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**EdMerican** · 04-17-2012, 04:17 PM

FWIW, while watching a video about Jim Koch and Sam Caglione teaming up for a special brew for a SAVOR event, they threw several muslin sacks of whole leaf hops into the kettle. Seems some of the bigger boys do it too. They didn't seem to be stuffed tight, but appeared to be less free flowing than an ounce or two in a gallon bag. I can sure see a plate chiller being a problem with 6 or 8 oz of pellets being a problem...

TacoGuthrie · 04-17-2012, 04:29 PM

I've been using a plate chiller recently, which is an upgrade from an immersion chiller. The immersion chiller would take aobut 20 mins so my flame out hops could steep. Now, with the plate chiller i can run the wort through the chiller immediately.

My question is, how long should i let my flame out hops steep before running the wort through the plate chiller and into my fermenter?

bobbrews · 04-17-2012, 05:59 PM

I add pellet hops to my hoppy beers during mid-flameout, when the wort is not quite 212 F, but more like 170-180 F. I keep them in the wort until it chills to 65 F and I always have awesome aroma. I find that more of the flameout hop aromas are upheld this way as opposed to tossing them in at 1 minute left or actual flameout. I use a slow working ice bath to chill 4 gallon batches in about 40-50 minutes and have no problems with clarity, flavor, or aroma.

keesh · 04-18-2012, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chriso

I adamantly disagree. Defend yourself. Give me one reference.

I have NEVER heard this advice before - pellet hops work JUST FINE in a bag, and using them in a bag is a GOOD technique for hopping. Throwing them in loose is also a good technique. So is throwing them into a suspended hop-strainer-pvc-apparatus like the one I own and like the one the OP is planning to build. About the only bad technique with hops is leaving them in an open, unsealed bag, in a hot windowsill in July, in the sun.

....

But even that's a good technique if you're trying to debitter them for a lambic.

Wouldn't that make them skunky as well as de-bittered? Aren't you supposed to age them in a paper bag somewhere dark?

**Chriso** · 04-18-2012, 12:42 PM

Haha, a bit off topic, but fair retort. :P
I haven't tried to age any hops for lambic brewing, myself. It turns out that I have hops aging faster than I want them to already.

And as to the other topic in my reply - the hop bag - Would like to report in that my pvc-plastic-collar Home Depot hop strainer is still kicking strong. I haven't even changed the original paint strainer bag yet. Last month, I brewed an IPA with 6oz pellet hops, all of it was thrown inside of the strainer bag.

Backporchbrewery · 04-18-2012, 01:03 PM

Maybe I'm the only one that uses the 5 gal paint strainer bag for my hops? I just use a metal spring clamp to hold it to the side of the kettle. It pretty much rids any loss of utilization and makes adding your hop additions super easy.

bobbrews · 04-18-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backporchbrewery

Maybe I'm the only one that uses the 5 gal paint strainer bag for my hops?

I do this as well. But not for the dryhop. I just toss the pellets in, which eventually sink to the bottom. Tthe carboy is easier to clean this way because you don't have to worry about squeezing the nylon bag bulging with hops out of the small opening.

One thing you have to watch out for when using nylon bags for hops during the boil, is slight scorching on the tip of the bag from some flames reaching up the sides of the kettle. This is easier to avoid if you tie the bag to the kettle handle away from the flames (use a clip, or a thick rubber band). DO NOT wrap the entire kettle opening with the nylon bag. You will get scorching that way for sure.

**remthewanderer** · 04-18-2012, 03:32 PM

I'm using a Penrose Kettle for my boil pot. I also use a hop spider with the 5 gallon paint strainer bag. The bag is long but not long enough to reach the bottom of the 15 gallon Penrose kettle.

It might seem wasteful but I throw out my strainer bag after every batch. A 2 pack of 5 gallon bags is less than 3 dollars at home depot. That is worth it for me, not to have to clean muck hop pellets from a bag.

Calder · 04-19-2012, 02:16 AM

Back to the original question. If you can hold the wort around 200 F for a while after boiling, you will get more aroma from the hops. The hops need to be added right at the end of the boil, or preferably a couple of minutes after the boil. If they are added a couple of minutes before the end, a lot of the oils will have been boiled off. The longer you leave them in the more you get out of them. It's a case of diminishing returns with time. I leave them in with the lid on for 15 minutes before turning on the water into the chiller. I think you need to keep the temperature above 180 to get much effect from it.

And, no, you don't get an increase in bittering from this method.

bobbrews · 04-19-2012, 02:41 AM

You're over thinking this. Add them whenever you want. Most people add them as soon as the flame goes out. I make 4 gallon batches and add my "flameout" hops after 15 minutes of cooling in an ice bath. I get better results with this method vs. adding them directly after the boil.