Hop bag or loose pellets in kettle?

[ILMSTMF]

Stepping up to BIAB and my kit from Wilser includes a hop bag. Until now, I've thrown the hops directly into the kettle during boil. Dry hopping, pellets have been tossed into fermenter.
I'm not opposed to continuing this method. However, do I stand to LOSE anything from using the hop sock? I understand it will make cleanup a bit easier. Are there disadvantages to using it versus just throwing hops in loose? Thanks!

 

[helibrewer]

I use a hop sack because I use a plate chiller and don't want excess material in there. If you are using a counter flow chiller or immersion chiller then just toss them in loose. A 15 minute whirlpool will help leave most of it in the kettle when you rack off to the fermenter.

 

[dstockwell]

Yep I use my Wilser hop bag during the boil, just drain it and toss the hop material. I will also use the small hop bag for dry hop.

 

[20grit]

Bag. Always.

 

[enkamania]

I throw them in the boil, use a bag for the keg

 

[ballsy]

I BIAB, I choose to use the hop sacks during boil and for dry hopping. I do not whirlpool, just cool the Wort, squeeze out the hop sack good and pour it all into the fermenter. I do not squeeze the dry hop bag though, it's been said this leads to increased grassy flavors...You won't lose anything vs not bagging them IMO.

 

[GPP33]

I throw them in the boil, use a bag for the keg

Yep, me too. Though I could see an advantage if using a small BIAB system as it'd potentially lead to less loss since I can't squeeze the beer out of the loose material in the bottom of the kettle.

 

[ChelisHubby]

Low hopped batches of say less than 3 ounces of hop I throw in the fermenter but if it is more I will you the bag.

 

[kh54s10]

If I am only using an ounce or two I might just dump them in. But I want as much beer as I can so I bag the hops. 5 gallon paint strainer clipped to the lip of the BK, open and add hops at the appropriate time. 1 gallon paint strainer bag with 1 ounce of hops, more bags for more ounces when dry hopping.

When packaging I lose less than a bottle of beer to the trub.

 

[ballsy]

Technically, you will lose a couple IBU's if you sack it according to Brulosipher,https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=576389
But not sure if he squeezed all wort out of the hop sack, if not then that could have been where those two IBU's went.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I toss them in without a bag. The bag retained too much water, even after squeezing. I use a whirlpool with my IC , also. I am even thinking of tossing them loose while dry hoping and clean it up with gelatin and a cold crash.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I just toss them in loose. It seems every time I've used a muslin bag, I just tear the damn thing while stirring. When I use whole cone hops, I use a false bottom in my boil kettle.

 

[GHBWNY]

Call me old-fashioned/paranoid/whatever, but I don't totally trust a bag that's fine enough to disallow hop material in the wort and at the same time allow for complete oil extraction, so I go commando on my hop additions. Also, I like seeing the hops roll through the boil. After the wort has cooled, I strain it through a micro-fine SS strainer before aerating/pitching. It takes a little extra time to strain, dump the trub and rinse the strainer a few times, but in the process it also helps the wort to further cool and aerate.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I bag all of my hops since switching to eBIAB RIMS brewing, using a Chugger pump and convoluted counter-flow wort chiller. Even at that, its amazing to see just how much 'sand-like' hop debris that gets flushed out of the chiller during cleanup.

Squeezing all of the wort from the bagged hops after the boil seems to be working since my beers are never lacking bitterness, flavor and aroma. Brewing 10 gallon batches, using a hopping rate of 1.5 ounces of per gallon, leaves quite a bit of hop debris that for my setup is best removed from the kettle.

There is really no right way or wrong way IMO, just whichever way makes the most sense to you on your brewing system. Going commando with hop additions, or bagging your hops first is more of a personal preference really.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

If I'm using 3 or more ounces (in a 5 gallon batch) or plan on harvesting the yeast, I use a bag. Otherwise, I just toss them in.

Regardless of bag/no bag, I run it through a double strainer: http://www.homebrewing.org/10-Stainless-Steel-Strainer_p_897.html

 

[firerat]

After the wort has cooled, I strain it through a micro-fine SS strainer before aerating/pitching. .

I do more or less the same thing using a 5 gallon paint strainer bag. Works for me.

 

[Brew_G]

I bag my hood since I dump the entire contents of the kettle into my fermenter. No need transfer 8 oz of hop pellets when doing a big late addition for an IPA.

For dry hopping, I throw them in bareback - not bagged. They fall out with gelatin and/or cold crashing.

 

[helibrewer]

For keg dry hopping I use a SS mesh cylinder. It allows me to remove and add hops for multi-stage dry hopping. It is also much easier to sanitize than a bag.

 

[ILMSTMF]

Thanks all for the feedback! Likely will use the sack for a very hoppy beer I have coming up. About squeezing though... that bag will be pretty hot. What are those who squeeze using to protect hands?

 

[20grit]

I pull the bag over to the side of the kettle and squeeze it a bit with my immersion chiller.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Thanks all for the feedback! Likely will use the sack for a very hoppy beer I have coming up. About squeezing though... that bag will be pretty hot. What are those who squeeze using to protect hands?

No protection. I go all natural when squeezing my sack.



... or is it?

 

[petrolSpice]

Every time I use a bag in the boil my utilization seems on the low side. On my last brew the bag got completely clogged with break material so little wort was flowing into or out of the bag, despite it moving around in the pot.

Next batch I'm going to throw the hops right into the boil and then use the Wilser bag to strain the wort as it's transferred into the fermenter to catch the hops and hopefully some of the break material. If I use a big enough bag I shouldn't have to worry about it clogging too bad.

 

[corkybstewart]

Just make sure the bag is plenty big for the hops once they swell. I just took a bag of hops out of my keg(3 oz's in a medium bag), next time I'll use a much bigger bag so there's more contact with all the hops. The medium bag was just too full.

 

[Horseshoot]

I use a hop spider. And, using Beer Alchemy, I use the setting for bagged hops. It works great for me.

The "off topic" comment about squeezing ones sack made me snort home-brew through my nose!

Mike

 

[ballsy]

I leave my sack in the wort as the IC cools it (I have flame out additions a lot, so technically should stay in the wort for 15-20 minutes anyways...) after this ant of time my sack is usually cool enough that I can squeeze it comfortably with my naked hands. After I work all the juices out of my sack, I discard the remnants in a trash bag

 

[ILMSTMF]

I leave my sack in the wort as the IC cools it (I have flame out additions a lot, so technically should stay in the wort for 15-20 minutes anyways...) after this ant of time my sack is usually cool enough that I can squeeze it comfortably with my naked hands. After I work all the juices out of my sack, I discard the remnants in a trash bag

Thanks ballsy!

 

[helibrewer]

Ballsy talking about squeezing sacks.....I will just leave now

 

[slym2none]

#hopsgocommando