So - first off, I stole a lot of this directly from this thread ( https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/hopster-hopscreen-157529/ ) but I thought I'd start my own as I started out with the idea of just modifying a Blichmann HopBlocker I recently picked up on the cheap.
Here are some photos:
All put together:
HopStopper:
Inside the HopBlocker:
And the HopBlocker with the SS mesh taken out:
The wire mesh inside the HopBlocker is McMaster part #85385T858 with the following specs:
Mesh Size: 35 x 35
Square/Rectangle Size: .017"
Wire Diameter: .012"
Percentage of Open Area: 33.8%
The wire mesh for the HopStopper basket is McMaster part #9226T852 with the following specs:
Mesh Size: 30 x 30
Square/Rectangle Size: .02"
Wire Diameter: .013"
Percentage of Open Area: 37.1%
Top top and bottom are 10" SS pie rings I picked up off Amazon. The SS hose clamps are McMaster part #54155K44. I used two boxes of SS rivets which are part #97550A105 to clamp it all together.
My current boil kettle is a 20 gallon Blichmann Boilermaker. I made the HopStopper basket where it sits around 1" off the bottom of the pot.
I use hop pellets exclusively and have my fingers crossed that my choices in the wire mesh will allow for optimal hop utilization as well as the finer mesh inside the HopBlocker filtering out anything that might escape as well as the hot break. We'll be brewing with it next weekend and will definitely report back.. but if you have any questions - ask away!
Here are some photos:
All put together:
HopStopper:
Inside the HopBlocker:
And the HopBlocker with the SS mesh taken out:
The wire mesh inside the HopBlocker is McMaster part #85385T858 with the following specs:
Mesh Size: 35 x 35
Square/Rectangle Size: .017"
Wire Diameter: .012"
Percentage of Open Area: 33.8%
The wire mesh for the HopStopper basket is McMaster part #9226T852 with the following specs:
Mesh Size: 30 x 30
Square/Rectangle Size: .02"
Wire Diameter: .013"
Percentage of Open Area: 37.1%
Top top and bottom are 10" SS pie rings I picked up off Amazon. The SS hose clamps are McMaster part #54155K44. I used two boxes of SS rivets which are part #97550A105 to clamp it all together.
My current boil kettle is a 20 gallon Blichmann Boilermaker. I made the HopStopper basket where it sits around 1" off the bottom of the pot.
I use hop pellets exclusively and have my fingers crossed that my choices in the wire mesh will allow for optimal hop utilization as well as the finer mesh inside the HopBlocker filtering out anything that might escape as well as the hot break. We'll be brewing with it next weekend and will definitely report back.. but if you have any questions - ask away!