Whole Hops vs. Pellets

[-Dan-]

During today's car ride I was thinking... I have always bought whole hops so far but thinking about buying pellets one of these days for the first time. Is there any difference between 1oz of whole hops and 1oz of pellets? I assume it's the same but I just wan't to make sure.

Thanks

 

[Beerrific]

In general you would use about 10% less pellet than whole. The 'pelleting' process allow the hops to be utilized better in the boil.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

What Beerrific says is exactly right.

However, I find that substituting them on a one-for-one basis makes little discernible difference, so that's what I do.

 

[-Dan-]

Thanks guys

 

[Rook]

As an aside, for brewing, I greatly prefer pellet hops, much easier for cleanup at the end of the brew session.

 

[Jim Karr]

According to the "Practical Brewer" from the MBAA, (and my edition is circa 1977), most big breweries are leaning toward pellets also. The "hop strainer" as a piece of equipment in the process was already then being phased out.

Pellets may go into more BMC than we know!

 

[feedthebear]

I noticed a lot more sediment in my bottles when I was using pellets.

As an aside, for brewing, I greatly prefer pellet hops, much easier for cleanup at the end of the brew session.

I prefer whole hops for exactly the same reason. I guess it depends on whether you prefer to clean up the flowers or the trub.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

What about plugs?

 

[feedthebear]

I've only used plugs once. I didn't notice any difference from my whole hops.

 

[RedSun]

What I've noticed is that whole hops gobble up a ton of liquid. The pellets really do seem to be lower quality. Break em up and it looks like the leftover stems. I try to use plugs whenever I can, more convenient than whole and better quality. Again, could be my imagination.

 

[bradsul]

What I've noticed is that whole hops gobble up a ton of liquid. The pellets really do seem to be lower quality. Break em up and it looks like the leftover stems. I try to use plugs whenever I can, more convenient than whole and better quality. Again, could be my imagination.

Pellet hops are simply leaf hops that have been shredded and pressed into a pellet. You get all the same plant material.

 

[Beerrific]

Many may argue that pellets are of better quality (in general) than whole. I believe many if not most micro/craft brewers use pellet.

What about plugs?

Plugs are whole hops that are compressed (not shredded as in pellets). The compressed nature makes them easier to handle especially if you are trying to get them into a carboy.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Now im confused- When would you ever want hops in your carboy?

 

[Beerrific]

Now im confused- When would you ever want hops in your carboy?

When you are dry hopping.

 

[ScoutMan]

I prefer whole hops for exactly the same reason. I guess it depends on whether you prefer to clean up the flowers or the trub.

I just used whole hops for the first time in my last two batches. I found them much easier to clean/strain and am hoping to produce a more clear product in the end

 

[MikeFlynn74]

dry hopping-

I gotta read up on that

 

[Beerrific]

dry hopping-

I gotta read up on that

At the bottom of the page: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-1.html

 

[feedthebear]

I'll second that whole hops suck up a lot of water. I seem to loose 1/2 a gallon wort per ounce of whole hops.

 

[RedSun]

The folk at my LHBS definitely provide differing information on hop types. I use what's easiest and at this stage, available. Store already raised prices and has limited supplies.

I use a hop bag to hold back a lot of the hop particulate, works well. May be a little less utilization, but I let is swing free in the pot as much as it can.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

Beerific

Wow- Thanks Ive gotta try that

 

[Poindexter]

I noticed a lot more sediment in my bottles when I was using pellets.

+1 I did not notice this myself, but once it was pointed out I realized it is true for me also.

 

[brewt00l]

If you are getting more sediment in your bottles w/ pellets then you are not letting your beer sit long enough to clear or you're grabbing debris when racking.

I use both pellet and whole leaf depending and there is no difference in my bottle sediment.

 

[mikeyc]

I just bottled my Stone IPA clone which was dry hopped with 1oz of centennial pellets. I have a lot of sediment in my bottles too. But I believe it was sucked up while racking to the bottling bucket. If I dry hop with pellets in the future, I will definately use some sort of hop bag, to place the hops in.

 

[cubbies]

I just bottled my Stone IPA clone which was dry hopped with 1oz of centennial pellets. I have a lot of sediment in my bottles too. But I believe it was sucked up while racking to the bottling bucket. If I dry hop with pellets in the future, I will definately use some sort of hop bag, to place the hops in.

You could cold condition too. I recently dry hopped an IPA and with a 3 day trip to the chill chest, the beer was clear into the keg. No particulate whatsoever.

 

[CBBaron]

I just bottled my Stone IPA clone which was dry hopped with 1oz of centennial pellets. I have a lot of sediment in my bottles too. But I believe it was sucked up while racking to the bottling bucket. If I dry hop with pellets in the future, I will definately use some sort of hop bag, to place the hops in.

What I have been doing recently is dry hopping in the primary after about day 5. I leave the beer on the hops 10-14 days then transfer for a couple week secondary to give it more time to clear. This minimizes the trub pulled into the bottling bucket. The beers may be a little clearer than dry hopping in the secondary but I no longer get the one or two bottles with hop matter in them.
Craig

 

[DutchK9]

My father-in-law just told me he had some hops growing on his farm. He just grew them, but doesn't brew beer. He brought over a 2 gallon ziplock bag full of Cascade hops. When people say 10% less pellet than whole, what exactly does that mean? If a recipie calls for 2oz of hops, should I be using 2.2oz of whole?

 

[DutchK9]

I changed my search and found the answer. Disregard.

 

[rnrchemnerd]

I also use exclusively whole hops. They are a lot easier to strain out of the wort...I just plan on losing ~1/2 gallon of wort each time. Which is fine, because I make 1/2 gallon yeast starters and just chuck the whole thing in at the end. No fuss, no loss.

 

[Bob]

Right on, rnchemnerd! If you think ahead, you can always plan for the liquor lost in the whole hops. I find I prefer whole hops, because they make a nice filter bed for break materials. Less trub gets into the primary.

Cheers,

Bob