This is more of a recommendation....I made a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clone from Austin Home Brew Supply, and the recipe called for dry hopping in the secondary. Didn't have a hop bag so I just threw them in(pellets). Well I went to rack the beer into my bottling bucket, and boy did that leave alot of sediment(mostly hops) in the bottom of my carboy. Word to the wise....use a bag. it is hard to clean that stuff out of the bottom of the bottle.