Hop pellets

[Touchstone]

Used hop pellets for the first time , what a job emptying the boiler , blocked the hop filter solid , what's the solution ?

[orlando]

Used hop pellets for the first time , what a job emptying the boiler , blocked the hop filter solid , what's the solution ?

Whole hops.

Some have used hop spiders with some success, a more compromised option are fine muslin bags. I just avoid pellets. If you recirculate into the boiler when cooling then throttling the pump back can slow the blocking but it won't cure it completely. You could try a mixture of whole and pellet, the whole acting as another filter. But you know what, whole hops are the answer. If you use a high alpha bittering hop and dry hopping, if it is just aroma in the beer you are after, then that can cut down the hop material whatever you use and I suggest is good practice anyway.

[BrannigansLove]

I use some of these (11cm size).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Stainless ... f5bWFO5Slw

Obviously this won't work with big doses of hops, but for up to 25g of pellets, these are great. More than that I use my old steeping bag, it does stop all of the material being released into the wort, but it cuts it down massively.

[oliver tate]

Solution for me is whirlpool with a pump and no filter.

[Matt in Birdham]

Yep - no filter, no worries (unless you use a plate chiller). I whirlpool as best I can and drain the rest straight into the FV. It doesn't have any negative effect on the finished beer and clean up is a doddle.

[Jocky]

Answer: Don't filter.

Leave it an hour and then drain off gently - the hops will dropped out.

Or use a bag. When I'm in a rush I use a bag. When I'm not I let them drop out.

[Rookie]

I use some of these (11cm size).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Stainless ... f5bWFO5Slw

Obviously this won't work with big doses of hops, but for up to 25g of pellets, these are great. More than that I use my old steeping bag, it does stop all of the material being released into the wort, but it cuts it down massively.

Those are pretty cool looking. I have to scout around and see if something similar is available over here.

[Thorbz]

I just use some crimped stainless steel mesh that fits around the 15mm filter I previously used for whole hops. I've had over 300g of pellet hops in a 23L brew without an issue. The mesh was just an A3 sheet of #20.

[Kev888]

Whirlpooling (and no filter) can work, combined with subsequent patience for settling. But your setup needs to be suitable for it - such as having no significant obstructions to the flow of the whirlpool, and an outlet at the edge rather than centre of the kettle. I also wouldn't trust it not to let the odd lump of stuff through if you use a plate chiller (an in-line filter could be added).

Just letting things settle without whirlpooling is similar, though you will get a few more hops coming through - especially initially on opening the tap so may want to recirculate a bit (observing sanitation etc if the wort is cool). If your outlet is small it can get clogged rather than flushing the pellets through, otherwise there isn't much to go wrong.

Very large area mesh filters can work (small ones don't) and are much more certain if you use a plate chiller. If you are in the camp that worries about break getting to the fermenter then they also stop that too. But the placement of elements and other heating sources doesn't always make them feasible.

Fine hop bags or spiders (and no other filter)can work in most situations, though again not quite so good at protecting plate chillers. Because they are so easy to bung in the kettle they can be especially handy if you swap between whole hops on some brews and pellets on others. Though if you use an Immersion Cooler you'd ideally need to make sure they both fitted in the kettle at once.

There are some who will only use free floating hops due in part to the better utilisation; its a valid point but large bags/baskets etc get fairly close to that and so IMO are a very reasonable compromise. Cramming hops into little mesh containers is a different matter though; if you have such a restricted boiler that you need to do this then allow capacity for a few more hops than you'd normally use.

[BrannigansLove]

I use some of these (11cm size).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Stainless ... f5bWFO5Slw

Obviously this won't work with big doses of hops, but for up to 25g of pellets, these are great. More than that I use my old steeping bag, it does stop all of the material being released into the wort, but it cuts it down massively.

Those are pretty cool looking. I have to scout around and see if something similar is available over here.

they were shipped from China, so I don't think you'll have any problems finding them on eBay.

[Touchstone]

Thanks for all suggestions , plenty to investigate , I think the easiest is to go back to just using leaf hops , I had no probs then

[orlando]

I think the easiest is to go back to just using leaf hops , I had no probs then

[Rookie]

I use some of these (11cm size).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Stainless ... f5bWFO5Slw

Obviously this won't work with big doses of hops, but for up to 25g of pellets, these are great. More than that I use my old steeping bag, it does stop all of the material being released into the wort, but it cuts it down massively.

Those are pretty cool looking. I have to scout around and see if something similar is available over here.

they were shipped from China, so I don't think you'll have any problems finding them on eBay.

I'm not a big fan of eBay, but if I can't find them elsewhere I'll go there. Do you use these in the boil or just for dry hopping?

[BrannigansLove]

Those are pretty cool looking. I have to scout around and see if something similar is available over here.

they were shipped from China, so I don't think you'll have any problems finding them on eBay.

I'm not a big fan of eBay, but if I can't find them elsewhere I'll go there. Do you use these in the boil or just for dry hopping?

I've only used them in the boil so far.

[floydmeddler]

I don't use a filter. They settle on the floor of the kettle after the boil/steep. Some end up in the fermenter when I draw off. They settle out on the floor of the fermenter so no worries there.

Filters: hassle!