The Hop Rocket

[LiverDance]

Who wants to take a shot at drawing up some specs on this nugget

http://www.blichmannengineering.com/Hop ... ocket.html

[mr x]

I was just looking at that thing yesterday, trying to justify the $$$ (119 us).

[JohnnyMac]

Although it works like a charm, this kinda makes my homemade hopback look like hell.

[mr x]

I made one from a big mason jar. Worked like a charm and looked really pretty when beer was flowing through it. I like that this can be a hopback and a randall.

[JohnnyMac]

I do too. Do you think that you're going to end up ordering one?

[mr x]

Not sure yet...I think I'll wait for some reviews...and search around for some DIY options.

[GuingesRock]

Did anyone get one? looks like it might be a good toy to have.







Edit: I just noticed the guy in the last video has a hop tattoo on his hand.

[GAM]

I use a tea infuser. Not near as cool but makes for a bit of fresh hop flavor in a bland beer.

Sandy

[Timothy Doane]

I just bought one at Noble Grape $149.99 haven't use ad it yet - I'll let you know how we'll it works.

[HPhunter]

All though my DIY has been a little busy (Sorry Sandy) I think there is an easier way to do this. Robert lets put our heads together and make an atlantic canada version. I was looking at making a Randall so this isn't far off. I'm back to work so engineering time is available, and come August my beautifully pregnant wife will be off. This will allow for trials and test models to begin!!! Hoptoberfest "Watch the FUCK out!"

[GuingesRock]

All though my DIY has been a little busy (Sorry Sandy) I think there is an easier way to do this. Robert lets put our heads together and make an atlantic canada version. I was looking at making a Randall so this isn't far off. I'm back to work so engineering time is available, and come August my beautifully pregnant wife will be off. This will allow for trials and test models to begin!!! Hoptoberfest "Watch the FUCK out!"

I have been thinking about this too.

I thought the Hop Rocket was too fiddly with a lot of parts to clean, disassemble and reassemble. I also noticed it doesn’t stand on its own for loading and needs someone else to hold it while you load it (or some kind of stand). I liked the cone shaped top for easier purging. The bottom takes a lot of fiddling to put it on, placing of O ring, then applying band, then bolt like crazy. The man in the second video almost needed four hands to do it. An upside down canister with screw on cap with a seal would be simpler.

For using as a randall, I would like to be able to use the usual Corny balllock connections and snap on my beer lines. OBK has the parts to do that.
http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Corneliu ... dapter.htm
http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Corneliu ... er-mpt.htm
http://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Post_Kit ... %20kit.htm

If it is going to be used as a hop back shouldn’t it be much larger, particularly for hopheads that make 10 gal batches.

Would a muslin sock loaded with hops, shoved in a canister of some kind work? Muslin socks are 99 cents each at NG. Could just dump the bag of hops when done (or throw it in a boil of a next brew as bittering hops) and shove in a new one. I don’t think I would be too worried about purging with CO2 before using, as the beer would purge out the air as it flowed through. I don’t think the guys in the 3rd video were fussing with that. Also I don’t know how neurotic one would have to be about sterilising it since hops are anti-bacterial and it would be full or them. Also by then the beer is alcoholic and that would add further anti-bacterial action. It would be great though if it could be thrown in the dishwasher for a basic clean/sanitisation.

Another possible solution might be a bazooka (attached to the outlet) centered inside a tube with the hops packed around it. and the beer from the inlet directed towards the outside of the tube.

[GAM]

HP

No apology necessary. With little ones and a pregers wife taking a breath must take planning. I wish you were closer and I could be more hands on.

I have the keg top that Dave sells. I now need to brew and fill the 58l fermenter up.

Sandy

[mr x]

I'm up for working on a design.

[GuingesRock]

I'm up for working on a design.

Do you have any ideas for the design.

[LiverDance]

I may have a body for this thing, it's a shell of old 3gal corny. It need some work done though so this could be the perfect project for it.

[GAM]

I have an unused filter like this you can have for experiments.

Sandy

[GuingesRock]

Sorry Sandy, I just deleted my post about the water filter idea that people use, right before you posted. I'll re-post a picture. It doesn't seem like a perfect solution. I mentioned possibly putting a bazooka inside one.

[sleepyjamie]

Sorry Sandy, I just deleted my post about the water filter idea that people use, right before you posted. I'll re-post a picture. It doesn't seem like a perfect solution. I mentioned possibly putting a bazooka inside one.

Ben/Keggermeister used a water filter at big strange brew for their hop rocket. It worked surprisingly well and its really cheap.

[mr x]

Nick must have worked out the issues with that unit. We built a large one from a plastic filter for the RB, but I thought we were designing one that could be used as a hopback as well as a randall.

[GuingesRock]

...but it Just isn't cool/sexy

Everything is plastic (even the beer jug). It’s like serving beer from a drain pipe.

Is that Randall himself???

Edit: I ended up making a Randall: http://www.brewnosers.org/forums/viewto ... 186#p67186