I need a Hopback, know anyone building them?

[jat147]

Howdy,

I'm not a big fan of the hop spider that many people use, I'm really after a hopback that will live outside the kettle and have the added benefit of being an extra filter to protect the heat exchanger. Trouble is, i can't find a decent one.

Anyone ever seen a fabricator that has made one? I saw a nice Hopback a few years back during a brewery tour - but have forgotten where I was at the time

Many thanks.

[Secla]

Blichman hop rocket ?

[jat147]

Yeah, I suppose that could do...
It's just not what I've got in mind

[wardy]

I think ManseMasher is building one using a second hand pressure cooker.

[Kev888]

Not sure if its of use, but if you can't find what you want and don't want to make one, there are (at a price) external/in-line hop filters available, usually used to catch pellet material that has escaped the whirlpool (they won't stop whole hops blocking the outlet). Brewbuilder/Mr Lard does one IIRC.

Thats if I understood correctly anyway; the OP may suggest you expect the hop back to do what a spider would - so hold the boil hops etc. Am i right in thinking you just intend to use it instead of a kettle hop filter, and have free floating pellets?

[Tony01]

I saw this a while back, put it on a back burner as I just don't have the time:
http://byo.com/malt/item/380-build-a-st ... el-hopback

[guypettigrew]

Interesting thread. Didn't know about hopbacks before.

How would using one differ from throwing some hops into the boiler after stopping the boil and cooling the wort to about 80C?

Guy

[Secla]

never used one but assuming if you recirculate through one it would be very similar to steeping ?
with the added benefit of filtering

[Belter]

From what ive read the general consensus from Homebrewers experiences is that they didn't notice a different with or without the hop back. From someone else who did a test I think a ten or five minute addition was the most fruitful in terms of 'hoppiness'

[ManseMasher]

I think ManseMasher is building one using a second hand pressure cooker.

I certainly am! It is going to go between my pump and counterflow chiller. Just hope I don't end up blowing the garage roof off!

[Secla]

I noticed on the blichmann site it suggested filling with rice hulls to use as a filter, maybe a good way of filtering pellet hops before a plate chiller ?

[ManseMasher]

I noticed on the blichmann site it suggested filling with rice hulls to use as a filter, maybe a good way of filtering pellet hops before a plate chiller ?

I like that idea - by rice hulls, do you mean ordinary rice? Sorry, probably a dense question....

[ManseMasher]

I've just googled it. Yes, dense question!

[ManseMasher]

It's taking shape. Two 20mm holes cut with Q-Max cutter ready for tank connectors. Wort in at the bottom, out through the lid where there will be a tap to the cfc. Wort will be pumped in with outlet tap closed to build up pressure at 80°c, left to steep then rest of wort will flow through. Vot could possibles go wrong?!!

[weetabixface]

what kind of pump are you using?

W