Hop Bags: A new item.

[Cliff]

I picked up some really cheap but very well made super fine polyester mesh bags at the Grocery a week or two ago. They came three to a pack for like Two bucks
This recent brew day I used 'em.

I really liked 'em One bag easily holds 2 ounces of hops with plenty of circulation room. There's a little drawstring that I was able to wrap around the end of the bag so I didn't get hop debris in the wort.

I have used woman's nylons, Paint strainers, and laundry bags. I think I like these little things best and they are sturdy as hell. They were particularly w easy to get out when I put the immersion heat exchanger in. I snagged 'em one at a time with a pair of tongs and rolled the tongs wrap them up and press 'em against the wall of the BK to squeeze the wort out of the bag. They are tough enough that there was no sense of maybe ripping the bag from rough treatment.

Clean up was easy. Turn 'em inside out and rinse in Oxy Free and water and then Star San.

Manufacturer is www.earthwisebags.com SBU number 14450017477. I was not able to find these same bags on their web site. But I got 'em in the veggie section of the grocery.
They are made in China.
but you can ask them who in your area is carrying 'em:
Steven Batzofin
2819 Burton Ave.
Burbank, CA 91504
p. 818-847-2174 ext. 304
f. 818-847-9681
Email: stevenb@earthwisebags.com

[slick]

Hi Cliff, could you describe how you made your hop filter from the dewar flask? Thanks

[Cliff]

Hi Cliff, could you describe how you made your hop filter from the dewar flask? Thanks

I'm working on that even as I type.
I mean in between hand ripping ( Stihl 441 Chain saw) 8'x12" slabs from a slew of freshly felled Siberian Elm logs some 4' in diameter , painting & installing a new floor in my master bedroom, and my day job.

But the deal was almost right after I saw that post about the Blichmann hop filter device I was in a Wall Mart and on a lark took a jaunt over to the sports department where I cound a couple of different Thermos (dewar) types. The cheaper one was SST inside and outside.
I took the cheaper one
1.) cut off the top
2.) separate the inside and outside
3.) Cut off the outer part's base making a tube with no ends
4.) Rripped the outer part along it's length
5.) Use hose clamps and tape to make the outside of the dewar a nice snug fit around the inside of the dewar.
6.) Drilled some holes in the outer part 1/8" for SST Pop rivets while it was compressed around the inner tube.
7.) pop riveted it from the inside so that the smooth part of the rivet head would pass more easily along the inner tube in operation.

Now I have two tubes that slide together snugly. The inner one has the bottom intact.

I got a humongous roll of SST wire mesh on the Flea bay for like $18.00

I'll use a dremel and abrasive wheel to cut windows on the inner tube and maybe just use the spring force of some spring temper SST. I'll prolly cut strips of Spring temper SST from a cheap SST wall board taping knife and use the rest to make another dovetail saw. I'll bend the spring temper strips so they will spring back and hold the wiremesh against the inside of the inner SST tube to make windows.
I'll take some pics eventually.

I have been screwing around with a mechanical operation approach being some what dissatisfied with the clumsy way Blichmann engineered theirs. I'd rather it were unitary.
But to be fair to Blichmann,n they have to meet a price point and people are only going to pay just so much for their unit. That's not an issue with which I must contend. In time alone my unit is prolly worth a few grand if you count my man hours. But, it's not for sale, it is a hobby and that is the nature of a hobby.

[slick]

Thanks for taking a time out to reply. I have been considering doing this myself.........Slick

[Cliff]

Thanks for taking a time out to reply. I have been considering doing this myself.........Slick

Drilling the SST was a bit of a task.
The dewar looks like it was e-beam welded. Really tiny weld in very thin metal. I suspect the manufacturing method required they use a high chrome content Stainless. Which made drilling a bit of an issue. I used carbide drills but if your drills are sharp they should do. Be sure to use a center drill to get the hole started or your drill will just walk around like it is lost. Another way to drill really hard and thin metal is with a diamond bit and a dremel with a little spray bottle of water for coolant. Dentists also throw away their carbide burrs which are tough as hell they use 'em once and toss 'em for sanitary reasons. Ask your dentist next time you are in.

[slick]

Do you think it would be easier to drill the holes in the outside piece before separating them? More support?

[Cliff]

Do you think it would be easier to drill the holes in the outside piece before separating them? More support?

Not unless you can measure locate and drill with precision better than 0.0005"
It's so much easier to have the thing in situ - so to speak.

Don't close the hose clamps up too tightly because the pop rivet heads will take up some space inside the outer tube. If I were doing it over I'd wrap the inner tube with a layer of blue or masking tape just to make the assembly leave space for the rivet heads.

There's no reason to worry about drilling through the inner tube since you are going to cut holes in it any way.