1st batch with The Hopstopper

[diver]

I used the Hopstopper today for a 6 gallon batch using only 4 ounces of pellet hops. The first quart or two of runoff was cloudy and then became very clear till just before the siphon ran out when it became cloudy again which is suppose to be normal. There is some cold break floating in the carboy now and about a half inch of what looks like hop debris or more trub at the bottom. The cold break getting into the fermenter is also suppose to be normal when using an immersion chiller like I do. I think the Hopstopper works better than my other 9 gallon kettle that has a diverter plate except for the cold break getting in the carboy and with the Hopstopper I don't have to whirlpool and wait an hour for everything to settle.

[tnlandsailor]

I used the Hopstopper today for a 6 gallon batch using only 4 ounces of pellet hops. The first quart or two of runoff was cloudy and then became very clear till just before the siphon ran out when it became cloudy again which is suppose to be normal. There is some cold break floating in the carboy now and about a half inch of what looks like hop debris or more trub at the bottom. The cold break getting into the fermenter is also suppose to be normal when using an immersion chiller like I do. I think the Hopstopper works better than my other 9 gallon kettle that has a diverter plate except for the cold break getting in the carboy and with the Hopstopper I don't have to whirlpool and wait an hour for everything to settle.

Yes, if you use an immersion chiller, break material will inevitably find it's way into your fermenter. I'm confident that the trub you see is break material and not hop debris. The good news is, the presence of cold break really doesn't matter, and according to some, can actually be beneficial to yeast health. For anyone who uses a counter-flow chiller (like me), 100% of the cold break ends up in the fermenter. I've not noticed any ill effects from this on taste or clarity. I think the presence of cold break in your primary fermenter is really a non issue.

[medtech]

I used the hopstopper I won for the first time today. It was very easy to install. I brewed a 5 gallon batch of scottish ale which doesn't have alot of hops but the hops I did use (pellet) stuck right to the hopstopper. It was so much easier to clean the hopstopper than stupid hop bags. I use a cfc and pump and never had a problem with the hop stopper flowing down the flow.

I'm going to be brewing an IIPA tomorrow so that'll be a good test. I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[BentwoodBlue]

Nice medtech.. I can't wait to see tomorrow's brew..

[BeerPal]

I used my Hopstopper with the new pickup for the first time yesterday at the DOZE Spring Big Brew (I know, Dennis sent me the new pickup months ago. I haven't brewed since 1/1/06. I feel so ashamed!) Any way here is my update:

I brewed an all DME version of Pliny the Elder, so you know there where tons of pellet hops in the boil. The scortching I experienced with my first Hopstopper wasn't going to be an issue with this batch due to the fact that I used DME. When it came time to rack the batch into the fermenter, the Hopstopper worked like a champ. Great, fast flow out of the kettle and after I whirlpooled, an amazing layer of hop trub on top of the Hopstopper. Literally an inch thick at least. The new pickup worked great.

So, I'm sold. While I still think I would have problems with LME scortching under the Hopstopper, this baby performed as advertised under heavy hop bombardment. Thanks Dennis!

[Kaiser]

The wort was pumped at the same 2 GPM through the Therminator with no flow problems and no clogging.

This sounds to me as if the use of the hop stopper requires a pump and that it may not be suited for gravity fed systems.

Kai

[BeerPal]

This sounds to me as if the use of the hop stopper requires a pump and that it may not be suited for gravity fed systems.

I used it in conjunction with a gravity-fed Therminator yesterday, worked just fine. And I reiterate, there was an unbelievable amount of break material and hop sludge on top of it. No problems at all. Left maybe a quart of wort in my converted keg.

[diver]

This sounds to me as if the use of the hop stopper requires a pump and that it may not be suited for gravity fed systems.

I use an immersion chiller and tried the Hopstopper with my 9 gallon kettle from B3 which is gravity fed. Twice it clogged on me, taking over three hours to drain. I don't want to discourage anyone from trying it though. Dennis let me try it for as long as I liked and refunded the Hopstopper and shipping cost both ways so it didn't cost 1 cent to try it.