Trying to track down some off flavors. I was wondering if anyone has had flavor issues using a 5 gallon nylon paint strainer for hops during the boiling process? They certainly work well to keep hops out of the trub, but I am not sure I am not extracting anything bad from the nylon after an hour.
Off flavors using nylon paint strainer in boil?
- Thread starter nasmeyer
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I've often wondered if those nylon bags could be concidered food grade. I use muslin hop & grain sacks myself. Easy to clean.
BradleyBrew
Well-Known Member
I've used them with no off flavors. I also use them when i BIAB.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
I use them, too. I've never had a problem. Though, I will say make sure to rinse out any cleaners (oxiclean, etc..) very, very well, or you just might get detergent flavors in your beer..
I use them, but I just throw my hops in the boil without the nylon bags. I use the bags to line my bottling bucket with and pour the wort into the bottling bucket through the nylon bag. I never have issues this way.
Calder said:
No, he's saying that after the boil, he both aerates and strains the wort by pouring through the nylon straining bag.
bmeyer46 said:
I use one on my hop spider, too.
Stauffbier
Well-Known Member
This is actually a good idea! I think I might employ this technique!
I realize this thread is 6 years old, but it come up in google when searching for this issue.
I have for years struggled with bad off flavors as described in the OP. I have recently begun to focus on this issue, and recording when I use a paint strainer bag and not. I believe I do get a bad flavor from them. (I often use one in the boil).
The off flavors seem more common and stringer now. One theory I have is that I used to reuse the bag quite a few times. In the past year or so I've gotten lazy and tend to throw it out after one use, so the bag is always new. I believe the off flavor diminishes after a couple boils.
I strongly recommend NOT using the bag and taking note to see if your off flavor goes away. What I do now is just throw the hops right in the kettle, and post boil and chill, I tilt the kettle back (raise the front up an inch) and give it a half hour for the hops and break to settle in the back. The I tilt it forward again and rack to the FV, leaving behind as much wort as I need to keep the sludge out. If you have to, brew 1/2 gallon more than you want and leave it behind. It's worth it, and not very expensive (the cost of a paint strainer?).
I have for years struggled with bad off flavors as described in the OP. I have recently begun to focus on this issue, and recording when I use a paint strainer bag and not. I believe I do get a bad flavor from them. (I often use one in the boil).
The off flavors seem more common and stringer now. One theory I have is that I used to reuse the bag quite a few times. In the past year or so I've gotten lazy and tend to throw it out after one use, so the bag is always new. I believe the off flavor diminishes after a couple boils.
I strongly recommend NOT using the bag and taking note to see if your off flavor goes away. What I do now is just throw the hops right in the kettle, and post boil and chill, I tilt the kettle back (raise the front up an inch) and give it a half hour for the hops and break to settle in the back. The I tilt it forward again and rack to the FV, leaving behind as much wort as I need to keep the sludge out. If you have to, brew 1/2 gallon more than you want and leave it behind. It's worth it, and not very expensive (the cost of a paint strainer?).
I use them all the time. When I start a new one, I make sure to rinse it well (no soap) in hot water until I can't smell it. Then I rinse it some more. They always smell funny straight out of the bag so I rinse to get rid of that smell. If they get too close to the heat source they may melt a bit, maybe not noticeable visually, and that could contribute to off flavors. I would look more to processes than the bag for off flavors.
Where do you get yours? I use the Home Depot ones. It's possible different brands behave differently.
I encourage you to do an experiment and make the same beer with, and without a strainer bag. See if you get a difference.
Home depot as well. I use the 5 gallon ones in the boil and the 1 gallons for dry hopping. The 5 gallons are great for the boil because all I have to do is clamp the bag to the side of the kettle, when it's time for another addition just pop open the clamp, dump the hops, swirl it around, and clamp it back on.
+1 on nylon paint strainer bags for hops; both in the boil and for dry hop. No observed problems to date...
(might as well jump on the awakened thread.. lol)
(might as well jump on the awakened thread.. lol)
