Hops bag alternative?

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BadgerBrigade

BadgerBrigade

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I have a quick question about hops bags.
I make it cider and not beer but I want to add some wood chips to my 5 gallon carboy and I think I hops bag would do it... But most of the hops bags I've seen are pretty big and I think they are designed to go into a kettle. I just saw hops bag that was then called a muslin hops bag? Now I can go down to my local homebrew supply and buy one (I think?) but my question is, is there an alternative? I'm wondering if anybody has used anything like a piece of pantyhose or something that would be easier to get down the neck of a glass carboy?
 
Go to a grocery store and get cheese cloth. That way you can cut it to the size you want.
 
I use 1 gallon paint strainer bags you can get at most home centers, hardware or paint stores. They are cheap and reusable
 
Most winemakers/cidermakers don't use anything to hold the chips- they just go right in. You want "full contact" with the cider. Then, when it's oaked enough, rack off of the oak chips. It's easy!
 
I would imagine it would be equally difficult to get the bag out, too. I have always assumed it was easiest to sanitize them and pitch right in. Just my 2 cents!
 
neilph7 said:
I would imagine it would be equally difficult to get the bag out, too. I have always assumed it was easiest to sanitize them and pitch right in. Just my 2 cents!
Click to expand...

Generally, you don't sanitize the wood chips as then you'd be taking out some of the "oakiness" out of them. You can heat them in the oven, though, if you're really paranoid about infection or soak in a little bourbon first.
 
Yooper said:
Generally, you don't sanitize the wood chips as then you'd be taking out some of the "oakiness" out of them. You can heat them in the oven, though, if you're really paranoid about infection or soak in a little bourbon first


I have never boiled them, but always soaked in spiced rum or whiskey. I primarily brew beer, and have used oak only a handful of times in doing so. Thanks for the tip!
Click to expand...
 
duboman said:
I use 1 gallon paint strainer bags you can get at most home centers, hardware or paint stores. They are cheap and reusable
Click to expand...

1 gallon? How about fitting in the neck of the carboy?
 
Yooper said:
Most winemakers/cidermakers don't use anything to hold the chips- they just go right in. You want "full contact" with the cider. Then, when it's oaked enough, rack off of the oak chips. It's easy!
Click to expand...

Perfect!
 
BadgerBrigade said:
1 gallon? How about fitting in the neck of the carboy?
Click to expand...

Sorry, misread the OP, as Yopper said there is no need to use bags for oak chips at all:)
 
duboman said:
Sorry, misread the OP, as Yopper said there is no need to use bags for oak chips at all:)
Click to expand...

My cedar chips have sat in an envelope for a while and I don't know how sterile it is? Don't I need to put it in the boiling water first?
I'm kind of nervous about dumping a bunch of wood in there....
 
Yooper said:
Generally, you don't sanitize the wood chips as then you'd be taking out some of the "oakiness" out of them. You can heat them in the oven, though, if you're really paranoid about infection or soak in a little bourbon first.
Click to expand...

If I soak them in bourbon will they give off any bourbon flavor in my cider? I would do this before I would do anything else if it doesn't affect the flavor and makes the wood clean...
 
Yooper said:
Yes, the bourbon would leave a flavor behind.
Click to expand...

What about boiling a cup of water with the woodchips and then pouring the whole thing in after it has seept for about 10 minutes?
 
I know the question is not directed toward me, but that is why I use spiced rum. Cider and rum are a pretty good pair, and I only soak in a little bit (enough to cover and a little more for about a week). Because the rum leeches a lot of the flavor, i add both the liquid and the chips.
I do think that bourbon adds a real nice flavor too.

One question I would raise is how significant is the flavor contribution to the entire product? I use a small amount to sanitize/soak, so it can't be that much, right?
 
neilph7 said:
One question I would raise is how significant is the flavor contribution to the entire product? I use a small amount to sanitize/soak, so it can't be that much, right?
Click to expand...

Right! The thing is, if you do soak it in something like sanitizer, you'll pour off the liquid. Well, much of the "oakiness" comes out in the liquid so your sanitizing is full of oak flavor that you'd pour out, so I would never do that. Use vodka, bourbon, rum, boiling water, etc I guess, but not sanitizer!
 
Yooper said:
Right! The thing is, if you do soak it in something like sanitizer, you'll pour off the liquid. Well, much of the "oakiness" comes out in the liquid so your sanitizing is full of oak flavor that you'd pour out, so I would never do that. Use vodka, bourbon, rum, boiling water, etc I guess, but not sanitizer!
Click to expand...

I think I'm going to just boil a little bit of water with the wood and add that tea and wood.... I don't want to add any other flavors right now except what I'm trying to accomplish...

Thank you everybody for your help
:mug:
 

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