Minimizing leaf hop wort/carboy losses

RichBenn · 11-13-2009, 07:49 PM

I recently bought a bunch of 2009 leaf hops. So nice to have full strength, flavorfull hops. But because I'm a bit of a hop head, I use, well, a bit!

The problem I'm having with leaf hops is how much wort I lose in the boil kettle (I whirlpool and leave the break and hops) and the leftover after siphoning out of the fermentor(hops loose). The whole hops absorb more than I'd like to throw away.

Does anyone have a method they'd like to share that decreases the losses?

Rich

kanzimonson · 11-13-2009, 08:25 PM

I know some people are opposed to this, but I slightly decrease by pre-boil volume, which slightly lowers my final volume, allowing me to sparge the leaf hops to top off to the correct volume.

kanzimonson · 11-13-2009, 08:26 PM

Oh, and I filter/sparge the trub through one of those mesh strainer bags.

RichBenn · 11-13-2009, 08:40 PM

Great ideas!

**uwjester** · 11-13-2009, 09:14 PM

You can presoak the hops before you add them. That way you know that the wort volume will remain the same. It may dilute a little, but you could always bump up the grain bill to compensate.