hop bags and utilization

[bcbeer]

I've heard and read that a person needs to use more hops when using hop bags, but haven't found any info on how to quatify how much more. Any suggestions?

 

[TipsyDragon]

i personally have no evidence one way or the other but i find this hard to believe. its my understanding that its the SG of the wort, length of the boil, and size of the final batch that affects utilization not whether you are using a hops bag or not.

i would be very interested if you sighted your source.

 

[bcbeer]

Here's a reply I found earlier today
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/disposable-grain-hop-bag-6085/

(it's a few posts down the list)

 

[TipsyDragon]

well in that case i would ask Walker to site his source. this was the first ive ever heard of hops bag affecting hops utilization.

 

[gracho]

I have not noticed any difference either way. I have two brew rigs. One with a Immersion chiller which I just throw the hops directly in the BK. I end up Whirl pooling that one at the end. I also have one that uses a Counter Flow Chiller. I use a hop sack with that one. If I make the same beer i can not tell the difference between the two.

 

[Revvy]

Meh, this has been bandied about for years. Someone mentions their opinions somewhere (I think lately on a podcast) and a bunch of people **** about it, and nothing comes of it.

Bottom line, if it WERE possible, that there was a difference (which I don't, you have you hopsack rolling around in rapidly boiling wort, the AAs are going to be isomerized and mixed into the kettle as it tumbles around) it would be SO negligable as to be incalculable and not noticeable to our taste buds..

Not worth the time of day to stress about if you ask me.

 

[bcbeer]

Thanks all, that's kinda what I had been thinking.

 

[worstbrewing]

I don't have much other experience to back this up, but just to throw in my 2 cents, I brewed a batch of my honey pale ale a few months back without a bag, and over the summer realized I wanted an easy way to keep hops contained so I got a bag and just brewed the same recipe again the other week. It's still conditioning but so far it tastes identical to the last one, so I don't think it makes a difference.