Possible DUMB question: Straining hops?

[lwcm]

Hello all,

Was wondering if the collective brain could help me with a question. When brewing with pelletized hops do you need to strain the hops bits out of the wort before transferring it from kettle to brew bucket/carboy?

 

[C-Rider]

Hello all,

Was wondering if the collective brain could help me with a question. When brewing with pelletized hops do you need to strain the hops bits out of the wort before transferring it from kettle to brew bucket/carboy?

Simple answer is NO, you don't HAVE TO. but some do. They will settle out in the 3 weeks in the frementer.

 

[TomSD]

You can also toss them in a mesh bag instead of straight in the pot. That saves dealing with a lot of it.

 

[Brulosopher]

You can also toss them in a mesh bag instead of straight in the pot. That saves dealing with a lot of it.

That's what I do, quite successfully.

 

[seabass07]

I just dump them in. After a 4 day cold crash, almost none makes it to the bottles.

 

[BrewingRugger]

I agree with very one else, but I use a hop strainer/spider, a paint strainer bag attached to a pvc coupler that sits across the brew pot with long bolts. Toss my hops in the strainer, and just pull the strainer out while I am cooling my wort.

 

[Calichusetts]

I run my wort through 3 strainers before I ferment...I use pellets and make some super hoppy beers, but its personal preference.

 

[Bmorebrew]

When transferring from brew kettle to bucket, I pass the wort through one of these:

OXO 8 Strainer - found on amazon.

It was cheap, easy to sanitize, has a pretty large surface area and volume (if it begins to back up) and a fairly small mesh size.

Plus, I feel it helps aerate slightly by breaking the stream of liquid and causing better splashing.

 

[Disintegr8or]

I also use the 1 gallon paint strainer bags.

 

[pksmitty]

I use one of those expandable strainers that is designed to rest over top of the kitchen sink. Just set it on my bucket and dump the wort through. It strains out most of the junk and aerates. When I'm done, the bucket is full of foam. I think you can buy them at any decent sized store: Target, WalMart, etc. I may have even seen them at the dollar store.

But, no, it's not necessary. Some people strain. Some don't. Whatever works for you.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

When transferring from brew kettle to bucket, I pass the wort through one of these:

OXO 8 Strainer - found on amazon.

It was cheap, easy to sanitize, has a pretty large surface area and volume (if it begins to back up) and a fairly small mesh size.

Plus, I feel it helps aerate slightly by breaking the stream of liquid and causing better splashing.

Yep... Cheap and simple. With really hoppy brews, I'll also throw a paint strainer around the bucket. Sometimes I just dump the hops in the fermenter. I don't really think it matters much if you strain or not.

 

[unionrdr]

I didn't use hop sacks for the last couple brews just to see if there'd be a difference. We'll find out on Christmas. But I've also used a fine mesh strainer I got from Midwest. I get less trub in the FV,but it also aerates the wort & top off water to where I get 3-5" of thick foam aftarward.
Then stir roughly for 5 min straight. Works quite well.

 

[solbes]

I tried straining everything on my 4th batch. It was a giant PITA and tasted no better than an identical brew that was completed 4 months later without any straining. The trub and hops will drop out in primary. If racked carefully out of primary, it's not a concern at all.

 

[Brulosopher]

I tried straining everything on my 4th batch. It was a giant PITA and tasted no better than an identical brew that was completed 4 months later without any straining. The trub and hops will drop out in primary. If racked carefully out of primary, it's not a concern at all.

Good point... but if you plan to harvest your yeast, washing all that trub out becomes an even bigger PITA

 

[solbes]

Guess I'm in the no-strain & wash my yeast camp. Granted it might take an extra separation step, but there is very little if any trub/hops in my yeast storage jars. Still easier IMO.

I finally figured out that if I boiled and sanitized 2 jars one day before racking, stuck them in the fridge, it becomes a snap. I can be such a dunce sometimes.

 

[msa8967]

If you do use any straining equipment make sure it is well cleaned and sanitized in order to prevent infections. The reason I am mentioning this is that at the end of a 5-6 brew day it is easy to miss one or two little extra things in a rush and that caused me to lose 5 gallons of beer once.