Should I pull out my dryhop bag before bottling?

[the75]

I've got a muslin bag in my carboy with 9 ounces of hops in it. I'll be racking to my bottling bucket for bottling tomorrow & was thinking about pulling the bag out tonight so it doesn't get in the way of my racking cane when I go to transfer. It's probably going to be a tight squeeze, but figured I'd see what everyone else's experiences are before attempting it. Pull it out or rack around it?

 

[HawksBrewer]

If you used whole hops I'm going to ask the obvious question here. How in the name of Zeus' butthole did you get 9 ounces of hops into the carboy to begin with? I would rack and then remove the bag if I were you.

God I hope you used pellets.

 

[bob1006]

Holy crap, that's a lot of hops!

leave it in I guess.

 

[the75]

If you used whole hops I'm going to ask the obvious question here. How in the name of Zeus' butthole did you get 9 ounces of hops into the carboy to begin with? I would rack and then remove the bag if I were you.

God I hope you used pellets.

Haha, yes...pellets were used. It wasn't easy getting pellets in there either (because I forgot to use my funnel), but I did it.

 

[brewit2it]

Haha, yes...pellets were used. It wasn't easy getting pellets in there either (because I forgot to use my funnel), but I did it.

The volume of the pellets are going to be 2-3 times what they were dry, so I don't thing you are going to be able to pull that bag out without a lot of effort so would just leave them until your beer is safely in the bottles.

Now I have to ask, how would a funnel make it easier to have gotten 9 ozs of hops in a bag into your carboy?

 

[drives_a_bike]

If you used whole hops I'm going to ask the obvious question here. How in the name of Zeus' butthole did you get 9 ounces of hops into the carboy to begin with? I would rack and then remove the bag if I were you.

God I hope you used pellets.

HAHA! it can be done! On my first brew I added 3oz of whole leaf hops in a muslin back to my secondary. I had asked a buddy of mine who has been brewing for 10 years, how I get them all in there. His response was, "hold the bag in the carboy and then start shoving them in...It's a lot like fingering sausage into a butthole" his descriptions usually leave you feeling visually molested.

but yeah, I would leave the bag in. you're going to have to cut that thing to get them all out

 

[Calichusetts]

For me its impossible to get the bag out, too large for the hole (thats what she said!) I attach it to fishing line and pull it up almost out of the liquid...just so I can get my siphon in and not touching/sucking the bag

 

[neosapien]

9 ounces of dry hopping....holy hannah, that's bold.

 

[the75]

The volume of the pellets are going to be 2-3 times what they were dry, so I don't thing you are going to be able to pull that bag out without a lot of effort so would just leave them until your beer is safely in the bottles.

Now I have to ask, how would a funnel make it easier to have gotten 9 ozs of hops in a bag into your carboy?

Yeah, I thought about that. I don't think I would be able pull it out, but wanted to see if anyone has ever tried.
A funnel would have helped hold them above the carboy hole while I used my dewalt jackhammer to pound them in. Without the funnel, I could only use the lip of the muslin bag to keep the pellets in place prior to forcing those suckers in. I put the muslin bag in first, kept it open above the carboy, then poured the pellets in. After everything was in, I tied it, attached a fishing line & let it go.

 

[the75]

9 ounces of dry hopping....holy hannah, that's bold.

I know! The entire recipe had 17 ounces of hops & I was SOO tempted to save some and go lighter on the dryhop, but since it's my first ever brew & it's a clone, I figured I'd go for it. I love Maharaja...

 

[neosapien]

if you like maharaja, try St Arnold's Endeavor. similar, but i find it to be slightly more balanced. and it's blasted full of simcoe. how can you go wrong with simcoe!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

You realize that there is a limit to how much alpha ande beta acid can be isomerized into the wort, Don't you?

 

[the75]

You realize that there is a limit to how much alpha ande beta acid can be isomerized into the wort, Don't you?

Of this, I have heard tale! Don't tell that to the makers of the Maharaja kit though, they like selling all that hops.

 

[the75]

if you like maharaja, try St Arnold's Endeavor. similar, but i find it to be slightly more balanced. and it's blasted full of simcoe. how can you go wrong with simcoe!

I certainly will! Thanks for the recommend!