Hop Stopper

[dmcmillen]

I came across the Hop Stopper by nnovative Homebrew Solutions (ihomebrewsolutions.com) and really like the concept. I have been playing around with some 30x30 ss mesh from mcmaster but would prefer not the reinvent the wheel. I found a old thread here regarding problems using the Hop Stopper with an immersion chiller because of the the extensive cold break material. It looks like some people had problems and some not. I switched from a counter flow to Jamil Zainasheff's whirlpool/immersion chiller quite a while ago, so I'm definitely not going back to a counterflow. I'm curious why the Hop Stopper would have problems with the cold break when the 30x30 mesh, or for that matter, any mesh or method I've tried let's it through. I would love to find a way to leave the cold break behind.

Anyone have any experience using the Hop Stopper with an immersion chiller and have you had any problems? My goal is to finish the boil, cool the wort down, and pump to my fermenter as quickly as possible and leave the trub/cold break behind (without having to whirlpool, etc).

 

[1MadScientist]

I have a hop stopper and chill externally from the boil kettle via a plate chiller (my older 10 gallon pot; https://picasaweb.google.com/104134...&authkey=Gv1sRgCKvH86S5nqmAaQ&feat=directlink).

I recently converted over to a keggle with weldless fittings. My last brew day a used two IC's in series with each other, one as a pre-chiller (in bucket with ice water) and other in the keggle. I ran out of ice near the end but got it down to 87F, pulled IC, and whirlpooled and set for 10 mins. All the cold break and hops settled to the bottom. I left all the trub in the keggle by way of a dip tube I swing down. See photos; http://www.flickr.com/photos/madscientistbrewhaus/. Hope this helps.