Well, I figured since I never worry about trying to strain the pellet residue, how much is leaving whole hops going to effect the fermentation? I mean, I always let the wort trail off when I'm pouring it into the fermenter, but I know at least .5 oz of whole pellets are sitting there at the bottom of the fermentation. Does this increase the bitterness/have any effect on the beer compared to straining the hops? I'm hoping not by much, it's a Wit and I'm trying to keep it on the less bitter side.
First time using whole hops, left them in the fermenter...
- Thread starter arover
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Bitterness only comes out in the boiling, it's called isomerization...so leaving them in primary will not affect it...however whole hops can be a pita when racking and bottling...although I don't normally advocate the use of a secondary..with whole hops my experience has been that you need to leave as many behind as possible before you bottle..or else they will gum up your bottling spigot.
So after 14 days I would rack the beer to a secondary for two weeks, being carefull to leave the hops and trub behind. I usually hold or clamp my autosiphon a bit above the layer of hops, and rack the beer over to that level...then carefully lower the siphon to catch the rest of the beer, carefully leaving the hops behind.
wrapping a sanitized bit of hopsack or pantyhose to the bottom of the autosiphon may be a good idea as well.
So after 14 days I would rack the beer to a secondary for two weeks, being carefull to leave the hops and trub behind. I usually hold or clamp my autosiphon a bit above the layer of hops, and rack the beer over to that level...then carefully lower the siphon to catch the rest of the beer, carefully leaving the hops behind.
wrapping a sanitized bit of hopsack or pantyhose to the bottom of the autosiphon may be a good idea as well.
Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
Some people strain, some don't. I do, but that's only because I like filtering at just about every possible spot.
It may add a little extra hop flavor and aroma, but the bittering stopped the minute you quit boiling. I'm assuming you used Saaz or EKG for a Wit, so you should be fine. Those hops are very subtle flavors.
It may add a little extra hop flavor and aroma, but the bittering stopped the minute you quit boiling. I'm assuming you used Saaz or EKG for a Wit, so you should be fine. Those hops are very subtle flavors.
Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
You beat me to the punch Revvy.
Yeah, I was planning on a secondary. I always siphon above the layer of trub (for the most part) and my autosiphon also has a cap, so I should be able to keep most of the hops out.
I remember reading that hops can only increase aroma when not in a boil (ie dry hopping), but I wasn't too sure.
Thanks as always Revvy =)
I remember reading that hops can only increase aroma when not in a boil (ie dry hopping), but I wasn't too sure.
Thanks as always Revvy =)
I usually do, my friend, I usually do.
I type really fast...not accurate, but fast.
I usually do, my friend, I usually do.
I type really fast...not accurate, but fast.
We aren't worried about spelling haha..
Your a mentor to probably half this forum so we will cut you a break on the spelling/grammer.
:rockin:
beerkrump
Well-Known Member
You mean "you're" don't you.
Beer and Grammar Gnome?
I guess this depends upon how much there is, but, are there going to be any issues with the boiled vegetable matter sitting in a fermenter for two weeks?
I would think that some decomposition might occur.
I know I wouldn't want the mess that I strained out of my last IPA in there.
No people dry hop with leaves in secondaries for two weeks all the time...first you are sitting them in alcohol....Secondly their role in beer, besides bittering, is as a preservative....they won't harm the beer while they are in there.
beerkrump
Well-Known Member
Well aware of the hops, dry hopping, and their role in beer. Also, they are going into wort without alcohol.
My concern is with the fact that they are boiled. Would this accelerate the decomposition process, extract vegetative flavors, or are the two weeks too little to worry about?
I use a plate chiller, so having as clean as possible wort going into my fermenter is a must. I suppose, long ago, it was standard practice to dump everything in the fermenter. I just have never done it and was theorizing possible issues.
My concern is with the fact that they are boiled. Would this accelerate the decomposition process, extract vegetative flavors, or are the two weeks too little to worry about?
I use a plate chiller, so having as clean as possible wort going into my fermenter is a must. I suppose, long ago, it was standard practice to dump everything in the fermenter. I just have never done it and was theorizing possible issues.
I can't say this enough...you are fine....You are worrying about something that most brewers do all the time...at least once in every brewer's life he can't get pellets ad uses whole....many use whole exclusively (lucky bastiges), and you don't need to do anything different with them....
and it's still common practice to dump everything in the fermenters...you will find that 50% of the brewers on here dump everything in, including me sometimes.
And a great many of them (myself included) leave our beers in primary for 1 month.
I have left whole hops in my primary for a month...besides all the OTHER FACTORS which you discounted as having no effect, they go in sterile from the boil, they sit in sterile wort in sanitized liguid which contains no oxygen since it's boiled. and not to soon after the yeast starts working, any oxygen in there from shaking or using an airstone, is removed, so very rapidly it becomes an anaerobic environment once again...So no, the leaves will NOT break down....no, they won't contribute any more off flavors than pellets, which are really nothing more than leaves smushed into a mold....if you've every rehydrated them in water, you will find that many particles rehydrate into leaves anyway....
Just relx....everything is going to be fine....
and it's still common practice to dump everything in the fermenters...you will find that 50% of the brewers on here dump everything in, including me sometimes.
And a great many of them (myself included) leave our beers in primary for 1 month.
I have left whole hops in my primary for a month...besides all the OTHER FACTORS which you discounted as having no effect, they go in sterile from the boil, they sit in sterile wort in sanitized liguid which contains no oxygen since it's boiled. and not to soon after the yeast starts working, any oxygen in there from shaking or using an airstone, is removed, so very rapidly it becomes an anaerobic environment once again...So no, the leaves will NOT break down....no, they won't contribute any more off flavors than pellets, which are really nothing more than leaves smushed into a mold....if you've every rehydrated them in water, you will find that many particles rehydrate into leaves anyway....
Just relx....everything is going to be fine....
beerkrump
Well-Known Member
Cool. Never done it and just wonder if it was an issue. Thanks.
Schnitzengiggle
Well-Known Member
Same here I try to get the best cold break I can and leave what I can behind in the kettle, but when I don't, I just dump it all in!
As for the length of the primary I usually primary for at least three weeks, more commonly four.
I will be dry hopping for the first time in about a week or so. I am confident I will have nooo problems!:rockin:
As for the length of the primary I usually primary for at least three weeks, more commonly four.
I will be dry hopping for the first time in about a week or so. I am confident I will have nooo problems!:rockin:
Tripod
Well-Known Member
+1. Almost identical for me. I worried like a mad man on the very first brew and almost immediately took a relaxed attitude with the 2nd brew and everyone after that. Never a problem yet.
The worst I've had happen is brew out of intended style. My oatmeal stout was made with leftovers and I had too much of some things and not quite enough of others. Came out more like a Russian Imperial stout instead. Not what I was going for but mighty tastey just the same!
-Tripod
