Hop Basket vs Hops Direct into Wort

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

thomer

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Aug 23, 2021
Messages
114
Reaction score
56
Location
Phoenix AZ
I have recently started BIAB brewing with a electric system. I have a hop basket with a fine mesh (400 microns) which is about 4" in diameter. Seems to work pretty well and I have the room to stir the pellets. However the two beers I have brewed using it appear to be lacking in hop taste. I stir the basket on a regular basis. Also when the boil has finished, even though there is only about 6" of water and hops at the bottom of the basket, it can take 10 mins just to drain that hop water through the mesh into the wort. I am concerned that it is actually preventing some of the hop flavor from releasing. Any thoughts?
 
The hop spider (also stainless mesh) was 6" diameter and long enough to almost touch the bottom cone of the keggle I was using. Never had an issue with hop flavor/aroma using it. I whirlpool in my new (Spike+) BK and haven't noticed any difference (after updating the recipes for that).

You might want to get a larger diameter spider that also goes deeper. Length and girth can matter in these things. ;)
 
Have you ruled out the hops as the problem? Do you have space in the spider to add more hops?
 
If you have the fittings for the kettle, try whirlpooling and let them suckers roam free... BeerSmith can take the whirlpool, and rest, times into consideration for your hop needs.
 
Like taking a bath with your socks on, imho.
It depends on what kind of bath you’re using. For example, free whole socks in a whirlpool bath risk plumbing issues. Even pulverized socks risk blockages for some domestic plumbing. It’s nice to be able to just tip them out of a basket/spider, onto a compost heap or bin if you have to. I just add a little more to compensate for reduced extraction. If I’m not recirculating I’ll just throw them in the kettle.
 
I have a false bottom in my BK and had only used whole leaf hops until a couple of years ago. When looking for certain varieties leaf are getting hard to find so I have been buying more pellets. I first tried using them in a 400 micron tall basket but didn't like the results so they now roam free in the BK. I now use the basket in the fermenter pumping the wort thru it on the way to the FV to filter. This also does a good job of aerating the wort on the way.
I found a use for it after all.
 
Last edited:
With a hop basket your hop utilization changes. Ive gotten to when I add just 1 oz of hops for a beer I just throw it in because I have a strainer in my kettle on the dip tube.

If I have more then an oz to use on the beer I try and use the hops basket and feed that to the chickens after I pull it out. Hops are good for them and I want to try and make the clearest beer I can. In my opinion a hop basket is a pain to clean for only one oz addition.

I try and make sure that my AA for the hop matches the recipe that I made. and I try and make sure the bitterness ratio matches the style. I had to learn the hard way a few years ago that AA changes from year to year and whatnot.
 
I used a hop basket for a few brews and definitely noticed a difference. I won’t be going back to it.

This is purely anecdotal, but to me it’s not worth it. With finings and overall solid practices, most of my beer comes out clear as I want with hops in the trub or not.
 
Back
Top