HOPBLOCKER Pellet Hop Filter from Blichmann Engineering

Description

The HopBlocker features two stages of filtration, the first a coarse filter that draws liquid from above the level of the hop sediment, and the second a fine filter for the thick liquid at the bottom of the kettle. Simply whirlpool your wort, drain until you get close to the bottom, and then pull up the screen using a hook to engage the fine filter. User needs to supply a hook to pull up the screen and a mash paddle or similar object to hold the Hopblocker down with while doing so. Made for use with the Blichmann Boilermaker kettles, those who have other brands of kettles will have to supply a 90 degree angle dip tube on a compression fitting. There are several ways to plumb it.  Works best on flat bottomed kettles. Measures 5.625″ tall by 3.75″ wide at base.

Traditional screen filters draw from the bottom of the kettle — immediately sucking all pellet hops and fine break material into the screen, where they plug. In Blichmann Engineering’s HopBlocker, preferential flow leaves settled fine break material (hops and trub) undisturbed at the bottom of the kettle while draining the majority of the wort through a coarse filter from the top down. When the wort level is just a couple of inches from the bottom of the kettle, the fine filter element is then exposed by lifting the shield, and the remainder of the wort is filtered.

It’s an intuitive design that allows the fine filter to work only on a small portion of the wort, not all of it. The HopBlocker will filter up to 95% of the break material and hops from your wort without plugging. While it is designed specifically to complement Blichmann Engineering’s BoilerMaker brew kettles, the HopBlockercan be installed in any manufacturer’s kettle or keg. PLEASE NOTE: The HopBlocker is designed for use with pellet hops only. Whole/loose hops will plug the unit. While using whole hops, or a mix of whole and pellet hops, you must bag your whole hops in a large muslin grain bag. This will not affect the utilization rate and will result in significantly less wort loss.