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**OppamaBrendan** · 01-19-2013, 03:43 AM

Oh, I wanted to mention; my brother got me a premium membership so I can now go back and edit the original posts I made. I will try to find time to update some of the information in there so new readers don't have to skim through all 25 (and growing) pages for a quick-start guide to home brewing in Japan. If anyone has spare time and would like to help, just send me a PM. I am basically just going to re-read all the posts and take any information about sources of materials/equipment and consolidate it into as few posts as possible at the beginning of the thread. Let me know if there is Japan related info from other threads that you would like included and I will fit it in there.

Can't promise this will be immediate, just got married and going through the spouse visa stuff and working so you-know, priorities hehe.
Cheers!

**WhoZiT** · 01-19-2013, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OppamaBrendan

Can't promise this will be immediate, just got married and going through the spouse visa stuff and working so you-know, priorities hehe.
Cheers!

Official now, eh? Omedetou!

tektonjp · 01-20-2013, 02:02 AM

I'm having trouble getting in touch with Onishi Shoji, the malt dealer in Tokyo. I spoke with one of their guys a few weeks back about grain availability, but when I called on Friday, phone disconnected. Any one know anything?

**WhoZiT** · 01-20-2013, 03:11 AM

Looked at ocha packs today. Some have polypropylene. The sink drain packs that I've used in the past were polyester.

I'd assume the ocha packs were food grade. Polyester is also listed as a material used in those delicate linens bags.

Any thoughts?

**WhoZiT** · 01-20-2013, 06:54 AM

I used some of the ocha packs today for hop additions. Even with only half an ounce in each one, they were packed, which is a bit of a PITA filling them. Maybe some bigger ones will work well.

Good thing is they float!

**WhoZiT** · 01-20-2013, 09:35 AM

Those ocha bags-- big hit in hop utilization, I think. This is from a taste of the finished wort. Free swimming hops are better, I'll compare with my previous bags next time.

tektonjp · 01-20-2013, 09:57 AM

I used the tea bags once. Same conclusion. I ended up making a simple hop spider (without legs!) with parts from the 100 yen store. Small laundry bag and a 150 mm cake form. Use small paper clamps/clips to hold the bag on the hoop, and one large clamp to hold it to the kettle. Works great and will hold a good amount of hops.

**Ogri** · 01-20-2013, 12:47 PM

Last few months I've stopped using bags of any type for my hop additions and I reckon, from the flavour, I'm getting much better hop utilization. Only using pellets though, so not sure how it'd be with dry leaf or whole hop. Wort looks dark, cloudy and a funny colour going into the fermenter but always ends up nice and clear by the end of primary.

The laundry bags that tektonjp mentioned seem like a good idea though as you could have a bag with plenty space in there and get maximum surface area contact.

**WhoZiT** · 01-20-2013, 01:18 PM

I've been tossing them in freely, too. I just thought I'd give 'em a go today. I like your idea, tekton. I think I'd like to do it with something disposable, though. I hate washing out the grain and hop bags.

surume · 01-22-2013, 03:04 AM

Ocha Bags are really fine, and the pellets (once they break up inside the wort) quickly clog up the gaps between the fibres and takes its toll on hop utilization. I tried the bags once but decided during the boil that they are no good and have been throwing the pellets into the wort directly ever since.