogging your hop rocket with hop and break matter may still be an issue. Put some sort of screen inside the kettle to prevent the suspended solids from entering the drain and your hop rocket. And that's a whole science in itself...

 

[XXXBrewDude]

That is fine, the heat will help extract your oils better and if the therminator is immediately after the rocket on the flow path you won't have sufficient time for significant isomerization. In terms of flow rate you will probably be better off using whole leaf hops in the rocket to increase the bed porosity. Another option would be those ebay 12v pumps. Check this
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cheap-compact-wort-pump-375904/

Hey this pump looks handy. Cheap, but handy if it works like the video. I probably wouldn't try pumping up evevation but through the rocket and chiller would work. I didnt think about the time required for isomeization, that makes sense that its flowing too fast to really matter.

 

[Indian_villager]

There are a couple of pumps in that thread. Dig toward the last 10 pages and there will be this black example from us solar that can occasionally be had for ~$35. I feel that those have a more robust design.