Using Muslin bags for Hops

[Gusmedic]

With my first batch two weeks in the fermenter, I wanted to ask an opinion on my technique. All of my hops additions were placed in Muslim bags during the boil. I was able to pour the full volume into my fermenter because there was next to nothing left behind. My question is, do many people do this? Will I get good hops utilization with this method? It certainly made it easy to dump all the wort in to the fermenter.
On a different note, I built my own wort chiller last night and I was curious how people stir in their late addition LME or hops when the wort chiller is hanging out in your BK for the last 10-15 min.
Thanks!

 

[CJ-3]

I use the bags as well and have not had an issue yet.

As for the wort chiller, I typically pour to the center of the pot and stir quickly to avoid burning anything. You may find this works well, but I am sure others will have different ways to do it which work just as well or better.

 

[scottballz]

I have had mixed results with Hops bags. I feel like I don't get very good results with them. I especially have had bad results with dry hopping using them. I'm sure it is probably a surface area issue. That is just my opinion of course. The best thing to do is brew two of the exact same batches, one using bags and another with out. This way you can form your own opinion and decide for yourself.

 

[Natdavis777]

I used to use pantyhose for my hops but have since abandoned that method due to my SS hopspider. I felt I got less utilization when I bagged my hops opposed to just throwing them in. I dont think I was allowing enough room for expansion, especially seeing how much hop material I have at the end of the boil in my spider.

 

[chickypad]

+1 to a hop spider so you can use a big bag and the hops can flow pretty loose. Here's my version with a 5 gal paint strainer bag, just a few bucks in parts.

 

[oljimmy]

I will never use pantyhose again... I think I lost 15-ish IBUs worth of bitterness in a recent IPA, and the dry hop aroma was definitely muted. What I now do is this: I add hop pellets whole at both stages. Then, I cold crash to get as much material to the bottom of the fermenter as possible.

Then, when racking to the bottling bucket, I clip a large-ish sanitized pant strainer bag to the inside of the bucket and place the hose directly into that bag. This ensures that hop material is caught by the bag, and it doesn't involve pantyhose over the racking cane or hose, which in my experience results in immediate and annoying clogging.

Hop spiders look nice, but really... why NOT let the pellets have full utilization if you can? That's my thinking anyway.

 

[Calder]

Why are you placing the immersion cooler and the LME into the wort while you are still boiling?

Add the late LME at flame out. No risk of scorching, and it will help with cooling the wort. Then after stirring in the LME, put the cooler into the pot and place the lid on as best as you can. You will still be well above pasteurization temperature. Use a thermometer to check next time to make you feel better about it. I doubt you will get below 180 F. Pasteurization takes about 5 seconds at 160 F, and 20 minutes at 140 F.

AS for the hop bag - it's a personal thing. I've used bags, I've used spiders, and I think letting the hops swim free is the easiest, and best way to do it. I do filter when pouring into the fermenter. I use a large funnel with a paint straining bag in the funnel, as I use small mouthed fermenters. With a bucket, you can just place the strainer in/around the bucket (5 gallon paint straining bag) and after the wort is in the bucket, you can just pull the bag out.

 

[oakbarn]

We use bags. Could we possibly use less hops if they were "free"? Maybe, but for a couple of bucks I like the clean up with the bags. Do you like the beer? If so, then you are doing the right thing. Personal Choice.


If you are unsure, make three batches. One with bags, one with a spider and one "free". Not sure if your could tell the difference (at least in my experience).

BTW: We did destroy a March pump when we added Fresh Hops without a bag. It trashed the pump because it clogged the intake and now the pump no longer works correctly even though we cleaned it out (It works then stops then starts then stops).

If you want really Aroma and Flavor, use Fresh Hops with a Blickmann Hop Rocket!

 

[AkBrew907]

+1 to a hop spider so you can use a big bag and the hops can flow pretty loose. Here's my version with a 5 gal paint strainer bag, just a few bucks in parts.

Love this forum. Every time I have a question or thought someone on here has already asked it and come up with a simple solution.

Will be doing this next batch

 

[chickypad]

Hop spiders look nice, but really... why NOT let the pellets have full utilization if you can? That's my thinking anyway.

As was mentioned, personal choice. You've got your pain strainer bag in the bucket, I'm pumping directly into my conical with no filtering. If I'm not going to harvest yeast and/or on lower hopped beers than yeah I may just dump them in and hope they don't clog the pump. Otherwise the spider is quick and easy for me and as long as the bag is big enough it doesn't seem to affect utilization.

 

[unionrdr]

To toss in my 2C, I quit using hop sacks in the boil. Adding hop additions in the boil loosely gives them a bit more edge, to describe it as best I can. As for dry hopping, I like to use clean, sanitized hop sacks to keep the hop bits from glogging spigots, etc. But the muslin (not muslim, we aren't drowning muslims here!) hop socks are hard to clean quickly. I have to soak'em in PBW for a week, then soak to rinse, the dry. I'm going to start looking for nylon hop socks, as my nylon grain bag (biab) cleans quickly & being nylon, is easier to sanitize. It doesn't need time to soak up the sanitizer like muslin does. Sanitizing them is the problem in my view.

 

[Natdavis777]

BTW: We did destroy a March pump when we added Fresh Hops without a bag. It trashed the pump because it clogged the intake and now the pump no longer works correctly even though we cleaned it out (It works then stops then starts then stops).

Another reason I quit free tossing in hops. I recirc through my plate chiller and whirlpool arm and I clogged my chiller pretty good. Took some baking and a lot of cleaning to get that thing clear again.

 

[oljimmy]

As was mentioned, personal choice. You've got your pain strainer bag in the bucket, I'm pumping directly into my conical with no filtering. If I'm not going to harvest yeast and/or on lower hopped beers than yeah I may just dump them in and hope they don't clog the pump. Otherwise the spider is quick and easy for me and as long as the bag is big enough it doesn't seem to affect utilization.

Right, with a big enough bag on the hop spider, surely there's not much difference. Totally agree, and not bashing that personal choice at all. However, there's still the dry-hop issue, and spiders cost money and resources, adding a contraption to the boil that can get in the way of chillers/etc. A $2.49 bag in a bucket/keg solves the whole issue, IMHO.