Hop rocket for pellets

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brewbrew
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Hop rocket for pellets

Post by brewbrew » Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:06 pm

Has anyone successfully used a pumped/recirculated hop rocket with pellets?
I'm thinking of going this route but I'm concerned about potential blockages.
TIA for any advice.

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Jocky
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by Jocky » Mon Aug 30, 2021 10:41 pm

You’ll need to use a lot of leaf with it to help filter the pellets. Otherwise they just clog any screen fine enough to filter pellets.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.

jpampiglione
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by jpampiglione » Thu Nov 03, 2022 5:40 pm

Similar hop missile can use pellets. I put them in a muslin bag with rice hulls.
Have circulated top (conical end) to bottom as hot wort headed my way when disconnecting after trying bottom to top. As long as 25g + pellets seems to work

Big_Eight
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by Big_Eight » Thu Nov 03, 2022 6:42 pm

I've been considering going the Hop Stopper route. It looks like it may be the answer at least for me. They will custom make them for your kettle as well.

https://shop.theelectricbrewery.com/pro ... 30-gallons

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MashBag
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by MashBag » Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:32 am

Wow, I'd it me or did that seem like a lot of money for a bit of bent mesh?

WalesAles
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by WalesAles » Fri Nov 04, 2022 5:42 pm

MashBag wrote:
Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:32 am
Wow, I'd it me or did that seem like a lot of money for a bit of bent mesh?
Yea Mash,
Id id you! :D

WA

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MashBag
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by MashBag » Fri Nov 04, 2022 6:08 pm

Lol. B@3t@rd phone. 🤣🤣☹️

"is it me... "

Big_Eight
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by Big_Eight » Sat Nov 05, 2022 3:50 am

MashBag wrote:Wow, I'd it me or did that seem like a lot of money for a bit of bent mesh?
There's a bit more to it than that lol but hey each to their own.

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LeeH
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by LeeH » Sat Nov 05, 2022 7:26 am

I’ve just purchased the rip off Hop
Rocket after David Heath was successful with Muslim bags.
Sabro Single Hop NEIPA 25/02/20 CLICK ME to monitor progress with Brewfather & iSpindel

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MashBag
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by MashBag » Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:48 pm

LeeH wrote:
Sat Nov 05, 2022 7:26 am
I’ve just purchased the rip off Hop
Rocket after David Heath was successful with Muslim bags.
The unbranded one's on ebay?

clarets7
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by clarets7 » Sat Nov 05, 2022 6:34 pm

LeeH wrote:
Sat Nov 05, 2022 7:26 am
I’ve just purchased the rip off Hop
Rocket after David Heath was successful with Muslim bags.
What are these Muslim bags?
"The paradise of the rich is made out of the hell of the poor" - Victor Hugo

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LeeH
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by LeeH » Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:37 pm

Muslin!
Sabro Single Hop NEIPA 25/02/20 CLICK ME to monitor progress with Brewfather & iSpindel

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The_Antikveik
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by The_Antikveik » Tue Nov 08, 2022 6:35 pm

[quote=Jocky post_id=859364 time=1630359695 user_id=8935]
You’ll need to use a lot of leaf with it to help filter the pellets. Otherwise they just clog any screen fine enough to filter pellets.
[/quote]

This mainly.

I've been using a genuine HopRocket for about 2.5 years, according to my brewing notes. It’s very effective with whole hops, up to the recommended maximum, about 80g, and, amongst other things, has very little impact on the rate of flow when recirculating hot wort through the device. An even flow of wort is required for efficient extraction of desirable hop compounds. From what I’ve seen on youtube and heard from fellow home brewers, pelletised hops limit the flow to a pathetic dribble, presumably with much reduced extraction efficiency, thus rendering an otherwise very effective device a bit pointless. Most likely a complete waste of pelletised hops that are better used elsewhere in the brewing process. I imagine there's just some minor channeling finding a route through a blocked hop bed, bypassing most of the hops. Bottom line, beware double glazing salesmen with youtube channels.

As Blichmann Engineering - the developer of the original HopRocket - state quite clearly, the device is designed to work efficiently for whole hops only. It’s safe to assume a reputable company like Blichmann Engineering did the R&D and aren’t in the business of fooling customers just to hit sales targets. It's one thing to blatantly rip-off someone else's idea, but to pretend it does what it's not intended for is just adding another layer of dishonesty. And yet another thing to support such behaviour, as a reseller or consumer. I think I'd rather pay a little more and get the real deal, which is much better quality anyway. Kind of a no-brainer, about £130 for the real deal vs £100 for a cheap rip-off. The end user is advised to use whole hops, regardless.

Monkhouse
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by Monkhouse » Fri Dec 02, 2022 9:31 am

brewbrew wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:06 pm
Has anyone successfully used a pumped/recirculated hop rocket with pellets?
I'm thinking of going this route but I'm concerned about potential blockages.
TIA for any advice.
I only ever use pellets straight in the boiler- no muslin bag. I’ve got a hop rocket and I’ve never once had an issue pumping the wort from boiler through chiller and into fv.
Hope this helps

Monkhouse
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Re: Hop rocket for pellets

Post by Monkhouse » Fri Dec 02, 2022 9:33 am

IF I was doing a saison again though with lots of weird additions I would put these additions in a Muslin. I remember the orange pith being a slight pain right at the last couple of litres to pump out

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