My first experience with a very hoppy beer

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carnevoodoo

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All I really have to say is what a damn mess! 9 ounces of hops over the 70 minutes boiling and trying to get all the wort out of the pot was interesting to say the least. I will be getting a screen of some sort for my valve before I try that again. It did smell pretty damn good though!
 
carnevoodoo said:
All I really have to say is what a damn mess! 9 ounces of hops over the 70 minutes boiling and trying to get all the wort out of the pot was interesting to say the least. I will be getting a screen of some sort for my valve before I try that again. It did smell pretty damn good though!
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Do you have some kind of Mash/lauter tun with a false bottom? I use one of those for a "hop back" of sorts. Sanitize it, then right at flameout, I pour the hot wort into it, and chill it right in the MLT. Then I just position the MLT's spigot over my funnel/strainer, which is sitting in the carboy neck, and I have a pretty simple ghetto hop-back.
 
Evan! said:
Do you have some kind of Mash/lauter tun with a false bottom? I use one of those for a "hop back" of sorts. Sanitize it, then right at flameout, I pour the hot wort into it, and chill it right in the MLT. Then I just position the MLT's spigot over my funnel/strainer, which is sitting in the carboy neck, and I have a pretty simple ghetto hop-back.
Click to expand...

That's not such a bad idea. I'm getting my MLT built this week. I just need to build the CPVC manifold and it'll be done, but I'm thinking for the sake of convenience I might just get me a bazooka screen for my kettle and see how that goes. If it doesn't work well though, that's a pretty damn decent idea.
 
Evan! said:
Do you have some kind of Mash/lauter tun with a false bottom? I use one of those for a "hop back" of sorts. Sanitize it, then right at flameout, I pour the hot wort into it, and chill it right in the MLT. Then I just position the MLT's spigot over my funnel/strainer, which is sitting in the carboy neck, and I have a pretty simple ghetto hop-back.
Click to expand...

Evan! I don't mean to jump in with an off topic question, nor do I mean to question your methods....But I kinda think I remember reading in a post somewhere here about sloshing your hot wort around was a bad thing. Something about oxidizing your wort.

I may not know what I'm talking about, and If this is a retarded question I apologize. I'm not yet completely familiar with all the techniques. But I figure the only way to learn is to ask questions. :eek:
 
talleymonster said:
Evan! I don't mean to jump in with an off topic question, nor do I mean to question your methods....But I kinda think I remember reading in a post somewhere here about sloshing your hot wort around was a bad thing. Something about oxidizing your wort.

I may not know what I'm talking about, and If this is a retarded question I apologize. I'm not yet completely familiar with all the techniques. But I figure the only way to learn is to ask questions. :eek:
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Not a retarded question at all. What you're referring to is called "hot side aeration". I just pour it carefully, and RDWHAHB. I've done this tons of times, and have yet to have it negatively affect a batch. You want to minimize sloshing, etc., while it's hot, but a quick pour from the kettle to another vessel is rarely going to be enough to make a difference.
 
Evan! said:
Not a retarded question at all. What you're referring to is called "hot side aeration". I just pour it carefully, and RDWHAHB. I've done this tons of times, and have yet to have it negatively affect a batch. You want to minimize sloshing, etc., while it's hot, but a quick pour from the kettle to another vessel is rarely going to be enough to make a difference.
Click to expand...

I use the exact same method and agree with all the above info. :rockin:
 
There's nothing you can attach to a kettle drain that will stop 9oz of pellet hops and still allow wort to flow. If you chill in the kettle with an IC, it gets even worse.

Some realistic solutions include using a large hop bag for most of the pellet hops, using an equal mix of pellet/whole leaf (or all leaf), and whirlpooling and siphoning over the top. I suppose another one is to never use that many hops, but I'm afraid once you go hoppy, you never go back.
 
Bobby_M said:
There's nothing you can attach to a kettle drain that will stop 9oz of pellet hops and still allow wort to flow. If you chill in the kettle with an IC, it gets even worse.

Some realistic solutions include using a large hop bag for most of the pellet hops, using an equal mix of pellet/whole leaf (or all leaf), and whirlpooling and siphoning over the top. I suppose another one is to never use that many hops, but I'm afraid once you go hoppy, you never go back.
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Well, living in the county that bring you Stone, it is hard not to appreciate some hops from time to time. I think the whole leaf option seems really reasonable. Sure, they're a bit more costly but I'll pay the extra 50 cents/2 ounces to keep the mess down. Using a hop bag is totally reasonable too. Like I said, it is all a learning experience!
 
Of course, I forgot to mention the downside of a very large leaf hop bill; the wort absorbtion. 9oz of whole leaf hops will likely keep 1/2 gallon of wort to itself. That's like a large hop bag full. I'd squeeze the hell out of it to have it giveup some wort. It's not a big deal if your wort came from all grain because it's so cheap. On extract, it'll cost you a couple bucks.
 
Bobby_M said:
Of course, I forgot to mention the downside of a very large leaf hop bill; the wort absorbtion. 9oz of whole leaf hops will likely keep 1/2 gallon of wort to itself. That's like a large hop bag full. I'd squeeze the hell out of it to have it giveup some wort. It's not a big deal if your wort came from all grain because it's so cheap. On extract, it'll cost you a couple bucks.
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yeah. That's the other lesson I learned. I boiled down to 5.5 gallons and then I only ended up with around 5 gallons when all was said and done.
 
Seems like I lost at least 1/2 gallon with just 6 oz of hops.
I ended up with just under 5 gal when I was going for 5.5..upside though is the beer tastes damn good!
 
Easiest method I have found, is to go to Lowes and buy a pack of 5 gal bucket paint strainer bags (1.29 for 4 and you almost can't tear em up) Put one over your screened funnel. As it clogs up, all you have to do is move the strainer bag to find fresh unclogged mesh. Works like a friggin champ. I Regularly use 4+ oz of pellet hops (largest was about 10 oz) and I have never had a problem with that method.
 

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