Hops in fermenter - is it bad?

[ajitnair]

Hi,

Newbie here - While I was creating the wort, I used muslin bags to hold the hops; but didn't realize that some of the hops filter out of the bags and into the wort.

Once the wort was made and cooled down, I poured it to the fermenter and as I was pouring it in, a few clumps of hops, poured into the fermenter too. I didn't think much of it, and went ahead and sealed the fermenter and right now the yeasties are doing their thing.

But I'm now wondering if the hops that are in the fermenter will make the beer too bitter if I leave them in there. My original plan was to leave it in the fermenter for a full three weeks and then to bottle it. But now I'm considering fermenting them only for one week and bottling them early, so that the hops don't affect the beer too much.

Does anyone know if it's ok to leave it in there for three weeks or should I try and get bottle in a week?

Next time I'll use a filter when pouring it into the fermenter.

Thanks

Ajit

 

[BrewKid]

Can't say that I have ever heard of this happening. But I would imagine it's the same as if you just threw in your hops during your full boil. It just becomes part of the trub that settles to the bottom. Occasionally when pouring the wort into the fermenter some trub falls in. Honestly this is no big deal. It all just settles to the bottom as if it were trub. The hops have already done their job in the boil. You shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

[Frogmanx82]

A week may not be long enough. You are not the one in charge of when the beer is ready to bottle, the yeast is. As far as some hops in the fermenter, I think you are worried about nothing anyway. The acid has already been extracted and acid doesn't get extracted at less than boiling anyway. I'd be more worried about bottle bombs trying to rush the process.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Yeah I agree with frogman. You will be fine with the hop debris it will settle out.

Check your beers gravity with a hydrometer when you think it's done. Then check again in three days if the results are the same then it's safe to bottle. If they differ check again in a few days to see if the third reading matches the second. Repeat the process until you get the same reading that is the only way to confirm fermentation has ended. If you bottle too soon you can wind up with exploding bottles. Nobody wants that.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Some folks meticulously filter out all the trub and hop debris, some try and separate it out and get most, and some (myself included) just say f- it and dump the entire thing in the fermenter.

As has been said above, it all settles out with the cake at the bottom. You'll be fine. Even if fermentation is over in a week (which is usually the case, but not always, and again as said above you should ALWAYS confirm that fermentation is done before bottling), there's still cleanup work the yeast need to do. Leave it the full 3 weeks like you'd originally planned.

 

[HopsMan]

Yup, what they said, and RDWHAHB!

Wait 3-4 weeks, let fermentation do it's thing. I've had lots of batches with more than desirable amounts of hop trub in it, and I haven't been dissatisfied yet!

 

[Hulud]

nothing to worry about as others have said

but yea get your pipeline going and you will have no impulse to bottle/keg quicker than you can drink/give away

 

[ajitnair]

Thanks for all your replies. It's a relief to learn that it's alright to leave the hops in.

I'll take the hydrometer readings to make sure fermentation is done before bottling and plan for 3 weeks in the fermenter.

Appreciate all the help and advice. Thanks again!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for all your replies. It's a relief to learn that it's alright to leave the hops in.

I'll take the hydrometer readings to make sure fermentation is done before bottling and plan for 3 weeks in the fermenter.

Appreciate all the help and advice. Thanks again!

Sounds good!