My brew system is a Ruby Street Fusion 15, with 15 gallon boil kettle and a plater chiller.
The setup comes with a Hop Spider similar to this one https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072Q1G91R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used 2 Hop Spiders to split up the hops but my utilization was about 75% so I was using even more hops to get proper bitterness.
I was given a Hop Stopper Hop Stopper and this worked great for filtering out the hops and not clogging my plate chiller. The thing that I did not like about the Hop Stopper was that it was hard to clean and the Stopper I was given was probably a little too small for my kettle.
In Zymurgy's Gadgets issue I saw how Jeff Gaastra made a Kettle Hop Screen with two SS Splatter Screens. This looked great but he "sewed" the two screens together with SS wire again making it hard to clean imo. I did a little thinking and modified his design. I'm using SS bolts, washers and wing nuts to hold the two screens together. I then use a 14" diameter SS hose clamp to go around the edge of the screen to make sure that wort only flows through the screen. It is hard to tell from the pictures in Zymurgy but the other thing I did is have the "handle" part of the splatter screen facing down for the bottom screen so the screen sits off the bottom of the kettle. When I tried it the other way it clogged. I think having the screen elevated off the bottom of the kettle allows the wort to actually be drawn in the dip tub from under the bottom screen while the hops settle on top. After brew days, I hose it off, take it apart and stick everything in the dish washer to thoroughly clean it.
Total Cost for my homemade version: $44.83
I already had a dip tub and rubber grommet for the dip tub.
Splash Screens Amazon.com
Hose Clamp https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DXF4MNQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bolts were 8mm-1.25x22mm Stainless Steel
Wing Nuts 8mm-1.25 Stainless Steel
Washers 5/16 Fender Washer Stainless Steel
The setup comes with a Hop Spider similar to this one https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072Q1G91R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used 2 Hop Spiders to split up the hops but my utilization was about 75% so I was using even more hops to get proper bitterness.
I was given a Hop Stopper Hop Stopper and this worked great for filtering out the hops and not clogging my plate chiller. The thing that I did not like about the Hop Stopper was that it was hard to clean and the Stopper I was given was probably a little too small for my kettle.
In Zymurgy's Gadgets issue I saw how Jeff Gaastra made a Kettle Hop Screen with two SS Splatter Screens. This looked great but he "sewed" the two screens together with SS wire again making it hard to clean imo. I did a little thinking and modified his design. I'm using SS bolts, washers and wing nuts to hold the two screens together. I then use a 14" diameter SS hose clamp to go around the edge of the screen to make sure that wort only flows through the screen. It is hard to tell from the pictures in Zymurgy but the other thing I did is have the "handle" part of the splatter screen facing down for the bottom screen so the screen sits off the bottom of the kettle. When I tried it the other way it clogged. I think having the screen elevated off the bottom of the kettle allows the wort to actually be drawn in the dip tub from under the bottom screen while the hops settle on top. After brew days, I hose it off, take it apart and stick everything in the dish washer to thoroughly clean it.
Total Cost for my homemade version: $44.83
I already had a dip tub and rubber grommet for the dip tub.
Splash Screens Amazon.com
Hose Clamp https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DXF4MNQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bolts were 8mm-1.25x22mm Stainless Steel
Wing Nuts 8mm-1.25 Stainless Steel
Washers 5/16 Fender Washer Stainless Steel