Hop torpedo

[Brewpastor]

I have a homemade torpedo devised for dry hopping like SN. It is an inline dairy filter. It is a try-clover canister with screen filters inside, you probably have seen them around. It is about 18" long and 5" wide. Beer goes in one end and out the other, passing through the filter chamber on the way. The chamber can hold a pretty good amount of hops.

I am looking for process advice. What I think I need to do is ferment the beer and then after primary fermentation is complete, drop out the yeast and then recirculate the beer through the torpedo. My plan is to pump it out the bottom, down throughout the torpedo and back into the fermenter through a tube in the top. It sounds like a day is probably enough from what I have been able to find, but I have no experience to draw from on this. I have also heard different advice related to the temperature of the beer in this process - cold or cool?

Like I said, I am all ears on this one. I will gladly share what I learn, but want to at least start in the right neighborhood.

Here is an image of the type of filter unit I am talking about.

 

[terrapinj]

i spoke with one of the sierra nevada ambassador's about the Torpedo system a few weeks back

i believe they start at around 50° and gradually lower the temperature and they do the equivalent of 3 total passes

 

[Atl300zx]

dont forget to purge the entire filter with co2 prior to pumping beer through it.

 

[Brewpastor]

i spoke with one of the sierra nevada ambassador's about the Torpedo system a few weeks back

i believe they start at around 50° and gradually lower the temperature and they do the equivalent of 3 total passes

Great information. Thanks. I thought I remembered that the ran the beer through the torpedo very slowly, so the 3 pass thing makes sense.

 

[sativen]

I am planning out a design similar to that unit.

I originally wanted to use an old corny for the hop unit (3 BBL system), but adding a filter bed while still keeping the corny in-tact is turning out complicated.

Did you find a source and a price for the Alfa Laval filter? I haven't called yet, but I expect them to be expensive.

 

[Brewpastor]

I got mine on ebay. Otherwise it will be crazy expensive I suspect.

 

[Tinga]

Did this go any where yet?

I was thinking of making something similar. after primary fermentation rack to a different vessel and find a slow food safe pump and pump the beer through a chamber full of hops.

 

[humann_brewing]

any updates on this?

 

[elpenoso]

Im pretty sure SN torpedos during primary fermentation, so 65-68 would be more accurate. The colder temps would most likely extract less oil from the hops and more green flavor, so higher temps should be better for this.

 

[humann_brewing]

Im pretty sure SN torpedos during primary fermentation, so 65-68 would be more accurate. The colder temps would most likely extract less oil from the hops and more green flavor, so higher temps should be better for this.

Ok, so that is fine, but how is the beer being transferred? What are people doing to create a oxygen free environment?

I ferment in a keg so it would be easy to use a pump to go in and out as long as the pump didn't suck any air.

 

[RAWhiteFSU]

Use CO2 to push it through the "torpedo" and into another keg, similar to:
http://morebeer.com/view_product/16769/103554/Beer_and_Wine_Filtering_Kit

 

[sasky7777]

BYO had an article 2 or 3 months ago detailing the process, maybe check that out for the details. Where did you get the filter, I need a hopback, and that thing looks like it would fit the bill.

 

[Feurhund]

I used my Hop Rocket for this. Loaded an ounce each of Citra, Simcoe, and Columbus and purged is with C02. Then hooked up two kegs like a keg to keg transfer and pushed back and forth through the Rocket 10 X. Took a while but simple operation.
Took first place at a local comp out of 26 other IPAs, great aroma and I feel like it contributed flavor too, but that might be imagined.

 

[Feurhund]

Well almost two years later and I may have a solid Torpedo setup.

The problem with the two keg CO2 push method is:

You have to sit there and monitor it.

You use a lot of CO2

It foams a lot (maybe not a problem)

Unless you want to spend an afternoon doing it, you only get so much extraction depending on the number of passes.

I decided to improve the system and wanted a pump for continual flow and contact. The problem is you need to eliminate any oxygen. I found a peristaltic pump (from a HBTalker) that is great because it is self priming, only squeezes the tube and doesn't touch the beer. It also introduces no air.

I sanitized everything, loaded the Hop Rocket with a paint strainer bag filled with 1/2 OZ Simcoe pellets, 1/2OZ Ahtanum pellets, and 1OZ Amarillo Leaf. I then hooked up CO2 and purged the whole thing. I used a shorter dip tube from my 3 gallon corny on the gas side of the keg so returning beer wouldn't splash and hooked up the out line to the beer out connector. I then ran the pump till I had the Rocket filled and the CO2 purged and beer was at the out line and I then hooked it to the gas in.

This gave me an oxygen free loop and I even have a speed control so I can run it fast or slow.

It has been running for 6 hours now and I'm confident it is secure enough to go to bed. Now I have to decide how long to go. Part of me says go for three days, then crash and carb (opinions welcomed).....I will report how it worked.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422675412.343041.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422675425.069699.jpg

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I think the torpedo is silly for 5 gallons. SN does it because of the sheer labor involved with dry hopping 100-500bbl tanks. That makes more sense to me.

But I do have to say that I think you need some more chest freezers.

 

[Feurhund]

Your dismissive attitude and sarcasm only deepens my resolve to let this thing run for a whole week now and then buy two more chest freezers.

 

[Tegra]

Feurhund:

So how did it turn out?

(Was it running the he whole week at room temperature?)

Tom

 

[Feurhund]

I had it running for 3 days and the flavor and aroma was great.

Didn't have a good scientific comparison, but I definitely tasted and smelled a difference in intensity when compared to my traditional process.

 

[TimBrewz]

I had it running for 3 days and the flavor and aroma was great.

Didn't have a good scientific comparison, but I definitely tasted and smelled a difference in intensity when compared to my traditional process.

Can you estimate a flow rate? How many passes through the hops? I am setting up a similar system this week for a IIPA. Also, I can get a peristaltic pump, but want to know if it did improve things enough over a CO2 push to justify having the pump?

Cheers, Tim

 

[Feurhund]

I only did it the one time as I have been busy with work and family. The flow was very slow as it was small diameter tubing and I set it at a low rate.

 

[JoppaFarms]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm interested in making a system like this. Can you tell me the brand and model number of the pump you have?

I have 2 Chugger pumps, but I am afraid of oxygenation with those units. Can you explain how you purged all the lines of oxygen prior to closing the loop?

 

[Phischy]

Another idea is to use pellets in the keg loosely. The whole idea is outlined here. I've bought the stuff an it's cheap at $30 for a while dip tube filter.

http://scottjanish.com/my-favorite-way-to-dry-hop-loose-in-primary-and-kegs/

And the hardware is sold on utahbiodieselsupply. I go from FV to 10g keg which I use as a Brite and now dry hopper, then push off to 2 5g kegs.

Just another low tech option.