First time first wort hopping

[rcrabb22]

I am making an American Amber Ale. I batch sparge using 2 rounds. Each round yields a little less then 4 gal, I shoot for 7.75 boil volume. I drain my MLT into a 5 gal bucket to measure output and then pour into my kettle.

I am going to 1st wort hop with .5 oz Centenial in a hop bag. I was going to put the hops into the bucket as the MLT drains the first batch sparge. Should I pour hops and all into the kettle or keep the bag in the bucket for 2nd batch sparge? Or maybe split the hops into 2 bags and pour round one with .25oz in the kettle then repeat?

 

[usurpers26]

Throw your hops into your boil kettle. Add wort from mash. Done. No need to make it harder on yourself.

I am making an American Amber Ale. I batch sparge using 2 rounds. Each round yields a little less then 4 gal, I shoot for 7.75 boil volume. I drain my MLT into a 5 gal bucket to measure output and then pour into my kettle.

I am going to 1st wort hop with .5 oz Centenial in a hop bag. I was going to put the hops into the bucket as the MLT drains the first batch sparge. Should I pour hops and all into the kettle or keep the bag in the bucket for 2nd batch sparge? Or maybe split the hops into 2 bags and pour round one with .25oz in the kettle then repeat?

 

[Gordie]

+ 1

You're over engineering it. Throw the hops in the BK while mashing, that way you don't forget them, and just leave them there. Easiest hop addition in brewing and, in my opinion, one of the best. Good luck! (and calculate your BUs as a 20 min addition...)

 

[rcrabb22]

Thanks for the advice. Over engineering the simple brewing things is a bad habit of mine.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

I put my FWH hops in the Ale Pail (loose - no bag) and collect the first 2 runnings - about 4.5 gallons.
That goes into the kettle, flame on, while I collect the last runnings - 2 - 2.5 gallons.
$0.02 FWIW

 

[dsuarez]

Why is it that first wort hops don't add the same amount of IBU's as a 60 min. addition? They are being boiled for 60 minutes, so don't their acids isomerize similarly?

 

[Gordie]

Why is it that first wort hops don't add the same amount of IBU's as a 60 min. addition? They are being boiled for 60 minutes, so don't their acids isomerize similarly?

The pH of the pre-boil wort is the vehicle that gets the hoppy goodness into the mix. There are a number of studies that go into the chemistry and why they don't contribute BUs like boil additions, and I don't feel confident in my memory to be able to explain it. If you do a search, both HBT and Google, you should get a number of resources that explain it.