Hops in a Boiling Bag

So I ordered a boiling bag the other day and am gearing up to brew this weekend. The recipe I found calls for three hop additions: One full-boil, one at 10 min, and one at flameout.

First question is a dumb one: I take it that "flameout" means right at the end of the 60 minutes, when I take it off the burner to chill?

Second question: If i'm using a boiling bag for my hops, whats the best way to do the additions? Should I only have my bittering hops in the bag, and just toss the aromatics into the wort? Or should I put the additions in the bag as well? Or does it even matter?


Thanks so much!

If you are using pellets from experience, the pellets get everywhere and keeping them in a bag does not help me at all. Perhaps I am doing something terribly wrong. I just pour them in and when I finish off to oxygenate I pour the wort through a sieve and it gets out most of the trub. Also you can just leave them in and it will drop out in the primary.

Also yes, flame out is when you stop applying heat. I have not at a problem at all.

I'm pretty sure my LHBS carries only fullleaf, frozen hops - maybe out of principle, purism, who knows, so I won't be using pellets most likely. Any idea on whole hops?

The reason your LHBS carries mostly/only whole leaf hops is because you live in the NW, where most of the American hops are grown. My LHBS is about 15 minutes from a large grower and they sell almost exclusively whole leaf. They sell a few pellet varieties, but mostly for dry hopping. As for the bag, I use a large grain bag to put whole leaf in. I've found that they are quite difficult to manage with a screen. I just throw the pellets in the boil and they collect at the bottom in a cone, after whirlpool and chilling.

I usually bag all additions except for flameout hop addition. I just through those right into the wort so they can do there thing during the cooling process.

i am a new brewer and i was just wondering bad a brew bag is used for? is it used so that the hops aren't floating around in your beer or what?

Answer to your second question

Look into making a Hop Spider...directions in the DIY section. One of the cheapest, easiest, most used projects I've made.

spend $2 more and get a second hops bag

I usually use hop bags in the boil and for dry hopping. It just makes things easier for my process. Make sure you leave room in the bag for the hops to expand and if you're dry hopping be sure to sanitize the bag.

My roommate made us some by sewing some cloth. I forget what sort of cloth. We just wash and reuse.

I'm no seasoned vet or anything, but I just toss it all in the boil the way it is. After I cool the wort, I place a sanitized (with Star San) 5 gallon paint strainer bag in my Ale Pail and pour, then remove the strainer bag taking all the hops and most of the trub with them. Lots of people use the bag in the boil but I am paranoid about getting off flavors from it despite reading many posts saying there is no issues.