Pumps and pelllet hops

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

Will loose pellet hops in the boil kettle clog a march/chugger pump when recirculating during chilling?

2

Works fine with mine.  They go right through the pump.

3

Yep, totally fine.

4

Great.  After only 5 years of thinking about it, I may actually incorporate a pump into my system.

5

Every time I use mine I wish I had gotten it sooner.  Main use is for recirculated chilling, but I also use it to xfer wort to the fermenter.

6

on RARE occasion, I’ve had a slug clog it when I first turn it on, but nothing that a quick backflush didn’t solve.

7

How did you do a backflush?

8

A hose

9

I just got a chugger and have used it 3 times.  The first time I put candied ginger in at 10 min and it clogged my pickup tube in my kettle solid so I never could get it going.  The second d time it did clog a little when I threw my whirlpool hops but I lifted the pump higher than the kettle (to backflush) and it worked fine.  Last weeked, I stopped the pump when I put the flame out additional  for about 20 sec to let the pellets break up and no problems at all.  Huge time saver during chilling!  I pumped to the fermenter as well so it saved me a 48 pound lift into my chamber.

10

This is why you whirlpool and settle. You shouldn’t have a problem except on very rare occasions with excessive amounts of hops. My kettle has a diverter plate and I have never had a problem using that.

11

Don’t many whirlpool using their pumps?

12

I know I sound like a broken record, but… hop stopper!  Never had a problem, period.

13

My last two beers were double IPAs with a shitload of pellet hops and my pump performed just fine.

14

I’m thinking about buying a Blichmann Hop Blocker because my BK is a Blichmann G2.  Anyone use one?

I’ve used one of those stainless mesh tubes, and a spider with a nylon bag.  I’m just not sure I am getting the circulation and transfer of hop goodness that I would if I just dropped the hops in the kettle and let them swim free.

I’ve wanted to avoid this because I have a pump and a plate chiller, and on the occasion when my mind was… well Ok, I had been drinking - I dumped the hops straight in the wort and it took forever to flush the particles out of the plate chiller.  The bottom line is I just don’t want an infection.

Thoughts?