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Author Topic: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped  (Read 9341 times)

Offline anthony

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2012, 11:30:05 am »
I hadn't seen that but I did go glance at it now that you've mentioned it.

It is definitely an interesting idea but doesn't have that same "wow" factor that a randall has. But that thread did point out another good idea, I use a french press to introduce coffee to my beers by filling the french press with beer, adding the coffee, and steeping cold for a few days, then I push the handle down and dose the keg with the appropriate amount of coffee beer to get the flavor I am looking for. It seems like you could do the same thing with hops instead of beer and have an added amount of control over the final beer.

Offline majorvices

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2012, 12:08:04 pm »
Our randall is not a hop rocket, so I can not elaborate on that product, but we use the "traditional" water filter housing technique but with a second chamber after the hop infuser. This cuts down on foaming significantly. OTOH if you are only pouring a couple pints at a time it may waste a lot of beer.

Also if it is clogging you might have it packed too full. Don't pack them in there. Just fill it and leave them slightly loose. The beer will cause the hops to swell significantly. Also be sure you didn't get any hops "dust" on any seals or inside the "filter" housing.

Any pictures? The second chamber doesn't have anything in it? I like some of the presentation aspects of Randalls but hate the waste introduced by the insane amount of foaming that seems inevitable with this setup since you're filtering carbonated beer through a billion tiny nucleation sites.

i can take some pics but it is essentially just two water filter housing linked together, hops in the first nothing in the second. much less foaming on the serving end.

Offline richardt

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #17 on: February 08, 2012, 01:05:55 pm »
A long and artfully-arranged serving line between the Randall and the tap would likely serve the same purpose (increased restriction forcing CO2 back into solution).

Perhaps with an ice bath or see-through tank and waterproof rope lights or LED's or those flashing ice cubes and some dry ice to keep the line cold.  Just being imaginative--the unwashed masses might think it was really cool although you and I know the real magic is in the hops.

On a more practical note, I have been to a Randall-night at a local pub.  The foaming issues (one water filter housing) were so bad that the bartenders resorted to dumping or spooning out the foam to fill the beer glasses with enough liquid beer.  Big Sigh...
what's the point, then?!

Offline anthony

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #18 on: February 08, 2012, 03:39:20 pm »
A long and artfully-arranged serving line between the Randall and the tap would likely serve the same purpose (increased restriction forcing CO2 back into solution).

Perhaps with an ice bath or see-through tank and waterproof rope lights or LED's or those flashing ice cubes and some dry ice to keep the line cold.  Just being imaginative--the unwashed masses might think it was really cool although you and I know the real magic is in the hops.

On a more practical note, I have been to a Randall-night at a local pub.  The foaming issues (one water filter housing) were so bad that the bartenders resorted to dumping or spooning out the foam to fill the beer glasses with enough liquid beer.  Big Sigh...
what's the point, then?!

I have like 8 ft of high restriction before and after the randall, 3/16" hose and it still foams like crazy.

Offline skyler

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #19 on: February 08, 2012, 05:14:38 pm »
If I were going to Randall an American Brown Ale, I would probably try something really neutral-floral like Mt. Hood, Liberty, Willamette, EKG, or Glacier.

Offline Jimmy K

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #20 on: February 09, 2012, 07:52:08 pm »
Dogfish's original Randall (a water filter housing filled with hops) foamed like crazy. It was years before the made the improved one, but it is complicated.
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Offline richardt

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2012, 08:06:32 pm »
A long and artfully-arranged serving line between the Randall and the tap would likely serve the same purpose (increased restriction forcing CO2 back into solution).

Perhaps with an ice bath or see-through tank and waterproof rope lights or LED's or those flashing ice cubes and some dry ice to keep the line cold.  Just being imaginative--the unwashed masses might think it was really cool although you and I know the real magic is in the hops.

On a more practical note, I have been to a Randall-night at a local pub.  The foaming issues (one water filter housing) were so bad that the bartenders resorted to dumping or spooning out the foam to fill the beer glasses with enough liquid beer.  Big Sigh...
what's the point, then?!

I have like 8 ft of high restriction before and after the randall, 3/16" hose and it still foams like crazy.

Are you keeping the Randall and the post-Randall beer line chilled?  Perhaps you also need a flow control faucet like the ones mentioned earlier in this post to provide further restriction?  Just ideas...

Offline timmyr

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Re: HopRocket Randall Foam & Stopped
« Reply #22 on: February 12, 2012, 07:59:30 pm »
So, me managed to drink enough of the Brown Ale to get it to clear before my party.  Solid night I had 4 of my beers and one cider plus a friend's Belgian and two Schlafly beers on draft for the event.  Total taps-8 including the two picinic taps.

As for the Hop Rocket for dispensing carbonate beer, I never loaded the centennials but I can say that the foaming completely subsided in about 24-36 hours.  It seemed like the hops only needed to get soaked with equalized pressure. I think the 3 oz of Cascades were just too grassy for the Brown Ale.

Going to load it with Centennials soon and run my APA through it.
Cheers,

Timmy

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