Avoiding hop sludge clogging?

[craftbeergeek]

Hey all. I'm sure this subject has been brought up, but I was just curious.... when using all pellet hops, are there are any techniques or ways to avoid clogging pumps, lines, etc. while whirlpooling and transferring? I prefer to throw them in loose. Thank you!

[ChesterBrew]

You can buy tri-clamp fitting gaskets with a mesh screen. We whirlpool and let the trub settle, and don't find a need for them, but they are an option if you find it to be a problem.

[populuxebrewing]

The screened gaskets will clog pretty quickly. I've found that nothing works better than whirlpooling for the appropriate amount of time. Also, it will help if your kettle has a guard between the trub pile and the pump out. I understand clogging up a HX can be a pain in the ass, but if you're pulling so much crap that your lines are clogging, I'd take a look at your whirlpool/kettle configuration. Things should be settling out better than that.

[craftbeergeek]

Thanks for all of the advice! So it sounds like the whirlpool won't clog at all? I feel like the beginning of the whirlpool could potentially clog with all of the hop material still in suspension. Maybe I'm wrong? Just want clarification on that part of the process. Again, thank you so much for the input!

[troybinso]

You need to wait a little after you turn off the whirlpool pump. The particles will settle down into the middle of the kettle and then you draw the wort off the side of the kettle.