hop percolator

[Crut]

Since Traverse Brewing Co shut down, i have gained all the recipes we used. Only problem is i dont have a hop perc.
All our/the recipes used the HP, and ive had many many requests to brew the beers. I could prob mash hop or FWH the beers and come close, but im thinkin its time for another gadget.
Im thinking of using a small pressure cooker (4 qt or so) install a ball valve in the bottom, and we're off. The one at TBC was easy to use, put the hops in, fill with 180* water, and seal up for the rest of the brewing until cooling.
Theres only a couple little hangups, i'll have to make a false bottom for it, but i think it will be a great gadget to add to the setup. Anyone got any tips, tricks, hints.
-Crut

[BadRock]

I've got no tips or tricks but I would love to see some pictures when you get it done. Good luck!

[resto3]

That sounds like a great idea. It would probably require a big enough cup to hold at least say 10 oz of hops (pellets of course) for some big hoppy beers. A hole through the middle with a pipe that the cup would slip through and sit towards the top. Then the cup would need a perforated or screened bottom and top. The top of the cup would need to be able to be secured so it doesn't pop off during boiling. the tube should be long enough to reach the bottm of the kettle. Boiling wort would shoot up through the tub, and fall back into the kettle throught the top of the perforated cover of the hop cup, through the hops and back into the kettle through the bottle perforated cup holding the hops. I just thinking remembering what my sister's Percolator coffee machine looks like on the inside. I don't know if it'll work but it just might rabbit, it just might!!

My $0.02.

Richie

[Crut]

hey im almost back up and running. My internet connection will be up next week, so i should be able to jump back into this here madness we call TBN. onto the subject.
Started working on my HP. I wanted stainless but found a aluminum 4qt pressure cooker at goodwill the other day and had to buy it. With a trip to the hardware store, some fittings, im almost there. I just need to install on small blowoff/purge valve on the top, get a couple o rings, and makes the false bottom for it. Im thinking of doing a false bottom and a stainless braid as well hopefully to keep things clean going into the chiller. Sorry for the crappy pics, still need to fix my digital, just think of it as fuzzy old 70's brewing porn.



-Crut

[Mylo]

Can you explain how this thing is used? To me it looks like a hop back - but one that you fill with 180 steeping water well before the brew is done... Does all the wort travel through this thing at some point?


Mylo

[Crut]

Can you explain how this thing is used? To me it looks like a hop back - but one that you fill with 180 steeping water well before the brew is done... Does all the wort travel through this thing at some point?


Mylo

It basically makes hop tea. As you heat up your mash and sparge water,put your hops in and 180* water. Seal it up and let it set until boil is done. The HP is in between the boil kettle and the CFC, then into the fermenter. We used one at TBC, and it seems to extract such great hop flavor that i decided i needed on at home. That and I have all the recipes from TBC so i wanna try to replicate them as close as I can at home. When ready to use, start the flow from the BK into it, bleed off any air thats inside until the valve starts spittin wort, close it and open the out valve.

I need to find a peice of stainless to use as a false bottom and I should be set. I got the bleed off valve on it today, so shes almost ready. that and need to drill holes in the copper manifold.

[rtbrews]

I am reviving a very old thread here so hope you are still around, Crut, but I have been researching making a hop percolator for my system and I really like your pressure cooker idea for the HP. How did it end up working out for you? Is there anything you would have changed or adjusted about it?

My other thoughts were to alter a french press but that wouldn't maintain temp or wouldn't be completetly closed, using an erlenmeyer flask then doing a CO2 push to get into the fermentor but that would clog very easily or using the hop rocket but I don't think I can get ball valves on that to make the system closed.

Any other ideas or experience with making one of these from anyone?