Dry hop bags

Hey All,

Taking into account the sanitation requirements, can anyone please provide any reason that I can use part of a new nylon stocking (panty hose) to make a hops bag?

Thanks in advance!

It should be okay to use as long as you give it a soak in starsan first. I use a grain bag for dry hopping with no ill effects.

I use new nylons for dry hopping all the time. Works great, cheap, and disposable. Proceed with confidence.

Note: I wash them in oxy clean before use.

I have used nylons in the past. It my just be me, but I always purchase the white nylons because I don't like the idea of any dyes potentially coming into contact with my beer, but I have zero evidence to suggest anything would happen.

So, yeah, I have used white nylons just boiled in a bit of water. I like them because they hold more hops than a hop bag and the long thin design provides more surface area so you get better extraction.

Personally though, I have moved to 5 gallon nylon paint strainer bags. They are great because the elastic band lets you just pop them over the top and you can put the lid down on them. They also provide tons of space for the hops to break down (basically like if you didn't have a bag at all), and it doesn't absorb water like the regular hops bags. (there are also great for making hop spiders).

I use thin muslin fabric, as I ended up with too much hop dust in the keg when using fine mesh hop bags. I do agitate (rolling) during the dry hop/force carbonation period, which undoubtedly forced more dust out. The muslin weave is tight enough to hold it all back.

BrooklynTom said:

It should be okay to use as long as you give it a soak in starsan first. I use a grain bag for dry hopping with no ill effects.

Click to expand...

Retraction: Do not soak in starsan..... I tried to dry hop with a pair of knee high stockings, boiled in water than added starsan and it burned through them. the next ones I washed well with oxyclean rinsed well with a very diluted mix of water and starsan.

BrooklynTom said:

Retraction: Do not soak in starsan..... I tried to dry hop with a pair of knee high stockings, boiled in water than added starsan and it burned through them. the next ones I washed well with oxyclean rinsed well with a very diluted mix of water and starsan.

Click to expand...

If you can't sanitize with the normal dilution of Starsan I WOULD NOT use that material.

Oxyclean will not sanitize.

I use 1 gallon paint strainer bags. A couple dollars for 2 at HD. Clean and use again for years. One ounce per bag is what I do to keep the hops loose in the bag.

"boiled in water then added starsan and it burned through them." Pouring the starsan into the boiling water, hitting the stocking before it mixed with water caused it to burn (melt). Second time made the mix first and it worked fine. I am drinking from that keg now with no ill effects.

I will have to look into the 1gal paint strainer bags. Thanks.

I used to use pantyhose all the time when I dryhopped in corney kegs with no issues. I sanitized in Starsan and used some unflavored floss to anchor the bag. Now, I just add the hops freely in the carboys and forgo the use of any bags. When it comes to adding coffee to beer though, I still use pantyhose. Havent had an issue with Starsan and pantyhose.