Help! Wort clarity/recirculating?/hop filter blocking/etc

[RobWalker]

At the mo i'm on an all in one BIAB system, I mash and boil in the same boiler. I use a pizza plate for a false bottom to stop the bag scorching, once it's mashed the wort is drained through the tap (which works fine) so I can attach the hop filter and poured back into the boiler for boiling. it's then run into a bucket through the hop filter whilst still hot for cooling.

1) my hop filter blocks with a thick clay like layer. i usually bodge it with a brew spoon, but it takes a while, particularly on brews with a big grain schedule or tonnes of hops. somebody mentioned a length of tube on the end of the tap or something?

2) my wort isn't very clear at all. it's not a major problem, but how can I improve it?

cheers!

 

[pittsy]

I think it may be cuz your filter is working alone as it's fitted on the outside (if i read that right) , with mine etc the grain sits on top of the filter so they act together and the same for the hops in boiling , they act together as hops sit on top of filter thus making holes smaller etc . With a mash tun that clay stuff is left on the grain bed but biab will have that stuff still in the pot while you lift the grains out and then it's all down to just the filter , maybe a wire mesh fitted inside would help .

 

[31bb3]

the clay like substance sounds possibly like the protein break material i may be wrong :? why dont you try sitting the pizza plate ontop of your hop filter to help stop the hops from clogging the hop filter ? can you upload a pic of the hop filter

 

[RobWalker]

you can see the bottom here, it's taken out after the mash though, i don't think it would take a boil...

this is my hop filter - it's got a metal mesh tube that's surrounded by a nylon type thing.

 

[31bb3]

the filter is inside the boiler ? i didnt realise the pizza base was plastic

 

[RobWalker]

yeah, it's inside, sorry if i'm being confusing - hahah.

the pizza plate is metal, but it doesn't feel like i'd want to boil it...but i could give it a go!

 

[pittsy]

could you get a 2nd pizza base and put them together so the holes are smaller

 

[31bb3]

i will take the heat then have you tried skimmintg the break material off the top of the wort just before the boil

 

[RobWalker]

yeah, maybe. I don't mind building a domed false bottom for this step either, if that's gonna fix all my problems?

 

[pittsy]

ive got a false bottom in my mash tun like yours but with smaller holes and although the grain is sitting onit acting as a filter i have clear runnings after i have poured back around 6 liters

 

[31bb3]

or try to get some mesh for a fb