LowTech Pale Ale v5 - "Filter Test"

Sunday past, I brewed up a batch of APA (v4) using a new hop screen attached to the boil kettle's dip tube.  Between the hops and cold break, the filter clogged real fast, pump lost prime, I lost wort and finally resorted to racking each fermenter via auto-siphon.  I deemed the project and perhaps the brewday to be a failure.  However, I am not willing to give up so easily.

After discussions with my local brew club,  I mocked up a new filter design.  A Stainless Steel mesh "pocket" which will be placed in the center of the immersion chiller during the last 15 minutes of the boil (to sanitize).  The pocket is roughly 12" high, perhaps 8" across.  The recirculated/whirlpool wort would be pumped into the pocket which hopefully contains a large amount of trub while allowing the dip tube to continue feeding the pump unobstructed.   Results?  SUCCESS!

LowTech Pale Ale v5

OG 1.048/ IBU ~40/ SRM ~7/ 23L

82% OiO 2-Row 
11% Weyermann Light Munich
07% Muntons Dark Crystal 240 (91L)

4.45 AAU (10g) Chinook @ 60 minutes
2.91 AAU (15g) Willamette @ 20 minutes
17.9 AAU (50g) Northern Brewer @ 10 minutes
3.54 AAU (10g) Northern Brewer @ 1minutes
4.45 AAU (10g) Chinook @ 1 minutes

Primary dry hop TBD

Fermentis Safale S-04

Brewed  May 27th

Mashed in at 152F for 45 minutes before sparging to collect ~29L pre-boil volume.  Boiled for 70 minutes adding hops as scheduled above.  1/2 tab Whirlfoc added at 5 min remaining in boil.  Chilled to ~22c.  Transferred ~23L to a pail.  Pitched one packet of S-04 (dry).  1 tsp Gypsum, 1.5 tsp Calcium Chloride, 1 tsp Epsom Salts added to mash for a pH of 5.49.  Final water numbers: 
Ca 78, Mg 15, Na 18, Cl 79, SO4 145 

Brewday observations:
- Hop pocket worked perfectly
- Pump flow was awesome, never transferred to fermenter so fast!
- Directed the flow through a mesh strainer as well, didn't see any accumulation of break or hops.  Hop pocket did a great job (see photo's above)
- Again efficiency is high than expected, SG = 1.0489 (12.12°P).  4.4kg of malt at noted gravity with ~23L in the fermenter = 87% Brewhouse efficiency.
- Love brewing these smaller batch sizes!  No threat of boilovers + 3.5hr brewday from start to finish (including clean up).

Update May 28th 

Airlock movement in the morning.  Temperature has raised slightly to 67F.  Very active by the evening.

Update May 30th

Airlock movement complete.  Gravity tested 1.0129 (3.29°P) = 73% attenuation.  1oz of Chinook, 1/2 oz of Nothern Brewer and 1/2oz of Amarillo added to the primary.

Update June 8th

Racked beer to keg, pressure set to 12psi