Alternative to hop spider or bags?

First off, I did a search and didn't find any answers, this is also just a bit of a rant. I have a 1/2" ball-valve w/ dip tube on my keggle and it clogs every time I don't use a hop bag (pellet or cone), last brew session I took the dip tube off thinking that the elbow was the culprit but it still clogged (whole cones that time)! It seems amazing that over 10 gallons of wort can't push one little hop through a 1/2" hole. So it baffles me when I watch BTV and see/hear of nary a blockage, even though they throw obscene amounts of foliage straight into their brews. Are they just editing these things out? What do the rest of you do? I don't really like bags as I feel they diminish utilization and ruin flame-out/whirlpool additions, they're also a PITA to clean (no way I'm buying them for each brew).

-Thanks!

 

dip tube in the middle? move it to pick up on the side...when you whirlpool...everything goes to the center.

I use a hop spider and think it works great IMO

 

Also the best way to clean a hop spider /bag is to dump everything ...turn inside out...hose off....let dry...once dry...the rest of the hop material will be dry and easily come right out. Every couple of brews I will soak it in oxyclean....then rinse several times

 

It's on the side, what seems to happen is that hop matter seems to shoot up into it during the boil. I also just like seeing the hops roll around in there, adds to the art of brewing which makes me tingly. Maybe I'll bore out the hole and get a 1" ball valve.

 

I saw someone in my brew club simply put about a 6 inch piece of a stainless braid over their dip tube to screen material....might give that a try

 

i use the larger 5 gallon bags and after going back and forth i don't think it diminishes too much performance.. it seems to be large enough to let it float around in there.. i do put a 6 inch copper pipe piece in the bottom as well to keep the bag from coming up during the boil.. that has seemed to work well for me