Hops In The Boil; Loose or Bagged?

[guitslinger]

Do you get more utilization from loose hops rather than bagging or does it matter?

 

[Jonmac510]

Using a hop bag does reduce utilization according to what I've read. I recently started using a homemade hop spider with a 5 gallon paint strainer bag. It contains all the hops and allows the hops to swim more freely than a smaller hop bag.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kh54s10]

IMO as long as the bag allows plenty of liquid flow the difference is negligible. Some really refined tastes might be able to tell the difference, I can't. (but I have never done a side by side test.)

I use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag that I clip to the lip of the pot. At addition time I just open it and add the next hop. After the boil I pull the bag, Put it in a colander over the pot and squeeze out the wort.

I get very little sediment into my fermenter. What there is compacts and it is easy to siphon without getting the trub.

 

[beergolf]

I use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag that I clip to the lip of the pot.

This is what I do. If the recipe has just a small amount of hops I just toss them in. But a big IPA with a ton of hops gets the paint strainer bag.

 

[Nuggethead]

This is what I do. If the recipe has just a small amount of hops I just toss them in. But a big IPA with a ton of hops gets the paint strainer bag.

Same here. 4 or more ounces of pellets gets a bag. 3 or less goes straight in.
Whole cones go straight in regardless of amount.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Small amount of hops, I just tie them up in a muslin bag and cut off the excess.

IPA's and such, I pull out the ol' spider.

You can bag, just keep it loose...

 

[Jaybird]

I used bags for years without any real problems. I just really like the freedom of being able to just toss them in the kettle though. I think you really do get a little more utilization from just tossing them in loose.

Cheers
Jay

 

[ph0ngwh0ng]

Like a weewee. Keep it loose. No nonsense. Paint strainer. 20 for 20$. Unbeatable.

 

[guitslinger]

Very helpful, thanks everyone!
Cheers!
D.

 

[Hammy71]

I tossed my hop spider years ago. The hops weren't boiling in the paint strainer bags. After some side by side brews with the same recipe, made the same day....I could tell a huge difference to my pallette. For me the free-ball method works best. To keep most of the hop material out of my carboys I installed a whirlpool attachment on my kettle and have never looked back. The big boys save the bags for things like spices and what not. Every brew tour I've been on....the hops (leaf or pellets) went straight into the boil kettle. To each is own though, because there is no 'correct' way to make beer. As long as your making good brew with your system, who cares?

 

[atoughram]

I use pellets and set them free...

Whole on the other hand get bagged...

 

[aspiffymofo]

I've been bagging my hops in a paint strainer bag since going electric. Anyone ever burn hop material on their element?

 

[brettg20]

Anyone ever burn hop material on their element?

Well now you're getting personal


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[catdaddy66]

I honestly have never used a bag for my hops since I started brewing. Last week I dry hopped for my first time and yep, it was loose.

While the aroma was awesome, the presence of top floating hop pieces clogged my racking cane and my bottle filler. Will probably bag the hops in the fermenter next time. Or I could bag the end of he cane... hmmmm.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[TopherJohn]

Hops run free in the boil. When I open the valve to the fermenter, the first running so go through a sanitized fine strainer. After about two quarts the wort runs clean and off I go. The rest of the hops drop to the bottom of the kettle, underneath the spigot hole. I lose some of the wort, but none of the flavor. Dry hopping happens in a hop bag.

 

[govner1]

Do you get more utilization from loose hops rather than bagging or does it matter?

I use an 8" dia. 300 mesh SS hop basket from Arbor Fabricating. Works great ann is easy to clean. Plus, no hop gunk in my wort to clog up my CFC.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Hammy71]

I use an 8" dia. 300 mesh SS hop basket from Arbor Fabricating. Works great ann is easy to clean. Plus, no hop gunk in my wort to clog up my CFC.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

I don't use a CFC, but I would think if your using a plate chiller, then the bags would be a necessity.

 

[SilverZero]

This wacko made a big basket that pretty much lines his brew kettle. What a nut!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/i-made-big-hop-strainer-434566/

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

I let float free. Wort goes through 5 gallon strainer on way into fermenter. Dry hop float free too. Cold crashing works for me to clear.

 

[brewbama]

Using a hop bag does reduce utilization according to what I've read. I recently started using a homemade hop spider with a 5 gallon paint strainer bag. It contains all the hops and allows the hops to swim more freely than a smaller hop bag.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

^^ This is what I do.^^ I may be loosing a minuscule amount of hop utilization but I've not noticed any issues in the finished product.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[milldoggy]

I am a free range hop fan

 

[Beernik]

2 ounces or less in 5 gallons, it doesn't matter to me if they are free in the boil and make their way to the fermenter.

5 ounces or more in 5 gallons, I'd like to have a way to keep them out of the fermenter.

 

[cockybitz]

I throw them all in...
Then I move my beer into a paint bag that is inside of another large pot so that it does not clog my CFC. I really need to get a new method to this trainwreck.

 

[milldoggy]

Use a hop taco. I throw them in and I get zero hop stuff in my fermenter.