UK Homebrew Digest, Vol 5, Issue 25
UK Homebrew Administrator
brewing at home in the UK with the emphasis on the brewing of UK styles.
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Today's Topics:
1. Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
2. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Chris)
3. Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (anthayes)
4. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
5. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(Fordyce Davidson)
6. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Chris)
7. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (anthayes)
8. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
9. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
10. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Chris)
11. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
12. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Chris)
13. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (ArdleyBrewer)
14. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(Andy Whitworth)
15. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
16. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(Andy Whitworth)
17. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
18. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(Mark Garthwaite)
19. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Aleman)
20. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
21. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Aleman)
22. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(Andy Whitworth)
23. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (ArdleyBrewer)
24. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
(MCGEE, Mark, GBM)
25. RE: Cornelius Keg Maintenance (Jeff Renner)
26. Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Russell Gower)
27. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Benjy Edwards)
28. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - Mesh size (Tim Busby)
29. RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh! (Tim Busby)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:28:47 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Ok, I give up!
I brewed this weekend, and ended up with a stuck kettle run-off again - I'd
say I get this 4 out of every 5 brews I do. Actually this time it wasn't
stuck, but painfully slow, taking over 2 hours to run off 40L to the
fermenter. I didn't bother stirring up the trub this time to try and
improve the run-off as the run-off was coming out very clear.
I've tried a copper manifold with slots facing down and up, a stainless
braided hose and a modified slotted manifold, slots down with 100s of
various size holes drilled in it.
What on earth am I doing wrong?
Here's what I do.
20 minutes before the end of the boil, with the kettle still boiling, I
gently crack open the ball valve, which runs the boiling wort in to the hop
back via gravity, from which I pump through the CFC to sterilise it, and
back in to the bottom of the kettle. Run-off at this stage is not an issue.
At the end of the boil, I switch off the kettle elements, close the ball
valve and stop pumping and leave the hops and trub for about 20 minutes
(with the lid on) to settle and form the filter bed.
I then gently open the ball valve to find nothing running off at all, then I
end up gradually opening up the ball valve bit by bit, finally ending up
with the ball valve wide open and a trickling of wort running out if I'm
lucky.
When I dismantled the manifold when cleaning-up, the hops were jammed in to
the slots really well, and took some effort to remove. Are the slots too
wide, too narrow or what?
This last recipe had about 100g of hops, but next weekend I'll be brewing a
200 IBU IPA which is going to use a truck-load of hops, so obviously I'm
worried about getting yet another stuck run-off.
Help!
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:38:22 -0000
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
To: li...@ukhomebrew.info
I use a drilled manifold (ie holes instead of slots), after the boil I
allow he hops to settle (I have to as I use an IC), to get the clearest
fastest run off I start the flow off very slowly, much like lautering, the
hops seem to settle in then i'll fully open the tap. This method works
well for me, I think you'll probably find the key is starting the run off
slowly.
Cheers
Chris
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:42:30 -0800
From: "anthayes"
Subject: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Mark wrote, "Ok, I give up!
I brewed this weekend, and ended up with a stuck kettle run-off again -
I'd say I get this 4 out of every 5 brews I do."
Hop pellets are the answer. My left arm is still a strange colour after
I tried to dislodge hop flowers manually (in the hot wort and it didn't
work).
I have brewed heavily hopped beers without any hop strainer, but using
pellets. At the end of the boil I simply whirlpool for about 5 minutes
and then stand for 25, and then open the ball valve wide and pump
through my CFC. As the kettle gets close to empty, I watch the cone (of
hot break and hops) and when it starts collapsing and heading towards
the tap, I stop collecting. I leave about 7 litres in my kettle but
that's better than skin grafts.
Ant Hayes
Winchester
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:58:02 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Hi all
Re: opening the valve slowly - I've been given that advice time and again,
and that's just what I do, but still no joy. It is possible that I'm not
leaving it to run at a trickle long enough before gradually opening up
though. How long do you do this for? I tend to do it for about 30 seconds.
I'm brewing a 200 IBU IPA this coming weekend, I'll try to be more patient
with this one and see how I get on!
It could be unrelated, but I find that my resultant beers are much clearer
when the run-off is good, but hazy when I have to stir things up constantly
to get a good run-off. So I was wondering that perhaps an alternative is to
just pump straight away through the chiller immediately at the end of the
boil (probably less risk of infection and DMS production that way) in to a
(sanitised) "settling tank", where I can let the trub settle for an hour or
so before transferring to the fermenter for pitching etc. Anybody do this?
Seems a bit OTT...
> Hop pellets are the answer. My left arm is still a strange
> colour after I tried to dislodge hop flowers manually (in the
> hot wort and it didn't work).
I'm beginning to think that pellets are the answer for me - I assume they
are available for a large number of hop types?
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:06:33 +0000
From: Fordyce Davidson
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Watch out for the IBUs with pellets, lads. I used then a couple of
times and I certainly got much higher bitterness with them than the
corresponding weight of compressed vac-pac hops. Perhaps this is
obvious :(
I draw off through a 15mm slotted T then trough a 15mm central
heating type metal ball valve ( with handle). Start slowly and it
seems to work ok. It can really pour out when its got going.
Cheesy diagram of T, slots on the bottom made with large hacksaw:
_____|_____
| |
About 6 inches long with about an inch either end round the corner.
Good luck,
Dyce.
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:11:56 -0000
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
I'd consider going for holes rather than slots then, it's not the holes
(or slots) that hold back the trub and fine hop particles it's the filter
bed thats formed by the whole hops, i'm guessing in your case the hops and
trub are packing into the slots on your manifold.
Regarding a clear run off resulting in a clearer beer, I would tend to
agree, the way around this is to allow the trub to settle out in your
fermenter before pitching the yeast then racking the wort off into a new
fermenter leaving the crud behind. I would imagne 'dropping' acheives a
similar effect but if you do this before pitching you don't get the drop
in yeast cells or risk oxidation. I somethimes make small scale 5L batches
and do just that and get very bright beer that isnt suseptable to chill
haze.
Cheers
Chris
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 02:12:06 -0800
From: "anthayes"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
To: li...@ukhomebrew.info
Message-ID: <1170238326...@www.ukhomebrew.info>
MarkMc wrote:
> I'm beginning to think that pellets are the answer for me - I assume they are available for a large number of hop types?
I have been able to get almost all that I have wanted (I couldn't source
Perle).
I think that hop flowers might be slightly better for late additions
(less than 20 minutes in the boil), however I have not found a good
device for adding these. I made up a hop bag using net curtain
material, which worked really well, but was not much fun to clean.
For bittering, hop pellets can't be beaten. They stay fresh longer,
take up less space, are easier to measure and are simpler to dispose of.
Ant Hayes
Winchester
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:12:43 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> Watch out for the IBUs with pellets, lads. I used then a
> couple of times and I certainly got much higher bitterness
> with them than the corresponding weight of compressed
> vac-pac hops. Perhaps this is obvious :(
Yes, the utilisation is better with pellets for the first 30 minutes.
This is accounted for in software packages like promash. Garetz and
Tinseth (not sure about Rager) methods apply and adjustment factor in
their formula's.
> Cheesy diagram of T, slots on the bottom made with large hacksaw:
>
> _____|_____
> | |
>
> About 6 inches long with about an inch either end round the corner.
Pretty much what I have, except it's a square shape. I must be being
too impatient with the slow run-off stage.
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:19:19 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> I'd consider going for holes rather than slots then, it's not
> the holes (or slots) that hold back the trub and fine hop
> particles it's the filter bed thats formed by the whole hops,
> i'm guessing in your case the hops and trub are packing into
> the slots on your manifold.
I neglected to mention that my latest rendition of the copper manifold
is half slotted, half a random assortment of (various sized) holes.
Yes, the slots particularly were jammed with hops.
It's got one more chance this weekend (because I don't have time to make
something else up), where I'll try opening up and leaving the ball valve
just open for a good few minutes before opening it up more.
> Regarding a clear run off resulting in a clearer beer, I
> would tend to agree, the way around this is to allow the trub
> to settle out in your fermenter before pitching the yeast
> then racking the wort off into a new fermenter leaving the
> crud behind. I would imagne 'dropping' acheives a similar
> effect but if you do this before pitching you don't get the
> drop in yeast cells or risk oxidation. I somethimes make
> small scale 5L batches and do just that and get very bright
> beer that isnt suseptable to chill haze.
I'll have a "settling tank" sanitised and at the ready incase I need to
ladle the lot out by hand. I believe this is fairly common practice in
commercial breweries, to cool to a settling tank, and then racking off,
but I'm not sure when they pitch their yeast, i.e. in the racking tank
or in the fermenter.
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:34:35 -0000
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Here's a link to my Brupaks strainer...had I known it was so simple
before I bought it I would have made one myself, it works well though
so I shouldn't complian :-D
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/Hairy_Hector/strainer/strainer04.jpg
Cheers
Chris
------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:39:12 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Thanks Chris
Definitely an option to try - dead simple to make by the look of it -
how is the end closed off - is it simply squashed down and folded over?
Cheers,
Mark
> Here's a link to my Brupaks strainer...had I known it was so
> simple before I bought it I would have made one myself, it
> works well though so I shouldn't complian :-D
>
> http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a286/Hairy_Hector/strainer/s
> trainer04.jpg
------------------------------
Message: 12
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:49:15 -0000
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
To: li...@ukhomebrew.info
It's made from rolled copper mesh with one end crimped (not folded), you
could achieve the same results drilling 15mm copper tubing and crimping
the end (it doesnt have to seal).
Cheers
Chris
------------------------------
Message: 13 Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:15:50 -0800
From: "ArdleyBrewer"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Going back to the original question
> >
> > Here's what I do.
> > 20 minutes before the end of the boil, with the kettle still
> > boiling, I gently crack open the ball valve, which runs the
> > boiling wort in to the hop back via gravity, from
> > which I pump through the CFC to sterilise it, and
> > back in to the bottom of the kettle. Run-off at this stage is not an
> > issue. At the end of the boil, I switch off the kettle elements,
> > close the ball valve and stop pumping and leave the hops and
> > trub for about 20 minutes
> > (with the lid on) to settle and form the filter bed.
I was wondering if, during running the wort through the hopback your
pump, and or gravity is actually pulling the hops and trub etc into the
manifold and thereby adding to it all jamming up. So once it is taken
off the boil, and let stand for 20 minutes, the rest of the 'filter bed'
just compacts it all down?
It might seem ok when you are running the hot wort through the hopback
because the pump could well make up for any loss of gravitational
performance as the manifold gets more blocked.
If it is possibly this as a problem, could you sit a perforated sheet of
some description on top of your manifold just to keep the worst of it
all away from the slots / holes etc?
Matthew
------------------------------
Message: 14
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:21:35 +0000
From: "Andy Whitworth"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> > Ok, I give up!
> > I've tried a copper manifold with slots facing down and up, a
> > stainless braided hose and a modified slotted manifold, slots
> > down with 100s of various size holes drilled in it.
Mark,
Was your stainless braid taken from the outer part of a flexible tap hose ?
If so I had problems with one of those giving stuck mashes when used in
the mash tun. Have you tried using a rolled up stainless splatter guard
(used for frying pans). The resultant cigar-shaped filter you end up
with has much more rigidity than the stainless braid and a greater
amount of "holes" as it were. I use one of these in my boiler and
it's always behaved itself.
------------------------------
Message: 15
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:53:14 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> Was your stainless braid taken from the outer part of a flexible
> tap hose ?
Yes it was.
> If so I had problems with one of those giving stuck mashes when used
> in the mash tun. Have you tried using a rolled up stainless splatter
> guard (used for frying pans). The resultant cigar-shaped filter you
> end up with has much more rigidity than the stainless braid and a
> greater amount of "holes" as it were. I use one of these in my boiler
> and it's always behaved itself.
Ah yes, I must find a ?1 shop to try one of these! touch wood, the
slotted copper manifold setup has worked like a dream - I've never had a
stuck mash with it - how about that for tempting fate! :)
Re: Matthews response re: pump drawing down the hops - the pump doesn't
draw directly from the kettle, and the hop-back although inline is not a
completely sealed unit - it has an open top, so any suction from the
pump isn't going to draw on the manifold. It's possible that the
gravity run-off is causing the hops to get stuck.
The pump doesn't seem to like running at those temps anyway (recirc
while still boiling) so I'm going to stop that practice and just pump
cleaner then sanitiser through the CFC before use in future.
cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 16
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:59:02 +0000
From: "Andy Whitworth"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Just to clarify - I was suggesting using the rolled up splatter screen
in the boiler as your hop filter. I do this (using a ?1 shop special)
and it's been great.
Andy.
------------------------------
Message: 17
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:01:47 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> Just to clarify - I was suggesting using the rolled up splatter screen
> in the boiler as your hop filter.
Yes, I know, thanks Andy. My paragraph was a bit misleading - I was
saying that for the mash tun, the slotted copper manifold has never let
me down (keep the slots face down), it's just the boiler run-off that I
keep getting problems with.
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 18
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:28:21 -0600
From: Mark Garthwaite
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
You may consider constructing something like this:
http://www.ihomebrewsolutions.com/TheHopStopper.html
Its large surface area is the key here. I've made something similar
to this and while it did not completely filter out hop pellets I
solved that problem by enclosing the screen with a nylon paint
strainer bag. It works quite well.
See this thread at the HBD Forum:
http://hbd.org/discus/messages/34426/38972.html
And a follow up thread here:
http://hbd.org/discus/messages/1/40504.html?1168585312
Cheers,
Mark Garthwaite
Madison, WI USA
------------------------------
Message: 19
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:58:54 +0000
From: Aleman
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Mark Garthwaite wrote:
> > You may consider constructing something like this:
> > http://www.ihomebrewsolutions.com/TheHopStopper.html
> > http://hbd.org/discus/messages/34426/38972.html
Now that Is Interesting, Although I don't have a problem with my boiler
which uses two braids of SS round the outside of the boiler I would much
rather have a central pickup tube.
Anyone got any ideas where I can buy that Stainless mesh here in the UK
---
le Man (The Brewer Formerly Known As Aleman)
Mashing In Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
------------------------------
Message: 20
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:57:49 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Thanks Mark
I'll have a read up of those links tonight.
Cheers,
Mark
------------------------------
Message: 21
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:27:34 +0000
From: Aleman
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> > Anyone got any ideas where I can buy that Stainless mesh here in the UK
Answering My own question here but a quick google finds
http://www.wovenwire.co.uk/productinformation.htm and
http://www.meshdirect.co.uk
Hmmm I fancy the idea of a filter covering the entire bottom of the
boiler . . . I'll give the m a ring and inquire about pricing . . .
Looks about twice the price as stuff in the US . . Thats about normal :(
---
le Man (The Brewer Formerly Known As Aleman)
Mashing In Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
------------------------------
Message: 22
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:44:34 +0000
From: "Andy Whitworth"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
> Anyone got any ideas where I can buy that Stainless mesh here in
> the UK
How about http://www.inoxia.co.uk/rw/category/9.aspx ?
------------------------------
Message: 23
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:14:14 -0800
From: "ArdleyBrewer"
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
A very quick fix could be to butcher one of SWMBO finest sieve's!
------------------------------
Message: 24
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:18:09 -0000
From: "MCGEE, Mark, GBM"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Ahem, er, I couldn't possibly do that.....(she reads the forum
occasionally!) :)
------------------------------
Message: 25
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 12:19:49 -0500
From: Jeff Renner
Subject: RE: Cornelius Keg Maintenance
One thing I haven't seem mentioned is the value of using a non-
petroleum grease on the rubber seals to improve the seal and prevent
gas leaks. I use Dow Corning Compound 111 Valve Lubricant and
Sealant, a food grade silicone grease that my local homebrew shop
owner dispenses from a large tube into a 35 mm film canister. I
think it is the same as commercial keg lubes.
I put it on the big and little O rings and on the little rubber seal
inside the poppets.
Vaseline does the same job but will break down the rubber parts.
Another thing is sanitizing the poppets. You can take them apart and
soak them, but it's much easier to simply boil them - as long as
there is no mold or other buildup inside.
I have known a few brewers who had persistent wild yeast infections
in draft beer which resulted in a "house character" in all their
beers despite sanitizing their kegs. At least one brewer took to
disinfecting his whole basement with bleach. It didn't work, but
boiling the poppets cleared it up.
Jeff
---
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA, jsrennerATumichDOTedu
"One never knows, do one?" Fats Waller, American Musician, 1904-1943
------------------------------
Message: 26
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:58:56 +0000
From: Russell Gower
Subject: Re: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Aleman wrote:
> Anyone got any ideas where I can buy that Stainless mesh here in the
> UK
I have 2 rolls of the stuff my brother gave me, I'll check the hole size
as i believe it was intended for making air filters
R.
------------------------------
Message: 27
Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:12:10 -0500
From: "Benjy Edwards"
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Mark,
I ran into this exact problem recently when switching from a gravity runoff
to using the pump. The reason it's happening is because the pump's suction
pulls the hops into the manifold or screen and jams them into the holes or
slots. If you use gravity the force isn't sufficient to clog the screen.
As far as a solution, I still haven't found one for my system. I was
thinking of switching from the bazooka tube that I use now (a mesh screen
made from stainless steel in the shape of a tube) to the "hopstopper",
which
is a pancake-shaped screen made of even finer stainless mesh. I'd like to
know if it will work before I buy it though.
Note, I've had this problem when using a pump with all leaf hops and a
mixture of pellets and leaf. I suppose if you used only pellets and didn't
have a screen at all it would be ok, but you'd have to whirlpool the wort
and then wait prior to running off.
If you figure it out, please let me know! On my next brew, if I don't just
revert back to gravity, I might try not using the pump until the chill
(previously I had been recirculating the wort during the last 15 minutes of
the boil to sanitize the pump), and maybe the settling of all of the leaf
hops at the bottom after turning off the flame would be enough to avoid the
problem - but you've probably already tried this with no luck.
I did manage to use the pumping method once with no problems (the first
time, and it was so nice that I've been trying to recreate the success for
the last 3 batches), but it was a very low-hopped bitter with a mixture of
pellets and leaf. My theory is that this batch just didn't have enough
hops
of either kind to clog the screen sufficiently, whereas later batches
either
had too much pellet mixed with the leaf, or as in the case of the latest
batch, only leaf but almost a pound of leaf hops which was just too much
hop
for the screen to handle. That's why I thought the hopstopper screen with
the greater surface area might do the trick.
Benjy Edwards.
------------------------------
Message: 28
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 10:12:45 +1300
From: Tim Busby
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - Mesh size
Do not make the mistake of selecting too fine a mesh. It will block. :-(
When using whole hops coarse is better. #8 mesh would serve well, but it
will need to be attached to a frame of some sort to ensure it does not
distort/buckle.
I use a section of perforated s/s plate, with approx 60% open area. (3mm -
1/8" holes) I cut it to fit my kettle perfectly, and sits on 9mm (3/8")
risers to keep it clear of the outlet. An excellent filter bed.
Wassail
Tim
------------------------------
Message: 29
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2007 10:18:12 +1300
From: Tim Busby
Subject: RE: Filtering hops in the kettle - aaaarrrrggghhh!
Too small a surface area, too large a pump capacity. Throttle back the
pump outlet in the mean time. Or you may be able to consider a speed
controller for the pump?
A cone shaped screen would provide some initial relief, but as the
kettle drains you will still need to throttle back. If you are using a
multiple stage centrifugal pump, remove one of the stages.
Wassail
Tim
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End of ukhomebrew Digest, Vol 5, Issue 25
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