why pellet hops??

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balto charlie

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I have always been a whole leaf hop kinda guy. I just like the way they look. In recent times I have never had anything clog. Last wknd I used 2 oz of Centennial pellets and 1 oz of whole leaf. Well I clogged. Since I remain in PM limbo(keggle issues), I pour my 3 gallons of wort through a large stainer and funnel into the carboys. I have had as much as 4 ozs of whole hops and never an issue. This time the sucker clogged about halfway through pouring the wort.
I don't think I'll use pellets again. I read about keggles clogging all the time so I gotta think whole leaf is the way to go. I am sure you have your reasons for using them but I am all for simplicity and I get that from whole leaf.
 
I use pellets because they travel and preserve better, and also I get better utilization which potentially saves me some dough. I whirlpool in my keggle and never have a problem with lots of hop material.

Leaves would be nice if I had a low cost supply that I was sure of the quality and freshness.
 
It appears that money is the main reason. I can certainly understand trying to save money. I just love looking at the whole hops and not getting things all clogged up.
 
I only use pellets (it's all I can get) and I've never had a problem with clogging. But then my gear has been designed from the start to use pellets. Yours has obviously been designed to work best with leaf hops - it's not unreasonable that you'd have trouble switching to a different form without any modifications.

I had similar problems when I switched from my longtime corona-style mill to my monster mill. My efficiency didn't change at all (high 80's) but the crush from the roller mill was different enough that my existing manifold would get stuck whereas I'd never had even a single stuck sparge with my corona-style. So I adjusted my manifold to work with the different crush and I was back in business.
 
I have always used pellets. Built my gear around them. Never been stuck by them but, now I grow my own and will be making the change permamanent. Fortunately, since my system is designed for pellets I should have any issue with leaf and can switch based on what is available and combine.
 
I only use pellets (it's all I can get) and I've never had a problem with clogging. But then my gear has been designed from the start to use pellets. Yours has obviously been designed to work best with leaf hops - it's not unreasonable that you'd have trouble switching to a different form without any modifications.

I had similar problems when I switched from my longtime corona-style mill to my monster mill. My efficiency didn't change at all (high 80's) but the crush from the roller mill was different enough that my existing manifold would get stuck whereas I'd never had even a single stuck sparge with my corona-style. So I adjusted my manifold to work with the different crush and I was back in business.
I didn't realize this. What do whole hops clog up? I am using a corona mill and plan to change to a different mill. Looks like some modification might be in order. I am currently working on a keggle build(when my welder "fits" me in). Which manifolds work with pellets or whole leaf? I use a ss braid for the mash tun and plan on using a scrubby for the dip tube in the new keggle.
Why can't you get whole hops?? Canada? Do you want me to smuggle you a few:D
 
I have always used pellets. Built my gear around them. Never been stuck by them but, now I grow my own and will be making the change permamanent. Fortunately, since my system is designed for pellets I should have any issue with leaf and can switch based on what is available and combine.

What is the design difference? Since I am almost exclusively whole hops I don't want to get stuff that won't work for my needs. See my previous post for my gravity system. Thanks
 
I have always been a whole leaf hop kinda guy. I just like the way they look. In recent times I have never had anything clog. Last wknd I used 2 oz of Centennial pellets and 1 oz of whole leaf. Well I clogged. Since I remain in PM limbo(keggle issues), I pour my 3 gallons of wort through a large stainer and funnel into the carboys. I have had as much as 4 ozs of whole hops and never an issue. This time the sucker clogged about halfway through pouring the wort.
I don't think I'll use pellets again. I read about keggles clogging all the time so I gotta think whole leaf is the way to go. I am sure you have your reasons for using them but I am all for simplicity and I get that from whole leaf.
I prefer the whole hop to the pellets because they help form a filter bed at the bottom the keg when draining the wort out. They do cost a little more because the utilization is about 15 percent less than pellet but I don't mind the extra cost.
 
I pour my 3 gallons of wort through a large stainer and funnel into the carboys. I have had as much as 4 ozs of whole hops and never an issue. This time the sucker clogged about halfway through pouring the wort.

I either rack straight from the kettle(with a paint strainer) if im using dry yeast. Or if it needs to be aerated, I put a paint strainer in a five gallon bucket and pour into that, remove strainer, then funnel into carboy. Never any problems with pellet hops.
 
I didn't realize this. What do whole hops clog up? I am using a corona mill and plan to change to a different mill. Looks like some modification might be in order. I am currently working on a keggle build(when my welder "fits" me in). Which manifolds work with pellets or whole leaf? I use a ss braid for the mash tun and plan on using a scrubby for the dip tube in the new keggle.
Why can't you get whole hops?? Canada? Do you want me to smuggle you a few:D
I don't use any kind of a strainer coming out of the kettle so I've not had issues with clogging. I use the whirlpool method and syphon from the outside of the kettle.



I suppose I shouldn't say I can't get whole hops, but I do have to order them and pay shipping whereas my LHBS is about a 10 minute walk. I just don't have any real desire to use them since the pellets work really well and they store much better. Being that I'm an apartment dweller with a small freezer I need that space for food, not hops. :D
 
I either rack straight from the kettle(with a paint strainer) if im using dry yeast. Or if it needs to be aerated, I put a paint strainer in a five gallon bucket and pour into that, remove strainer, then funnel into carboy. Never any problems with pellet hops.

Using a carboy, as I do, this method would be rather messy....I think. I use a regular strainer from the kitchen.
 
What is the design difference? Since I am almost exclusively whole hops I don't want to get stuff that won't work for my needs. See my previous post for my gravity system. Thanks

For pellets I use a dual stage approach. Big assed bag (without this the taco plugs) and a fine sieve taco (helps to filter break).

For whole hops I ditch the bag and let the leaves help to filter break.
 
I prefer the whole hop to the pellets because they help form a filter bed at the bottom the keg when draining the wort out. They do cost a little more because the utilization is about 15 percent less than pellet but I don't mind the extra cost.

When you talk about utilization are you talking bittering or everything...flavor, aroma.
 
I don't use any kind of a strainer coming out of the kettle so I've not had issues with clogging. I use the whirlpool method and syphon from the outside of the kettle.



I suppose I shouldn't say I can't get whole hops, but I do have to order them and pay shipping whereas my LHBS is about a 10 minute walk. I just don't have any real desire to use them since the pellets work really well and they store much better. Being that I'm an apartment dweller with a small freezer I need that space for food, not hops. :D

Nice whirlpool. I have heard about it, nice to see the end product. The keggles have a low center area which would fill with hops and crud if whirlpooling was used. I wonder why others extend their pickup tubes towards the center. Seems putting one on the edge (like yours) is the best way to go. Little would be lost due to the hops occupying the low area.
Freezer storage is an issue. That makes sense. You walk to an LBS!!!! You definitely are not a US citizen;) As an everyday bike commuter I try to rally the local troops to walk/bike etc. Some success lately, especially with the gas prices.
 
For pellets I use a dual stage approach. Big assed bag (without this the taco plugs) and a fine sieve taco (helps to filter break).

For whole hops I ditch the bag and let the leaves help to filter break.

Do you use a scubby, ss braid, or anything at the end of your pickup tube or let it go as is?
 
Do you use a scubby, ss braid, or anything at the end of your pickup tube or let it go as is?

Just the taco wrapped around the pickup tube. Never cared for the scrubbies. I found that sometimes the scrubby would lift during the boil and not seat effectively and thuis became useless. That and for very hoppy beers the scrubby become an effective hop pellet saturated sink stopper.
 
When you talk about utilization are you talking bittering or everything...flavor, aroma.
Mainly the bittering addition. The flavor addition is not as critical for utililzation. The aroma does not matter as you are mainly after the aromatics of the hop.
 
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