Do I need a hopsock?

[DaBo]

Hello,
I'm going to brew my first All Grain batch next weekend, there is just one question I'm not sure on yet.

Do i need a hopsock for brewing with pellet hops?
I saw many Tutorials where they didn't used one and a few where they did, so I'm not sure if I really need one or not.
Will there be a difference in taste if I use one?

 

[carnevoodoo]

Nope. I don't bother with anything of the sort and my beer comes out fine. Some people like them because it is easier to control the mess and you get less gunk in your fermenter. Plus, I like that the hops are able to boil in the whole kettle and are not confined to a space. It just seems to me that utilization would be better in that case.

But look around. It is all really a matter of preference.

 

[Parker36]

I use a nylon sack and have also used muslin bags. They do not alter the flavor. I wouldn't recommend an actual sock. You can put the pellets directly into the boil, but it can get a little messy if it clogs up your airlock during fermentation and will need to settle out in any event. I find it much easier to just put them in the bag and remove them after the boil.

 

[eddie]

A hop sock isn't really necessary unless you're using a plate chiller or if you are concerned about them clogging the valve on your kettle. Even then, it's need is questionable. Using one will reduce your hop utilization but will also reduce the amount of spent hops transferred to the primary. However, with an adequate fermentation time, most of the hop particles will eventually settle out of the beer and into the trub. The short answer is no, you don't really need a hop sock.

 

[DaBo]

Thanks, for those fast answers.

 

[scinerd3000]

the only time i use one is for whole or plug hops because they soak up so much of the wort and clog everything. Just toss the pellets in- it wont hurt you. ALso if your deadset on a bag i use 5 gallon nylon paint strainers which you can pick up at Lowes or Homedepot

 

[hopsalot]

I have just thrown pellets in the carboy and I have used a cheese cloth, I recoment the cheese cloth unless you are going to filter your beer before kegging/bottling

 

[Yooper]

I just toss everything into the boil, and then siphon my wort about 1/2 way, and then pour the rest into the fermenter. If I have a ton of hops, I strain through a colander going into the fermenter, but if not, it all goes in.