2nd Batch and Hop Bag Question

I brewed my 2nd batch tonight. Some things went very well but I did have one annoying problem. I used 3 oz. of hops in the form of hop plugs. After cooling down I whirlpooled the wort and let it settle. I then used my auto-siphon but it immediately got clogged with the remnants of the hop plugs. I ended up pouring the wort through a strainer and squeezed the wort from the hops as it filled the strainer. There were a lot of hops!

If I used hop bags I would have less of a pain, I assume. But would I have a lot less hop flavor? Would it be a problem with the hops I added at knockout?

Any thoughts?

Yes, I am relaxing now and having 2 big homebrews!

Any type of bag (be it for grain in a mini-mash or hops) can cause problems if the bundle is too tight. A dry patch could form in the middle reducing extraction/efficiency. Make sure it is loose or alternatively use a paint straining bag for a 5-gallon paint bucket. Just take the bag and secure to the outside of the boil kettle and let the hops float around freely. At the end of the boil just remove the bag.

Also, how did you whirlpool and did you draw the wort off from the side of the kettle?

I whirlpooled using a sanitized spoon. I tried to siphon from the side but it clogged right away. I may have had the end of the auto-siphon too deep at first.

I've been thinking about the whirlpool and I read a whirlpooling guide on this forum in the beginners FAQ. I did not wait long enough after whirlpooling to let it settle properly. I probably only waited 10 minutes instead of 20 to 30 minutes. I just looked at the top of the kettle to see if it looked clear, but that only means the top is clear. Next time I'll leave it for 30 minutes to settle.

Meanwhile my ale is fermenting away and seems happy at a lovely 68 to 70 degrees.