Bittering Hop Removal

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AnOldUR

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Normally I just toss hops loose into the boil, but on really hoppy beers there can be more debris than whirlpooling can handle. To eliminate some of it I experimented with a 5" diameter spice ball for bittering hops. The only real problem is that it gets in the way while trying to stir during chilling.

Any opinions on pulling the ball out before chilling? I’d think that the bittering hops are pretty well spent by that time and not contributing to flavor or aroma. My theory would be that the later addition hops remaining until transfer to the fermenter would be providing all the flavor and aroma and that once the boil has stopped there's no more bitterness be extracted.

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That would be my theory, too. Once the boil stops, I would imagine that the early hops are done.

Recently, I've been using a paint straining bag in the middle of the kettle, as others have done. In my system, pellet hops are ok but I swear ONE leaf hop will clog it up! I still prefer to just toss 'em in, but the paint straining thing works ok for me. Of course, I put late hops in there, too, so it stays in for the chilling (CFC with recirculation).
 
I was brewing with a buddy a few weeks back helping him, and he had inadvertently dumped several ounces of galena in at 60. He used a hopsack. I did a flying calculation on my new droid phone on Beercalculus and did a rough guestiment and we pulled it out after 30 minutes. Had he left it in for 60 it would have been an off the scale hop bomb, pulling them out, the beer ended up being one of the best beers he ever made.

The bittering hops have done their job by the time you are about to apply your chiller, I don't think, at that point they'd have an discernable difference whether you were to leave them in the rest of your chill cycle, or pull them out, so I think you can get away with pulling out early. :)
 
. . . so I think you can get away with pulling out early.
Well, took your advice and pulled out early. Some guys just pitch the whole load when they're done, but I felt safer doing it this way. It's amazing how much those big balls can hold.




:off:
Funny thing is, my wife didn't even notice.
 
Well, took your advice and pulled out early. Some guys just pitch the whole load when they're done, but I felt safer doing it this way. It's amazing how much those big balls can hold.

Yeah, it's always best to pull out when in doubt. That's a good motto.

Same with oak- it's always best to pull out when in doubt.
 
... In my system, pellet hops are ok but I swear ONE leaf hop will clog it up! I still prefer to just toss 'em in, but the paint straining thing works ok for me. Of course, I put late hops in there, too, so it stays in for the chilling (CFC with recirculation).

That's funny, my system is the opposite. I can put an infinity (well, ok a pound) of leaf with no problems, but 1 oz of pellet clogs it. I hoped that 90% leaf would establish a 'filter bid' similar to sparging, but it doesn't seem to work that way.
 
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