Lawrence Brewers Guild

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how'd the hop rocket work out?

cyburai wrote:how'd the hop rocket work out?

I like it ok. It can act as a hopback, grant, and randall so thats cool. I'm not a huge dry hop fan because Ive found it hit and miss with the grassy phenolic's. The Hop Rocket doesn't do that but more hops are needed and something else to clean. The aromatic's stay around as long as a dry hop beer does with a possible exception of leaving a hop sak in the serving keg, which goes back to my dry hop issue.

When I do 15g batch IpA's the last 5g is very subdued compared to fresh. This is a ongoing issue with any IpA tho. So what I'm going to start doing is not carb the last 5g. When I get to that last keg, I'm going to transfer to another keg through the Hop Rocket. I should gain some of that hop snap by doing so. I could even do it with the middle 5g too.

Very cool Andy! Shane just got one this week as well. I am anxious to hear his experiences too. Keep us posted on the finished beer's flavor profile in comparison to other techniques. Were you able to put a full four oz of hops in the Rocket? Did you run the pump at full speed or throttle it back a bit? How much time for set up and then clean up?

Jensen wrote:Very cool Andy! Shane just got one this week as well. I am anxious to hear his experiences too. Keep us posted on the finished beer's flavor profile in comparison to other techniques. Were you able to put a full four oz of hops in the Rocket? Did you run the pump at full speed or throttle it back a bit? How much time for set up and then clean up?

I got mine back in Jan. and have used it a few times. Its a quality built item. In my pic, I'm pumping wide open. But remember my pump has more head and gpm than a 809. I chilled, and hop backed 12g in less than 20 min. I did however had to turn off the PWC recirc. pump off because I was chilling into the high 50's, wide open thru all of that stuff even. Got some stratification in the PWC and got my 65* I was looking for for my IpA.

I have noticed that Citra in the Hop Rocket gives a better nose than other aromatic American hops do. And yes, I can stuff 4oz. of whole leaf in there. Its a nice rig.

As far as setup, Ive got mine rigged with my QD's so its ready in minutes. You do need a stand to hold the HR while stuffing it which takes less than 5 minutes. Cleanup sucks when using it in conjunction with inline chilling because the SOB gets hotter than hell. Will I continue to use it. You bet.

Hop Rocket!!