I hooked up my HopRocket in-line on my draft system last night. At first it foamed like crazy then just stopped pouring.
I am going to disassemble and see why its blocked but I wondered if anyone had any tips for foam-free pouring when running draft beer thru 3 oz of hops.
I would think you would have to presurize the randall to the same presure as the keg. don’t know if that is possible though.
I don’t think it is is possible to pour foam free through a randall. Pressurizing it might help. Maybe.
The 1st few pints are foamier as it’s purging the air (and co2 if you purged the rocket prior to filling). The hoprocket should be in the fridge the same temp as the beer to minimize foaming. It can hold up to 40 psi.
http://www.dogfish.com/files/Randall_users_guide.pdf
No need to re-invent the wheel. Look at page 2 for the parts list.
Looks like it’d be easier to just ask DFH to build you one at cost (but, according to their website, they’re not building any right now).
The key is the faucet which supplies the necessary “resistance” to allow the carbon dioxide gas (and hop aromas/foam) to reenter the beer prior to pouring
Interesting…as of now its working 5X5. Jury is still out if I like Cascade-infused American Brown Ale…despite my love for hops, this may be a bit too much. More to follow. Perlick also makes an adjustable flow faucet.
http://morebeer.com/view_product/20581/beerwinecoffee/Perlick_Faucet_-_Flow_Control
+1
Chilling the hop rocket is required in an effort to minimize foaming.
Check out this video by John Blichmann. Start at 6 min in to see the demo as a randall.
I’ve watched the video. I think you just need to let the hops get soaked and cold.
What’s the best hop to “Randall” an American Brown Ale with?
I would use Centennial for an American Brown.
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.
I think you are right. I am using Cascade and do not like it as much as I expected.
Centennial is also known as “Super Cascade,” so I wonder if you’d really like it if you’re not wild about cascade…
Amarillo makes a mean American Brown!
I actually own a hop rocket and used it with 2 oz amarillo during my whirlpool it was fantastic.
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.
Have you seen the discussion on the ‘hop squasher’? just put some hops in a french press and add beer. filter and drink. still foaming issues but a lot less waste I would think. Havn’t tried it myself but it seems like a good idea!
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.
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.
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.
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.