Dry Hopping : Loose or bag?

I transferred by first batch to the secondary fermenter and I just add the pellets loose. I have a bag, but didn't think it would be as effective. Regardless, I pitched it loose.

Should I have gone with the bag and kept the loose material to minimum?

At the end of the two weeks in the second fermenter, I'm planning on putting it in the frig for a few days in hopes that will put the solids on the bottom and help clear the beer.

Toby

You'll be fine. I prefer to use bags only because I can take them out at anytime. BUT, it will settle out and it doesn't hurt anything.

I didn't use a bag, just added my 2 ozs of Cascade hops into the secondary after it was already there for about 10 days. It forms a nice thick green foam at the top for a while and looks like its super moldy! It all settled to the bottom and I just siphoned above it (between more yeast fallout and the hops, I had to rack a good inch above the bottom - MORE than the normal stand off of a siphon! Just fyi

I use a bag when I do it.

For a regular 5 gallon batch pellets should be fine, and they do settle out for the most part, but I have also done small batches like 1 gallon size, which is very hard to rack without getting a bunch of hops in there. So, since that experience I always use a bag no matter what size batch I'm doing, and I've found it easier to manage that way.

Plus 1 one using a bag, less of a hassle for me

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/dry-hopping-w-whole-leaf-141089/#post1602852

Great suggestion here.