Building a hop back

[laithclark]

Hi there

I am seeking some inspiration to build a hop back. I have started a commercial brewery although only 1 BBBL size I am seeking to add a hop back into the set up.

My thought is to use a thermopot of about 30 litre size and add a tap at the top and bottom with a bazooka on the bottom tap. The thermopot has a clamped lid so should keep it on I'm just wondering if anyone has any other ideas. I contacted Angel home-brew about this and they suggested incorporating a BIAB to help with the flow, but I am wondering if there is another way to help manage the flow of wort over the hops evenly and to help with the flow out. The hop back will be positioned after the chiller and filter/add aroma into the fermenter.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this if anyone has any.

Many thanks

Laith

[Dave.T]

Hello, i use a stainless thermos tea urn with a tea strainer inside which i put the hops in. The hot wort sprinkles through the top and out through the tap at the bottom and then into the chiller to lock in the aromas and flavour. There is a similar one, on that auction site at the moment but it does not say if there is a tea strainer inside. It is titled as a Vintage tea urn, hope this helps.
Dave.

[Fil]

IMHO a grain bag would imho be a much better option for filtering than a bazooka filter, way more surface area and therefore much less chance for a blockage. Probably a lot finer filter too.

Also im sure your aware but a thermopot lid will/may not make an air tight seal even if clamped down, (i have experience of 2 x neither of which will create a sealed lid connection. So you cant rely on pressure build up to counter filter clogs.

[bigrichlock]

Might be worth putting having the hop back in the right place, traditionally its boiler -> hopback -> Chiller. you want the hot wort to hit the hops, not cold wort.

Easyest way will to be buy a 40-50L mash tun with a perferated false bottom, gravity in from the boiler and then pump it out through the chiller and into the fermenter. Flow rates can be contrilled buy closing opening taps a fraction.

The cheapest option would be to give your mash tun a really good clean, then use that, i have seen St Austell doing this on there small 2-3brl pilot kit.

Rich

[Robwalkeragain]

I would say a couple of isolation valves would be fine for controlling flow, are you looking for a closed or open system?

[Fil]

Might be worth putting having the hop back in the right place, traditionally its boiler -> hopback -> Chiller. you want the hot wort to hit the hops, not cold wort.

Easyest way will to be buy a 40-50L mash tun with a perferated false bottom, gravity in from the boiler and then pump it out through the chiller and into the fermenter. Flow rates can be contrilled buy closing opening taps a fraction.

The cheapest option would be to give your mash tun a really good clean, then use that, i have seen St Austell doing this on there small 2-3brl pilot kit.

Rich

I missed that !!

whats the goal behind the addition? Filtration would be my #1 reason for considering adding one if your after brewing hop bombs it sounds like the qualities your after may be more ecconomicaly achieved through dry hopping in the fv, or adding more flame out hops?

you would get a lower rate of utilisation from a quick cold flow over/through than you can achieve from a steep,

[laithclark]

Thanks very much for all your replies, plenty to think about. The purpose is more hop aroma but not necessarily the hop haze that can occur with heavy dry hopping. I was considering just dry hopping but was also thinking about using a hop back addition as well as dry hopping or in some brews instead of dry hopping. My problem with the brewing kit is I can't easily/quickly cool the wort to steep at 80 degrees so flame out addition is my only option there which means at high temperature so lots of bitterness too.
I think I'll keep the hop back in mind and just press on dry hopping for now until I solve the hop back problem. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks

[Robwalkeragain]

At 5g/L on our 6bbl kit I find clarity actually improves with dry hopping. Something to do with the hop chunks binding with the proteins and helping the isinglass along with dropping them out...give it a go, do some finings tests and you shouldn't have any issues. Murphy's can send you an optimization process document if you ask.

Thanks very much for all your replies, plenty to think about. The purpose is more hop aroma but not necessarily the hop haze that can occur with heavy dry hopping. I was considering just dry hopping but was also thinking about using a hop back addition as well as dry hopping or in some brews instead of dry hopping. My problem with the brewing kit is I can't easily/quickly cool the wort to steep at 80 degrees so flame out addition is my only option there which means at high temperature so lots of bitterness too.
I think I'll keep the hop back in mind and just press on dry hopping for now until I solve the hop back problem. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks

[laithclark]

Thanks Rob I’ll give them a call next week


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[Fil]

Another option to consider perhaps could be a hop rocket/randle at serving. it would complicate serving, and is only really viable when your drinking/serving a good few pints, might not be an everyday commercial goer??

[HTH1975]

I’ve got a hoprocket, but no plate chiller (yet) so I’ve never really got much use from it.

As homebrewers I think we can be guilty of overcomplicating things. Just chuck a load of finishing hops in the kettle before casting to FV and be done with it. You could recirc the kettle for half an hour if you want more even contact with the hops.

Even better, just dry hop.