First beer - dubble trouble with hops

[tpaulsen]

Hi brewers, today I brewed my first extract beer with hops added (I did a pre-hopped extract before). I added 2oz of cascade leaf hops for bittering and 1oz of cascade leaf hops for finishing. In the end, it was so sloppy with hops, that I had no chance on decanting the wort off the settled hot and cold breaks. I poured it into a strainer bag, but it was all I could do to not make a mess that I couldn't even think of decanting to remove the breaks.

I'm not worried about this batch, I'm sure it'll turn out good, but for next batch, do you have any suggestions for getting out the hops and easily separating the breaks from the wort? I was thinking of using grain bags for the hops, but it would still be tricky to pour out the wort while leaving the breaks behind.

Also is there any issues with squeezing out the hops to remove the tons of wort they hold? It wont add any undesirable flavors will it? Thanks brewers!

 

[Jimbodaman]

I bought an 11 dollar strainer from wal-mart, works great. after the wort is cooled I pour it through the strainer on my fermentation bucket. If using a carboy I put the strainer in a funnel and pour through.

 

[Calder]

I use a straining bag in a large funnel, but I have a small opening to my fermenters. I assume you are using a bucket.

I've seen some people get 5 gallon paint straining bags from the hardware store and secure them round the rim of the bucket. Pour in the wort, and then remove the straining bag with the hop material.

I assume you also partial boil and top-off. You could dunk the bag in some of the top-off water to rinse out some of the sugars.

No problem squeezing the bag. Just try and keep it sanitized.

You can leave the hop material in the fermenter. It will settle to the bottom, and will not harm the beer.

 

[rupert130]

I never worry about straining. All the hop and break material settles to the bottom post fermentation. If you are targeting 5 gallons packaged, I would aim for 5.5 in the fermentor. I get about .5 gal of trub settled at the bottom.

 

[tpaulsen]

I've seen some people get 5 gallon paint straining bags from the hardware store and secure them round the rim of the bucket. Pour in the wort, and then remove the straining bag with the hop material.

I assume you also partial boil and top-off. You could dunk the bag in some of the top-off water to rinse out some of the sugars.

I use a 6.5 gal glass carboy, but I pour into a bottling bucket to have a larger opening to strain into and to aerate. I think next time I will try out using malt bags to hold the hops, then dunk them in the top off water while the wort chills. Great help!