boil kettle filter for cold break, hops, etc?

[slakwhere]

so i've been having clogging problems with my off-center dip tube (points at the side of the keggle). I need something that will keep hop pellet sludge, whole leaf hops and cold/hot break material (i use an IC) from clogging when i drain the BK.

what's gonna work best?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Braid, hop stopper, Blichman thingmajig.

Personally, I like using a grant and rice hulls.

 

[slakwhere]

grant?

 

[klyph]

If you're just looking to avoid clogging and don't care so much about filtering, a pot scrubber on the end of the diptube works awesome.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Yep a grant. The kettle drains into a smaller pot (like a bain marie) filled with rice hulls and weigted down with a steamer basket. From that the wort is pumped through my chiller.

If I chose, I can add hops in place of the rice hulls and suddenly I also have a hop back.

 

[slakwhere]

If you're just looking to avoid clogging and don't care so much about filtering, a pot scrubber on the end of the diptube works awesome.

do you affix this with a hose clamp or something? or just wedge it between the kettle and the pick up tube?

 

[onejdn]

I used a 12"x12" sheet of stainless fabric, folded it in half and stiched the edges with fine stainless wire. cut a hole in top for my diptube..... simple and ridged filter. works great and costs about $10 and some time.

 

[slakwhere]

I used a 12"x12" sheet of stainless fabric, folded it in half and stiched the edges with fine stainless wire. cut a hole in top for my diptube..... simple and ridged filter. works great and costs about $10 and some time.

do you use an IC? if so, it handles the cold break well?

 

[onejdn]

I use a counterflow chiller. I whirlpool which is easy because the filter has a low profile in the tun, and then drain through the cfc. I use whole leaf hops although the filter seems to work well with pellet hops since it has a fairly large footprint in the tun.

 

[Catt22]

I have a pie plate style false bottom in my converted keg:

Added a lift handle made from a section of 1/4" copper tubing. It hooks over the rim of the keg when it the lift position:

This what it looked like before I installed the edge lift mod, but you can get the general idea from it.

I pump through my CFC and back to the BK at a fast flow rate. When using a lot of pellet hops as in my typical IPA's, the FB would eventually cake up with debris and the flow would slow dramatically. With the "lift and flow" mod, when the flow rate slows, I simply lift the edge of the FB and the flow rate is fully restored. The vast majority of the hop debris/break material remains caked on the FB largely undisturbed. I've posted this mod before, but I've yet to hear of anyone else giving it a try. This mod works well with this particular FB on a converted keg, but I'm not sure how one could make something similar with other configurations.

 

[lakeshorebrewer]

I've heard several folks using the SS scrubby as well as a blocker at the end of the tube. I'm still pouring from a smaller kettle for 5 gallon batches. But it seems to work well for them. If you have a situation that allows you to force it between the kettle and the tube without it moving, then you are all set for about a buck. It's worth a try right?

 

[GamePreserve]

slakwhere:
What are you draining out of? A ball valve? I installed an eight inch piece of soft copper tubing to the inside of my boil kettle on my valve. I bent this over and down to the very perimeter of the kettle as a dip tube. I figured it doesn't make sense to collect from the spot that all that crap is going to settle ( the center of the kettle ) . I usually stir the kettle at flame out with me' spoon and put the lid on. Two minutes later everything is in the center and I drain crystal clear wert. give it a shot; its cheap and darn effective.

 

[slakwhere]

Game, i'm draining out of a ball valve, and currently have a side pulling dip tube like yours... but with hop leaves entering it as i start my recirculating via the pump and chiller, i got a pretty nasty clog. i also don't like the idea of leaving that much wort behind with a side pointed dip tube, i leave almost a gallon behind.

 

[Duckfoot]

I have a central mounted dip tube with a SS sink strainer inverted and filled with SS lint traps wrapped up in it... I have been pretty lucky with it so far... I can drain to about 1/4" of the bottom of the keggle...

 

[GamePreserve]

well, i guess this is one of those troubleshooting issues that will end up in a solution revolving around your particular equipment then. I can drain down to the very bottom of my kettle and leave 0.5 - 0.75 gallons of pure break behind, and plan for that volume. Let us know how a dip-tube screen approach works if that is your next option.

 

[Boar Beer]

A conical will solved all your problems
Just pump everything over. let it sit 60 min or so and drain the
junk out the bottom.

 

[slakwhere]

A conical will solved all your problems
Just pump everything over. let it sit 60 min or so and drain the
junk out the bottom.

if i can't pump out of my BK into my fermenter, how is a conical fermenter going to solve my problem?

 

[Twofox]

if i can't pump out of my BK into my fermenter, how is a conical fermenter going to solve my problem?

Depending on the batch size, you could just dump it into the conical. Gravity will take care of the rest

 

[slakwhere]

will you come dump my 10 gallon batches off my brew stand into my fermenter?

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

I've been wanting something like this too ...my dip tube is currently at the bottom center and even if I use a hop bag, the proteins clog the plate chiller I use . maybe next batch I'll try a scrubby, but I cant see where it would have enough filtering area to maintain good flow.

 

[user 108580]

will you come dump my 10 gallon batches off my brew stand into my fermenter?

Build this lol https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/tippy-dump-blichmann-mash-tun-266852/

 

[olsond]

I've been wanting something like this too ...my dip tube is currently at the bottom center and even if I use a hop bag, the proteins clog the plate chiller I use . maybe next batch I'll try a scrubby, but I cant see where it would have enough filtering area to maintain good flow.

Hop bags and a scrubby worked fine for my Shirron Plate Chiller. I recently upgraded to a false bottom and that works with hop bags too.

 

[Bear419]

If you go with a scrubby make sure you boil/clean it real well before your first brew. I've heard some brands have a little bit of oil them that can ruin your brew day.