First time using actual hops

[bennychico11]

I've got the Bavarian Wheat kit coming from Midwest Supplies. It comes with grain and a grain bag...and 2 oz. of hops. The directions suggest putting them in a nylon boiling bag, but would I be able to just use the reuse the grain bag after steeping the grains for the hops?
My other thought was just to add the hops directly and use a colander when pouring into the primary...but never using hops before, I thought maybe the colander might not be fine enough?

If need be I can probably run out and grab a bag for the hops.

 

[avaserfi]

The bags are reusable just rinse well. It might discolor but that isn't a big deal. I use a nylon paint strain bag from home depot. $5 for two and they work well in addition to being local.

You can add the hops directly and strain. With 2 oz of hops it won't be an issue, but on larger hopped brews you might have some trouble with the hop residue constricting flow.

 

[truckmann]

If it comes with a muslin grain bag, which I would expect, and pellet hops then no you will not be able to use the grain bag. The holes in the bag will be way to big to catch pellet hops debris. You also wont be able to strain pellet hops with a colander as they turn to a fine mush. I use a 200 micron nylon filter bag for my hops.

 

[Brian S]

Use the muslin bag they work fine. The method you described is exactly what I used to do when I did Extract.

 

[Yooper]

I never use bags for my hops- I just throw them in the boil. Then, if I want to, I use a sanitized strainer over my fermenter when I pour into the primary. Usually, I don't even bother. The hops will all fall to the bottom anyway with the rest of the trub.

Using a bag contains some of the mess, but can definitely decrease hops utilization. The hops need to be "loose" in the boil, so if you do use a bag, make sure the wort can easily move through the hops and bag, and that the hops are not packed in the bag, but very loose in there.

 

[Shawn Hargreaves]

+1 on not bagging the hops. You get much better utilization if you let them free in the boil.

I normally pour through a kitchen sieve on the way into the fermenter. That will filter out the majority of both leaf and pellet hop material. Not that it matters if this stuff does get into the fermenter as it will settle out anyway - in fact I mostly do this not to filter out the hops at all, but because the sieve does a great job of aerating the wort.

Note that the sieve will clog easily if you have a lot of hops, especially pellet hops. You may need to empty it a couple of times: have a bowl handy that you can tip the hops into and a sanitized spoon in case you need to scrape them free.

Also note that the first time you brew with real hops, especially if you have a lot of them, you may be disturbed by a nasty looking greenish tint in your wort! The first time I brewed a hoppy beer, I was most unhappy seeing my carboy go a sickly green color Don't worry - that's just fine particles of hop matter left over from the boil, and will settle out over the next couple of weeks.

 

[bennychico11]

thanks for the tips....for the time I'll just throw the hops in and see what turns out. I'll just have to be more careful when racking to the bottling bucket later I guess

cheers!

 

[bennychico11]

side question....should I put the hops in the fridge with the yeast? I'm brewing tomorrow so I'm guessing they will be alright in the box...?

Got the girlfriend coming over to be my assistant. She's interested in learning the process too!

 

[spriggan486]

Lucky. my SWMBO has no interest in my brewing obsession.

 

[jonp9576]

my girlfriend sits in the living room and yells out the door, "that stuff stinks" and "am i going to like this one"

 

[johnnyc]

+1 on not bagging the hops. You get much better utilization if you let them free in the boil.

I normally pour through a kitchen sieve on the way into the fermenter. That will filter out the majority of both leaf and pellet hop material. Not that it matters if this stuff does get into the fermenter as it will settle out anyway - in fact I mostly do this not to filter out the hops at all, but because the sieve does a great job of aerating the wort.

Note that the sieve will clog easily if you have a lot of hops, especially pellet hops. You may need to empty it a couple of times: have a bowl handy that you can tip the hops into and a sanitized spoon in case you need to scrape them free.

+1 On no bag. I use a 6.5 gallon carboy for my primary and I picked up a funnel with a fine mesh filter that fits inside. Granted $6 for a funnel is high but not only does it pick out the biggest pieces of the hop pellets it does a great job with aeration too. As for the hops that make it through don't worry they'll settle out after a week or more in the primary. And I've done this w/ a hoppy beer, DFH 60 minute clone.

 

[Halaster]

Your girlfriend sounds like my wife. At least for Christmas she bought me a kit and 2 pounds of hops to further my obsession.