... so I made a hopster. Total cost about $50.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jeffre...hkey=Gv1sRgCPGBt9yxuK3lNg#5629827018517275794
https://picasaweb.google.com/jeffre...hkey=Gv1sRgCPGBt9yxuK3lNg#5629827022152190226
I used the Fat Daddio's Pastry Ring, 6" x 2" (found on Amazon). $13.50
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001331MX2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I got the stainless mesh from McMaster Carr. $23.15. Part # 9238T291 20x20, 0.014 wire diameter. Cut a cylinder about 14" long and 7" in diameter (sits about 1" off the bottom of my BK), and a circle 9" in diameter for the domed bottom. I folded over the cylinder bottom about 1/4" so i wouldn't scratch anything. The top of the mesh cylinder sits about 1/8" from the top of the pastry ring.
I got 20 stainless rivets from homeboy Jason for $3 on this forum, he got them from McMC. 18-8 SS Blind Rivet with 18-8 SS Mandrel Domed, 1/8" Dia, .032"-.062" Material Thickness. Got some 1/8" aluminum rivet washers from Lowe's. Note, these rivets are perfect to connect mesh-to-mesh using a washer. When I connected the mesh-over-mesh to the aluminum support, I didn't need a washer. When I tried using these rivets just for mesh-on-mesh, they didn't hold without the washer. They are too short to connect anything larger than these two options.
I got a 3/4" x 1/16" x 3 ft bar of aluminum from Lowe's. $4. I created a handle, a side support, and a hanger from this. Very easy to bend with your hands and a table corner. Easy to cut with a good pair of metal snips.
Got some short size #6 stainless screws & nuts ($6) to attach the hanger and handle to the mesh and stainless ring. Note the three screws hold the mesh in place on the SS pastry ring. No rivets needed. Keeps it pretty
Only tools required were metal snips, a drill and some bits, a rivet gun, screwdriver, and pure muscle. A ruler helps. Muscle optional.
Just used it tonight for an IPA boil using 3 oz of pellet hops in a 5 gallon boil. I use a 7 gallon boil kettle, so both my immersion chiller and my hopster fit in side-by-side perfectly.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jeffre...hkey=Gv1sRgCPGBt9yxuK3lNg#5629827008387815490
I was skpetical as soon as I added hops, as it looked like the hops found themselves out of the hopster and into the greater part of the kettle. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I was done and lifted out the hopster - over 1.5" x 6" of hops remained in the hopster.
https://picasaweb.google.com/jeffre...hkey=Gv1sRgCPGBt9yxuK3lNg#5629827005823467666
There was a significant amout of cold break in the BK, but it definitely helped me auto-siphon from my BK -> strainer -> fermenter much easier, no clogs with the help of whirlpool. I would guesstimate about 1/4 to 1/3 of the hops escaped the hopster.
Couple notes. If you build one, make sure your hopster sits away from the sides of your kettle if your liquid volume is close to the brim. I run about a 6.75 gal boil in a 7 gal BK and the hopster (because metal conducts heat) caused a little boil over when it sat directly over the burner. I moved it to the back of the BK, and all was fine with the expense of less agitation of the hops inside. I might bend the hanger so that it sits off the side by about an inch. Also, there is less 'agitation' of the hops in my hopster compared to the boil rate of the rest of the BK, but I took care in stirring up the contents of the hopster every 5-10 minutes. I highly doubt there was any loss in IBU efficiency there, the good roll of the boil was adjacent to the hopster.
If I had to do it all over again, I might use slightly thicker wire or more wires per inch, just to prevent more of the hops to leaking out of the hopster, to the expense of less agitation. I use pellet hops 75% of the time, so this is a necessary evil. I will also order a stainless steel support bar for the handle and hanger and such instead of using aluminum, but I was in a hurry and Lowe's didn't carry stainless bars. Will also get stainless rivet washers, too.
All in all, this thing is super easy to build, and was fun to make. The benefits outweigh the cons, so I'll keep using it. Once I step up to a 10-15 gallon batch size, I'll do it all over again and I'll sell this one to one of you guys.
I'm two 90-Minute IPA's and one Lagunitas Little Somethin' Somethin' IPA's deep, and I just wanna relax now. Man, this Little Somethin' Somethin' is some gooood beer.