question about "flame out" addition

[zodiak3000]

i use hop bags due to my system. so usually when i do a flame out addition i just let the hop bags sit while running the wort chiller. i usually take them out after about 5-10min before the temp drops too low. my question- is it ok to leave the hops bags in until i get to pitching temp or am i running the risk of infection? since the hop bags are added late they dont have time to boil, which may be a risk i guess...

 

[nefarious_1_]

I usually pre-boil or star san soak any hops bag that's going into the wort after the 15min. mark. It's my understanding that ~15min. boil time will kill 99.99% of unwanted, potentially harmful critters. So if you're doing an addition that boils for less time, less bad guys will be killed.

In the case of a flame out addition, I would be particularly careful and make sure to pre-boil or sanitize the bags. A flame out addition doesn't subject the nasties to the harsh conditions of a boil.
Wort cools rather quickly when a chiller is turned on and once it's below 140* (within less than 10min) whatever is still alive in there is going to have a field day. Taking the bags out early won't do much because they would have already touched the wort, allowing the critters to crawl off.

If you haven't been having any problems, maybe you don't need to worry. I like to be extra cautious though.

 

[Calder]

15 seconds at 160 F will pasteurize it. Pasteurization destroys all pathogenic organisms. Provided you meet that criteria, you will be OK. Anything added at flame out will meet this criteria.

There is no need to remove the hops before the wort is cooled. Many (who let the hops swim free) allow some of the pellet pieces to go into the fermenter with no problem.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

^yep.

 

[zodiak3000]

i guess my other question is do i really even need hop bags? i never use a secondary so i was always worried about hops clogging up my siphon later when i transfer to keg. i use plastic buckets, not carboys...so i just dump my beer in a bucket after it cools from the wort chiller. will the hops just drop in solution with the yeast cake?

 

[norsk]

"will the hops just drop in solution with the yeast cake?"

Yes

I only use hop bags when I dry hop myself. I use buckets as well which all have spigots on them with inverted back nuts on the inside. Makes transfering and bottling a breeze.

 

[birvine]

I don't use hop bags. The hops settle out of the fermenter.

B

 

[drathbone]

As a personal preference, I strain my wort going into primary.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

As a personal preference, I strain my wort going into primary.

Me too. But I never use hop bags. Tried it once, what f'n PITA. the hops will settle out quite quickly in the fermenter.

 

[Jamminjoenapo]

I have used the muslin bag that comes with kits lately to put the hops in (grains in a nylon bag). It keeps most of the hops in the bags, but the rest is strained when I pour into the primary.