Hop pellets and bazooka filter sadness

[iamthefly]

Hi,

so I boiled the wort in my ACE tun/boiler using BIAB method and chilled it with a water chiller. When I tried to run off the wart, the bazooka filter got clogged solid with hop pellet crud. In the end I had to just stick my hand in to pull out the false bottom and continually and rapidly scrape the bazooka filter with my paddle until all the wart had run into the fv. All that movement meant that all the solids from the cold crash got flushed out into the fv also (or does that always happen with BIAB?)

What can I do better next time, other than use leaf hops?

Thanks

 

[Sadfield]

Try using your BIAB bag in the boil as a hop filter.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

 

[whealsie]

Hi,



so I boiled the wort in my ACE tun/boiler using BIAB method and chilled it with a water chiller. When I tried to run off the wart, the bazooka filter got clogged solid with hop pellet crud. In the end I had to just stick my hand in to pull out the false bottom and continually and rapidly scrape the bazooka filter with my paddle until all the wart had run into the fv. All that movement meant that all the solids from the cold crash got flushed out into the fv also (or does that always happen with BIAB?)



What can I do better next time, other than use leaf hops?



Thanks

Ditch the bazooka, whirpool, leave to settle and run off slowly into the fv. It will leave most of the trub in the middle of the kettle, away from the tap. And what little trub transfers, will just provide nutrition for the yeast.


I love the smell of mashing in the morning.

 

[peebee]

Bazookas are often constructed from woven stainless steel sleeving. The material is great for whole hops but not up to pellets.

 

[BeerCat]

Don't use the filter it will clog with pellets. If you still get a blockage you can put something in there to clear it, chopstix work. I would also not use the false bottom then you can scrape the plate to prevent any build up. Have burned a few beers before doing biab. I don't boil in mine any more as i had same issues as you. I use a 30l pot and let it chill overnight then pour the wort of when cooled.

 

[iamthefly]

Don't use the filter it will clog with pellets. If you still get a blockage you can put something in there to clear it, chopstix work. I would also not use the false bottom then you can scrape the plate to prevent any build up. Have burned a few beers before doing biab. I don't boil in mine any more as i had same issues as you. I use a 30l pot and let it chill overnight then pour the wort of when cooled.

OK thanks. I tend to turn the heat down to 1600W during the boil as I am worried about burning it. Not burned a brew yet but I've only done 2.

Why don't you do a cold crash with a chiller?

 

[iamthefly]

Ditch the bazooka, whirpool, leave to settle and run off slowly into the fv. It will leave most of the trub in the middle of the kettle, away from the tap. And what little trub transfers, will just provide nutrition for the yeast.


I love the smell of mashing in the morning.

This seems too easy. It must be a trap!

 

[iamthefly]

Try using your BIAB bag in the boil as a hop filter.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

Good idea. Means cleaning the bag first but I could live with that.

 

[BeerCat]

OK thanks. I tend to turn the heat down to 1600W during the boil as I am worried about burning it. Not burned a brew yet but I've only done 2.

Why don't you do a cold crash with a chiller?

I don't have the same model as you. Mine is the original with just the 1600w element. When i was using it for BIAB if i got too much flour in the boil it would scorch the bottom plate. Since i modded it to recirculate i don't have that problem any more. If there are no late additions i let it chill outside. If there are i use my wort chiller to take it done to 80c. Add the flameout addition and half an hour later i chill to 50c and leave the cool. Saves me water and my home made chiller is not as efficient as it could be.

 

[iamthefly]

I don't have the same model as you. Mine is the original with just the 1600w element. When i was using it for BIAB if i got too much flour in the boil it would scorch the bottom plate. Since i modded it to recirculate i don't have that problem any more. If there are no late additions i let it chill outside. If there are i use my wort chiller to take it done to 80c. Add the flameout addition and half an hour later i chill to 50c and leave the cool. Saves me water and my home made chiller is not as efficient as it could be.

Could you point me to a how to guide on modding it for recirculation?

 

[serum]

Using a mix of leaf and pellets works well as the leaf hops can act as a filter.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

 

[Fore]

Yes, a few leafs mixed in and my bazooka is fine with pellet. Sounds like your system is different to mine, I have a Buffalo boiler, but my first few brews I started drawing as soon as I had reached pitching temp. As I agitate while cooling, I really needed to let the trub settle first. I now use that 1/2h rest to prep my fermenter & yeast. Most trub then falls below the filter level. Let the tap run slow also; opening fully just draws the crap from all corners right into the gauze of the filter.