Stainless Hop Basket Question

I bought a 6" diameter x 16" tall stainless hop basket. Would there be anything wrong with just letting this sit on the bottom of my boil kettle?

Thanks,

Mike

I don’t think there would be any problem with the basket resting on the bottom of the boil kettle. The movement of the wort during the boil will keep the hops inside the basket moving also.

It will be fine. You utilize a pump? Put the discharge hose into the basket and let it pump as you boil! Sneezles61

I think the only problem you’ll have is from keeping the basket from tipping over. I have one that attaches to the kettle.

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Can you post a picture of this basket? Is it one of those 300 micron mesh ones? I’m looking to design my own for leaf hops as they still have a way of clogging up my bazooka screen on my BK making wort circulation and draining the BK a problem. Since I mostly use leaf hops now, I’m going with #10 stainless steel screen in the hopes that there is no utilization loss while still containing the hops. Obviously, it will not work on pellet hops. Since I have an electric system, I plan to have it suspended a few inches over the heating element to really percolate the boiling wort through those hops. It’s an experiment. We’ll see what happens. The basket will be suspended from the top of the BK with 2 stainless steel rods. I’d love to see what you have for design ideas.

I would suggest using 3 rods to prevent it being able to rock back and forth.

I suggest you look at ebay. Search “stainless 304 hop basket”. I bought the basket/dry hop combo. I doubt you could get materials for less.

Thanks for all the comments. I understand the tipping issue. I’m considering putting my chiller in early and placing the hop basket inside of it to prevent tipping.

I have a 15gallon BM and the height is 19". The basket is 16" which may work fine hooked to the pot rim but I also at times do 5 gallon batches in this pot and wanted the basket as low as possible.

Mike

Good point.

I have looked at these. I have read that they are cheap Chinese made pieces of junk. Second problem is the 300 micron screen which you probably need for pellet hops, but the screen creates a reduction in hop utilization, or so I’ve also read. What I’m designing would hopefully allow for full utilization of the leaf hops as #10 SS screen is a much bigger hole pattern. The cost will be about $35.00. It’s an experiment. I’ll report back when I get it done and have tested it in a couple batches.

I’m using my basket for pellet hops. For the price I’m sure these came from China but disagree they are junk. They seem to be welded and assembled well.

Mike

I see a stamp on my basket arborfab.com…. In Michigan?… I bought from utah bio diesel.com… Go look… You could make yer own…. Spot welder equipment, cylinder roller, for both screen and stainless steel metal banding, and now the raw goods to fab… Might wanna change yer mind… Sneezles61

Utah ships from arbor fab in michigan.

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