BIAB for hop pellets??

[ndlancer54]

Hey guys, I have been obsessed with my IPA's and find myself using 3-4 oz of pellets hops in my brew depending on what the recipe calls for. Before going into full boils, I was debating on just doing a BIAB type. I got the bag and ended up deciding to just invest in the mash tun. I am definitely happier that I did. I still have the big extra large nylon bag. In all my research, people talk about having a large bag to increased hop efficiency. I have also debated on getting a hop spider. Then I was thinking, hell I already have a huge bag, why can't I just use that. It's shouldn't restrict any contact with the wort because it is the width and depth of the brew pot. This way, I can pull it out at the end of the boil so that I am not trying to filter out as much particles when transferring to my primary, which is a PITA because it constantly get clogged with hops. Has anyone tried this. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Thanks
Lou

 

[TopherM]

The increased hop efficiency is just making sure the bag's loose enough to allow water flow to touch the entire surface area of the hops. You don't need a "large" bag. 4 oz of hops certainly has plenty of room to expand in the smaller muslin bag, like a 1/2 gallon or so.

You also don't particularly need to filter out hop matter in your circumstance. It's not really going to matter at all to the final beer either way. Best hop utilization is not having a bag at all, and letting them flow freely in the wort. There's also no real negatives to just dumping the entire contents of the boil pot into the primary, hop matter and all. No need to filter them out prior to primary. Just be sure you rack above the trub when you go from primary to bottling bucket/keg, and it doesn't matter at all if you toss the hops in the boil or contain them in a bag.

I personally do filter my hops, but only because I use a plate chiller, and the larger pellet hops particles will clog my plate chiller. If I don't plan on using the chiller, I don't filter my hops. When I do filter, I use a large tea ball, like this:

 

[ndlancer54]

So hops and all just flow drain into the primary via the ball lock? I used a immersion chiller so I don't have to worry about getting clogged in a plate chiller. Thanks.

 

[newnick]

How large is that tea ball? I used a few tea balls on my last batch and I'm not sure they were large enough. The tea balls could fit about 1/2 an ounce of hops each but when I pulled them out after draining the wort they were pretty packed with hops and I'm not sure how well it worked.

 

[TopherM]

So hops and all just flow drain into the primary via the ball lock?

Yep, no issues whatsoever in having all of the hop matter in your primary for a typical fermentation.

If you make a brew that you plan on aging long term, like more than 6 weeks, then you would just want to rack to a secondary after fermentation is complete for the long term aging.

 

[TopherM]

How large is that tea ball?

Mine is 5" tall and 3.5" in diameter. It will fit a good 1/2 lb. (8oz) of hop pellets with quite a bit of spare room for them to expand and water to flow. Here is the exact one I bought:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ROGNQO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

They make an even bigger one that would fit more as well:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FCMCMO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[newnick]

Thanks, I may need to try this size because I believe mine are too small.

 

[Hawaiibboy]

I'm glad I stumbled on this thread! I am just about to start brewing again and won't be using a CFC or plate chiller any more (when I did, I used a hop screen and a false bottom). Now that I'm not using my old roommate's equipment I wasn't sure what to do!

 

[MikeInMKE]

The last time I brewed an IPA, it was partial mash BIAB using a 5G paint strainer bag.

Once I was done mashing and sparging, I cranked up the burner, and while waiting for the wort to come to a boil I washed out the bag and put it back into the kettle for the hops.

Once the wort was chilled enough to be siphoned into the carboy, I sanitized my hands and squeezed all of the wort out of the bag, just as I had done with the grains earlier.

Worked a treat!

 

[CaveBrewing]

How do you add multiple hop additions with a tea ball? I like the idea but can't wrap my head around that part. Do you need a new ball for each addition?

 

[newnick]

That's what I did. I picked up three small balls and was able to fit 1/2 ounce in each one. I don't think I would do it again like that though because the balls were packed when I drained the wort and probably didn't get enough contact with the wort. I've used a hop bag for many batches and was looking for something easier to work with. Since I BIAB, I think I'll try using the bag next time to strain out the hops in the fermentor, that may be the easiest and most effective way other than just letting them go into the fermentor.

 

[jtd_419]

If you get the 5 gal paint strainer bags, sanitize one and put it in your bucket. Pour wort through strainer bag after boiling and cooling and then pull the bag. All the hops stay in the bag and no need for tea balls or hop bags in the boil.

 

[TopherM]

How do you add multiple hop additions with a tea ball? I like the idea but can't wrap my head around that part. Do you need a new ball for each addition?

I take the same hop ball out and place it on the upside down pot lid. It takes about 30-45 seconds for it to be cool enough to open up and add more hops, then toss is back in the boil.

 

[brewmcq]

I've never seen any sort of difference between free-floating hops and hops-in-a-sock.

Just my two pennies. YMMV.

 

[dazed]

You could also check this vendor out. I bought a hop screen from him. He does custom as well and has many per-made ready to choose from.
Email Chad he is very good communicator and fabricator, also you can get shipping quotes that seemed better than the website.
I got a 300 micron 6x10 for my big batches...and for my small batches I use it as a filter into my big funnel that goes into my Fermentor Vessel.

http://www.arborfab.com/

Check out this forum for discussion
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/new-way-control-pellet-hop-gunk-352293/



I did look into those tea balls but I heard that either some parts are questionable Stainless from overseas.


I would not use a BIAB for boiling as the plastics may start to leech out..IIRC
The most I take my bag is up to 180F.