Hop Bag Benefits?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Sudz

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
367
Reaction score
32
Location
OKC America
I've been trying to decide if hop bags actually accomplish much when used with pellet hops.

It seems to me the only material they hold back is the heavy stuff which would probably settle out quickly anyway.

What are your experiences and observations?
 
It makes the filtration process easier in my procedure, primarily because filtration for me entails using a fine mesh strainer in a funnel. First time I brewed, it took forever to get the wort in the fermentation chamber due to all of the lousy hop particles clogging up the fine mesh strainer. The hop bag, from my observation, seems to strain out hop particles, particularly if I am using hop pellets. With whole hops, it appears to work fantastically. However, I have always used a hop bag, so I cannot comment as to the observed situation in that case.
 
I started using one for pellets a year ago, found better flow, chiller never clogs, less wort left behind in the pot, cleaner siphoning to the secondary, and most importantly much faster easier clean up.. other than that no reason. I don't use it for leaf hops.
 
I will be trying it out this weekend or next, but my brew buddy told me that when he switched he got less junk on the bottom of his kettle and was able to get MORE beer out of that when using the bag.

I have used, and will continue to use, a bag when doing extract batches over the winter. That makes clean up easier since I will be brewing in my kitchen.
 
I use them all the time. You may be right that they only hold back the big stuff, but it seems like less stuff in the primary. Or it might be it just makes me feel better.
 
I use em for the already mentioned reasons and plus the bag allows you to squeeze all that sweet hopped elixer out of the bag into the pot as it's draining.

How the heck do you go about squeezing a boiling hot bag?


I find that the bags actually help hold the hot break back as well. They kind of create a filter bed at the bottom of the kettle.
 
If you do use one, make sure you use a bag that is plenty big enough. Using a small bag is a total disaster. Don't ask me how I know this. :eek:

-a.
 
I do not use a plate or CFC, therefore I let my pellet hops swim free. I have never had hop particles in my finished product. IMHO containing them within a bag during the boil is pointless for me and my methods.

Sincerely,

Lazy Brewer
 
If you use a hop bag large enough to allow the hop pellets to float freely, there may be a slight difference in utilization. If you use a hop bag that ends up totally filled with the expanded hops, then there will be a very big difference.

-a.
 
Back
Top