So hops bags are important...

[Atvar]

Today I brewed and decided to use some of my home grown leaf hops instead of my usual pellets. Well I got a bit careless with one addition and about half of it ended up in the kettle and not the bag. I didn't think anything of it until later as I tried to transfer the wort to fermenting bucket.

About halfway through the transfer, the diptube/valve clogged up. I quickly grab my racking cane and tubing, give them a quick rinse in star san and give it a shot. The cane really wasn't long enough for using in a keg and worked for just a minute before losing siphon. Meanwhile, the tube end I sucked on falls into the wort, then gets pulled out when playing with the cane and starts pouring onto the floor. Finally dunked a measuring cup in star san and used it to bail out the rest of the wort from the kettle... with an occasional hand touching wort.

So after an extra hour of work and a bit more worry of infection, I remember now why I decided to use hop bags way back at batch #1. Hopefully this is a reminder to others that using leaf hops is different than just pellets. On the plus side, I got all but ~1/2 cup of liquid out of the kettle and into the fermenter.

 

[LakewoodBrew]

i have interchangeable pickups for this reason. open end for pellet, filter/scrubby end for whole leaf. (just dont try to mix pellet with whole leaf or you're screwed.)

 

[1Mainebrew]

did you whirlpool?

 

[Reidman]

+1 on the scrubby idea. I've NEVER used a hop bag in the boil ever and never had a stuck drain. I only use whole leaf hops and last batch had over 4oz. You can pick up a pack of 3 for like 2 bucks...just make sure they're stainless.

 

[bigbeergeek]

A buddy of mine brought over ingredients to brew a massive IIPA on my rig. Little did I know he bought 3 lbs of leaf hops (not all of which were used ). Clogged my march pump and CFC outright. Had to chill my kettle with 60 lbs of ice in my bathtub. Laaaame. God bless pellets.

 

[Atvar]

Yeah I might be using a SS scrubby from now on. This was only the second time I've used my homegrown leaf hops, so it was a surprise learning experience. Up till now, any pellet sludge would get sucked right through with no issues.

 

[bigbeergeek]

+1 on the scrubby idea. I've NEVER used a hop bag in the boil ever and never had a stuck drain. I only use whole leaf hops and last batch had over 4oz. You can pick up a pack of 3 for like 2 bucks...just make sure they're stainless.

How do you use the stainless scrubbies? My last batch had 11.5 ounces of leaf hops (5 gallon batch) and it was a nightmare!

 

[scrambledegg81]

If it helps, I normally use a stainless steel mesh colander to transfer the cooled wort into my bottling bucket, then use my bottling line (not the wand, obviously) to transfer to the carboy. Makes filtering a whole lot easier, plus the mesh really helps with aeration before transferring.

And don't ask me about dry-hopping with whole-leaf hops...I've never wanted to punch a baby more than after that debacle.

 

[bigbeergeek]

And don't ask me about dry-hopping with whole-leaf hops...I've never wanted to punch a baby more than after that debacle.

I'm going to be stuck dry hopping a friend's IIPA with whole leaf hops. How should I manage it?

 

[scrambledegg81]

I'm going to be stuck dry hopping a friend's IIPA with whole leaf hops. How should I manage it?

Eep.

The best I can suggest is to transfer to a plastic bottling bucket and dry-hop in there instead of the usual glass carboy. You can't imagine what an unbelievably massive pain in the arse it was trying to force 4 oz. of leaf hops through a funnel into the thing...*slits wrists*

 

[Reidman]

How do you use the stainless scrubbies? My last batch had 11.5 ounces of leaf hops (5 gallon batch) and it was a nightmare!

My dip tune has a 45° angle on the end. When it's installed I have maybe a half inch of clearance between it and the kettle bottom. A scrubby wedges in nicely between them, I don't even have to clamp it or anything.

About the dry hopping, if you keg doing it directly in the keg is the only way to go. I tried it once and have never looked back. Leave it in for the life of the beer or pull it after a week or two(using a hop sock of course).

 

[unionrdr]

I used a muslin grain sack for the whole leaf Cascade I put in my IPA. Hop socks for the pellets. When I strained it into the fermenter,I got maybe 1TBSP of gunk. They do work well at keeping things clean.

 

[acefaser]

I have never used one and prob never will. Don't usually have a problem with transfer.

 

[geer537]

I'm going to be stuck dry hopping a friend's IIPA with whole leaf hops. How should I manage it?

Run down to Lowe's and grab a paint strainer bag. Boil it to sanitize (it's a little more guaranteed than spraying it with starsan). you might have a little bit of trouble getting it in and out depending on the size of the neck on your carboy but I am able to get an ounce in a bag for dry hopping. The necks on my glass carboy's are pretty tight and it takes a little work but it's WAY better than cleaning out an ounce of loose leaf hops from the carboys

Then run down to Brew Baker's and have a pint. I like their honey Blonde.