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So I have my bk setup to recirc and whirlpool while chilling the wort. Today my hop stopper was clogged, and I couldn't recirculate, nor drain the wort out through the ball valve (I ended up using a racking cane).

What do those of you who recirculate in the bk, use to drain the wort? I am thinking I might be better off just using a plain old dip tube on the side of the kettle, avoiding the hop mound in the center of the kettle. Any thoughts?

I just whirpool and rack via the pick up tube on the side of my kettle
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Tony L wrote:I just whirpool and rack via the pick up tube on the side of my kettle
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Do you lose about a gallon of wort in the kettle?

Never measured it, but yeah, I'd guess it was around that. But if you take into account that a lot of it is break/hop material, then,
I'm not losing all that much. It is all taken into account when I make up a recipe.

I recall Red Green making beer in a clothes washer. It sounds as if that's what you need.

If you can find my old hopstopper thread, I mad a kickass design ala the Blichmann hopstopper that sucks the kettle dry with no pluggage or hops in the fermenter.

mr x wrote:If you can find my old hopstopper thread, I mad a kickass design ala the Blichmann hopstopper that sucks the kettle dry with no pluggage or hops in the fermenter.

Is this the post? Looks like an awesome design.

That's the one, and it kicks ass. I was inspired by the Blichmann designed hopstopper - but this one has far more surface area.

mr x wrote:That's the one, and it kicks ass. I was inspired by the Blichmann designed hopstopper - but this one has far more surface area.

Do you recirc in the kettle with that?

Yup, wide open.

mr x wrote:Yup, wide open.

Hmmm..I wonder if I need to add some thin wire mesh to mine.

I'm using this contraption. Underneath, it has a steel braid that is connected to a "T" and out to the diptube. That steel braid is what was clogged with hops when I took it out after the boil. Either the hopstopper wasn't sitting on the bottom properly, or I need some other type of filtration to prevent the wire braid from clogging. It wasn't an issue on my first 2 brews, only this last one (which had the least amount of hops)

Might work, but you'll most likely need to use the ss strap as well. That gets pulled at the end to finish the draining. And don't even consider a plate chiller. I use a chillzilla.

What's the strap you're referring to?

Edit: Are you referring to the solid steel strap at the bottom? Do you remove that to open up "unexposed" mesh to the wort, allowing it to flow more freely?

Exactly. It's springy, and pops off when you pull on the u clip. You pull it at the end, when all the exposed mesh has plugged.

I think I am just going to go with a wide open, 1/2" side pickup, and whirl-pool with my pump. Anyone see any problems with this method?

This is my next attempt at accomplishing somewhat clear wort, while still using my pump to whirl pool.

I plan on whirl pooling, letting it settle, then pulling from the side pickup. I ran some water through it today, and don't lose much more in the kettle than I did with the center pickup.

Opinions?

I guess it could work, although for my beers where the hops are halfway up the keg, I dunno, lol...