Straining Loose Hops after Wort Boil?

[ChoochNW]

What method/equipment do you guys use to strain the loose hops in your wort when transfering to your primary (I am using whole hops not pellets)? Been using grain bags to hold the hops but read that its better to just dump the hops in the wort. (the hops have been packed into the bags fairly tight)

I have a 15.5 Gallon Keg as a boil Kettle, it has a drain spout with a dip tube on it.

 

[Bigeb]

Just dump it all in. It'll settle in the trub.

 

[BendBrewer]

Add a False Bottom. The hops collapse onto that and make a great filter for the trub.

 

[ChoochNW]

Dumping just won't work since I'm using a converted Keg. The lip on the top of the keg makes it hard/messy to dump the wort into the primary.

 

[ChoochNW]

Thanks Bend....thought about the false bottom. Was hoping there was something cheaper/simpler than the FB.

 

[ChshreCat]

I just pour through a large kitchen strainer. Catches all the big stuff and aerates really well at the same time.

 

[BendBrewer]

Thanks Bend....thought about the false bottom. Was hoping there was something cheaper/simpler than the FB.

I have thought that a copper manifold might work too. It would be cheaper but I don't know if as much trub would be filtered.

The first time I cleaned the fermenters after brewing a batch with the FB installed, I actually thought something was wrong. My yeast cake was only about 1/4" thick. Almost pure white. It was all yeast. Virtually no trub to speak of. It's been that way with every batch since.

 

[bmantzey]

I use those hops balls and I about popped my lid when I went to put the flavor hops into the boil and the damn thing popped open, spilling my pellet hops all into my brew. It's good to know that it's not such a big deal, but I learned that you can skim the majority of that off the top of the wort as it's boiling. I might consider not using the balls next time, but I wouldn't be comfortable leaving the hops in the wort through the weeks of fermentation.

I think most of the hops will float to the top of the boil, making it easy to skim them off with a strainer.

 

[HawksBrewer]

I've left pellet hops in the wort on multiple occasions (didn't feel like sanitizing a strainer...) and have never had an issue. I ass-u-me that it just settles in the trub but who am I to know for sure.

 

[ChoochNW]

I think most of the hops will float to the top of the boil, making it easy to skim them off with a strainer.

I had the opposite experience, almost all of my hops sank to the bottom of my wort.

Also I am using whole leaf hops, not pellets.

 

[bmantzey]

I had the opposite experience, almost all of my hops sank to the bottom of my wort.

Makes me wonder if some hops are more floaty than others. lol

 

[beeber]

Get a fine mesh strainer with a handle. You'll need to fish them out and make several passes to get the majority.

 

[ChoochNW]

Anyone ever try using any type of mesh strainer over the dip tube to keep it out, or will that just get clogged as well?

 

[beeber]

Chooch, that would clog quickly.

 

[ChoochNW]

Chooch, that would clog quickly.

Thanks for all the beta! Sounds like a strainer with a long handle is the call.

 

[HiGravShawn]

I use something like this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/diy-hopstopper-68960/#post711331 and it has worked wonders. I love it. Just make sure your bag is big enough to let them move around with the boil. I bought a wine mesh bag.

 

[ChoochNW]

I use something like this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/diy-hopstopper-68960/#post711331 and it has worked wonders. I love it. Just make sure your bag is big enough to let them move around with the boil. I bought a wine mesh bag.

I dig that setup....got a new weekend project!