Hop Ball

I've seen these in catalogs. Stainless screen spheres that you put your hops in and hang it in your kettle. Looks pretty cool to me. Oughta make draining the kettle a breeze. Anybody using these? Any thoughts or potential problems? I think I'm gonna try one.

I went to a hop ball one time, it was a very formal affair.

If it's anything like a tea ball I'd be a bit wary. With the hops constrained like that I would think that you wouldn't get very good hop utilization. (The hops couldn't bounce around and force the oils to emulsify into the wort. It might help w/cleanup, but you couldn't get the same bang for your buck. Just my 2 cents based on my tea ball experience. (Lovin the lose leaf teas.)

Dogmeat is right, you're utilization will be terrible. There was a thread on this a while ago. General concensus: Great idea+total crap=gimmicky. It's worth trying one of the other hop management solutions on the market, like the hopstopper, Dude swears by them, and I made my own and it's awesome.

God Emporer BillyBrew said:

I went to a hop ball one time, it was a very formal affair.

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]

Son Of a....

you beat me to it

Whussa hopstopper?

"It's my belief that my hop balls should be held every night..."

"He's got hop balls, she's got hop balls, but I have the biggest hop balls of them all."

But when they're held for pleasure there the hop balls I like the best.

This thread talks about the hopstopper...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=9722

God Emporer BillyBrew said:

But when they're held for pleasure there the hop balls I like the best.

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Officially hijacked

C'mon, I'm the one who started with the AC/DC - give ME credit for 'jackin.

"My balls are always hopping to the left and to the right"

Look what brewhead has done in this post
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=13304

the_bird said:

C'mon, I'm the one who started with the AC/DC - give ME credit for 'jackin.

"My balls are always hopping to the left and to the right"

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muh bad...


ok so then the_bird pulled an Al-Queda and hijacked this muther

You know what's sad?

I think my two thousandth post was just to quote AC/DC.

So, I'm thinkin I oughta stay away from balls of ANY kind!

the_bird said:

C'mon, I'm the one who started with the AC/DC - give ME credit for 'jackin.

Click to expand...

Ok, you got the jack.

(sorry, couldn't resist)

yeah i think i was the guy who started the most recent thread on this. i was using them and quit after a couple of batches... they totally mess up your utilization. not worth it.

the_bird said:

You know what's sad?

I think my two thousandth post was just to quote AC/DC.

Click to expand...

And what's so wrong w/ that? There are roads in some European towns named after AC/DC for their "cultural contributions". :rockin:

Evan! said:

Whussa hopstopper?

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Ankle cuffs nailed to the floor???

Or a new Willy Wonka confection!

I agree pass on the hp ball if ou dont have something like the hop stopper a bag does work but again you lose some utilization.

As for the hop stopper I made my own and love it to death, but if I ever have to replace it I'll buy a new one. The hassels of sewing SS screen with a SS wire was much more then the price of the comerical version

Radarbrew said:

Ankle cuffs nailed to the floor???

Click to expand...

Fur or leather?

I always throw my hops in a grain bag (used just for hops) and give it a good squeezing a couple of times during the boil. It might not be a technique that you'd all approve of, but I'm happy with the results.

I really REALLY wish my danged kegs would arrive so I could brew again.