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Author Topic: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging  (Read 3073 times)

Offline guido

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Normally, I put a false bottom in my 10 gallon Polarware kettle to keep to the whole hops from clogging the ball valve when I make my APA's and IPA's.  This time, however, I need to make a bigger batch.  I have a 20 gallon Polarware kettle, but no false bottom.  I have a 45 degree copper pipe elbow (pointed downward, of course) that's threaded into the inside of the kettle.  Is there a simple, low-tech way to keep the whole hops from clogging the ball valve?  Yeah...I could bag everything, but I like the hops to be more "exposed" to the wort.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline Pinski

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2013, 01:41:01 pm »
I prefer free range whole hops as well yet if I were you, I'd just go with hop socks. I've used them many times with fantastic results. You could also make an el cheapo "hop spider" by putting a dowel over the boil kettle and suspending a large mesh bag from the dowel by the drawstrings, keeping the opening above the surface of the wort.  Either way, I doubt your beer will suffer. Especially if you bump the quantities just a tad.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline guido

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2013, 01:57:12 pm »
I prefer free range whole hops as well yet if I were you, I'd just go with hop socks. I've used them many times with fantastic results. You could also make an el cheapo "hop spider" by putting a dowel over the boil kettle and suspending a large mesh bag from the dowel by the drawstrings, keeping the opening above the surface of the wort.  Either way, I doubt your beer will suffer. Especially if you bump the quantities just a tad.

The hop spider sounds like an excellent idea!
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline tygo

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2013, 04:59:59 pm »
When I use my kettle with the pickup tube and whole hops I put a little section of bazooka screen on the end of the tube and crimp it down.  Worked perfectly for whole hops.  I cut off the last 3 inches of a spare bazooka I had lying around from a previous project to make it.
Clint
Wort Hogs

Offline tonyp

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2013, 01:12:06 am »
Another low tech idea that might work is just taking one of those stainless steel kitchen scrubies and jamming it over the intake.

Something like this:



I haven't tried it myself since I have a horizontal connector with a bazooka screen, but it just might be crazy enough to work.
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline guido

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2013, 03:09:12 am »
These have all been good solutions.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison

Offline guido

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Re: How to keep the ball valve on a boiling kettle from clogging
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2013, 06:04:23 pm »
I prefer free range whole hops as well yet if I were you, I'd just go with hop socks. I've used them many times with fantastic results. You could also make an el cheapo "hop spider" by putting a dowel over the boil kettle and suspending a large mesh bag from the dowel by the drawstrings, keeping the opening above the surface of the wort.  Either way, I doubt your beer will suffer. Especially if you bump the quantities just a tad.

The hop spider looks great.  It'll have its maiden voyage tomorrow.
Well...I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer

     -"Roadhouse Blues,"  Jim Morrison