Steeping bags for hops?

I am about to do my second batch ever and i am wondering if I should use steeping bags for the hops as I do for the grains. I was told it made the wort cleaner but I am worried the full flavor does not get in.

Noob response- from what i've learned on here your LHBS has nylon hops bags for just such a thing but i've read that not letting the hops run free in the boil isn't the best thing but works fine and keeps your wort clean.

On my second batch I decided to strain the wort as I poured it into the primary useing a 5 gallon paint strainer bag. Worked out great by grabbing most of the trub and also added oxygen to the wort at the same time. My porter came out of secondary to bottle clear as can be.

Before using the paint strainer bag I first boiled it then soaked it in one step sanitizer before pouring the wort through it.

Hope my noob response helps

Here ya go. Go to the second page for pictures. Cheers.


clicky

i've used the little grain/hop bags from the lhbs, and i even used a sock out of the sock drawer once. now i just throw them in the boil. i never noticed enough of a difference in hop utilization between one or the other. it's not a big deal to rack around them, or use a paint strainer or something on the end of your racking cane, or whirlpool, whatever. theres a ton of threads about it on here.

5 gallon paint strainer is the way to go for me. i use it for both. After i steeped i would dump the spent grains (can you call them that ) and then put the hops in there.

My next batch is going to be all grain. i just need a wort chiller