Hop bags? Do you use them?

[linusstick]

I've never used hop bags before. I always just tossed the pellets into the boil because I felt that putting them in a bag wouldn't get all the flavor/aroma out of them. My first batch in 4 years was just bottled (a dry hopped APA) and I'm wondering if there is a benefit of using hop bags. I had a lot of hops floating in the beer (which I don't mind but others might) and was wondering if using hop bags would still give a good flavor and aroma but eliminate the debris?

 

[ReefkprZ]

I use bags on whole leaf, as well as pellets when I dry hop (I also use a metal spice ball with a muslin bag around it for dry hopping), just to help eliminate debris in my secondary when I use one (rarely). I just make sure its all really loose not wrapped tight.if you have it compacted into a ball you may lose effectiveness, but loosely in a bag your not going to see a significant difference.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I never bag hops, I simply try to leave them behind in the fermenter, if not they always settle out in the keg after a few pours. With enough time everthing settles for a nice clean brew.

 

[ryandlf]

I don't use bags either but not for any reason other than I don't feel like buying them. They do make cleanup a breeze. Just tie the bag off loosely so the hops aren't all compacted together.

 

[tchuklobrau]

I just started using hop bags. I believe i get a little more finished beer w/o the hops going into my fermenter.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm finding that the hop bags keep most all (at least 95%) of the grainy debris in the bag. It's clearing up very nicely after the first week in bottles. The bags are really cheap (I think they were 75c each),& quick-n-easy to clean.
I make a 1-loop not in the very end of the bag to allow plenty of expansion room for the pellets. They'll need it,as 1oz of pellets expands to about the mass of a baseball. After plucking the bag out of the kettle/fermenter & allowing to drain,just un-knot the bag,& turn it inside out into a small bowl. You can then hold it with tongs under the hot water faucet to rinse. I've even boiled 1/2-3/4L of water in a small saucepan to boil it clean in a minute or two.
Then squeeze it out,& hang up to dry. I just hang it from the clamp on my desk lamp.

 

[glenn514]

I have used hop bags since my first batch. My beers always clear very well, even before bottling. I have not noticed any reduced flavor of hops in the batches, and find it very convenient to simply empty the hops into my compost bucket for later placement in the compost bin outdoors.

glenn514

 

[Golddiggie]

I've used both nylon and muslin bags for hops. I like the nylon better for containing the debris, and the muslin better for cleanup after the boil. I've used muslin bags for the past two batches, but I think I'm going to switch back to the nylon bags.

I like the nylon better, also, since you get more of the hop into the brew. With the muslin bags, you lose the fine dust out of the mesh before you put the hops in. Sure, cleanup is a bit easier with the muslin, since you can just toss the entire thing out (once you make sure you get the last of the wort out of them). I just like being able to reuse the nylon bags over and over again. I usually secure the nylon bags to the kettle handle, so it makes it easier to get them out of the brew before getting it into the fermenter.

Using either type of bag will reduce the trub either in the bottom of the kettle, or going into the fermenter. I call that a really good thing. I've not noticed any issue with hop utilization in my brews. Although I prefer less hop bitterness in mine anyway.

 

[Seven]

Hopbagger here.

 

[rjwhite41]

There's more than one way to limit debris in your fermenter. I just siphon from my BK leaving all debris and break material behind. Very little trub and very clear beer. You can also cold crash to get it all nice and compact at the bottom if you just pour it all in. I haven't used a bag in a decade. To the guy who said he's used bags since day one and hasn't noticed any decreased utilization: I would think that if you have only done it one way you wouldn't notice any difference and it's entirely possible that your beers would clear just as well if you dumped them straight in. Hard to know if you never try it both ways.

 

[Golddiggie]

I didn't bag the hops in my first few batches... Haven't noticed any difference between those, and ones where I did bag the hops. Of course, I'm NOT brewing high IBU brews... It might be more noticeable if you're brewing a IIPA, than a pale ale, or other moderate IBU brew.

I am planning on dry hopping the brew that's in primary right now (started just over two weeks ago), in about a week (for ~7 days)... I plan to leave the hops loose in the brew (using whole hops)...

I don't siphon, or pour my wort into primary anymore... Since fitting the kettle with it's ball valve, that's become the method of choice for getting wort out. I probably could just stop once I hit the trub, watching the tubing so that I stop soon enough. But with the hop bags, it's not necessary.

Either way, I don't think there's a wrong way to put the hops into the boiling wort. IF you notice lower utilization of hops in your brews, compensate, or change your method to offset. Pretty easy... Regardless, 99.99% chance we're still making better brew that most people buy.

 

[curlyfat]

I've gone back and forth, but the last couple years I've used muslin bags religiously. I have a bazooka screen for my kettle, but it always clogs, even with whole hops (which is what I use almost exclusively). Since I run through a plate chiller into the fermenter, I need to make sure no hop particles get through. At flame-out, I pull the bag(s) out with a pair of sanitized tongs, and hang them over my stirring spoon set across the top of the pot to drain. Then I just toss 'em out. Makes clean-up a little easier.

 

[rjwhite41]

I don't have a valve on BK. I would probably use bags if I did. I also use an immersion chiller. As a lot of things in this hobby, it all depends on your system and procedures.

 

[dunnright00]

I've never bagged my hops, until this last batch. I made a Light lager and a Scwarzbier and I wanted them both to be as clear as possible.

I used the BIAB method, and after I sparged I simply cleaned out the bag (a large nylon paint strainer) and added the hops. Since I didn't want the bag to get scorched on the bottom of the pot I came up with this.:

http://dunnspace.blogspot.com/2011/03/brew-weekend-re-cap.html

 

[Golddiggie]

I don't have a valve on BK. I would probably use bags if I did. I also use an immersion chiller. As a lot of things in this hobby, it all depends on your system and procedures.

I use an IC too... The ball valve makes draining the kettle/pot so much easier... Next time I do it, I'll have to remember to time it... I know it was well under 2 minutes to drain about 5-1/4 gallons out into primary. Most likely closer to 1 minute. Much better than the times I used the auto-siphon to transfer. Or when I was scooping out of the pot and pouring through the funnel (I use carboys, not buckets)... Just one less thing to clean on brew day this way. :rockin:

 

[rjwhite41]

I use an IC too... The ball valve makes draining the kettle/pot so much easier... Next time I do it, I'll have to remember to time it... I know it was well under 2 minutes to drain about 5-1/4 gallons out into primary. Most likely closer to 1 minute. Much better than the times I used the auto-siphon to transfer. Or when I was scooping out of the pot and pouring through the funnel (I use carboys, not buckets)... Just one less thing to clean on brew day this way. :rockin:

Yeah I wish I had a valve but I have to go with what I have for now. I've thought about installing one on my current BK but I want to get a keggle setup this year and go to 10 gallon batches.

 

[Spartan1979]

I dry hop in the keg, so I use muslin hop bags, and just throw them away when done. I got tired of smelling all that great hop aroma escaping the fermenter so I'm thinking that by dry hopping in the keg, I'm keeping all that aroma in the beer.

Until last night, I didn't sanitize the bag, I just added the hops, a couple of sanitize SS nuts and dropped it in. I figure the bag is probably cleaner than the hops. Last night, I soaked the bag in Star San before adding the hops. I just started using Star San, so it seemed like the thing to do.

 

[Teromous]

I used to use them but don't any longer. It's just an extra thing to fuss with and it's much easier for me to just spray out my kettle at the end of a session.

 

[Xalwine]

Until last night, I didn't sanitize the bag, I just added the hops, a couple of sanitize SS nuts and dropped it in. I figure the bag is probably cleaner than the hops. Last night, I soaked the bag in Star San before adding the hops. I just started using Star San, so it seemed like the thing to do.

My rule is, if it's going to be boiled, you don't need to sanitize it. Make sure it's clean, sure. But you don't need to go crazy. The boil will take care of that.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I first used hop bags. I felt like the utilization was low...maybe I was tying them too tight.

I now use a hop filter: http://billybrew.com/hop-filter-build

Problem with the hop filter is that it needs cleaning. The paint strainer bag gets kinda nasty with pellet hop debris. For a few brews, I would just inside-out it to dump the hops into the trash can, then spray it down with my kitchen sprayer and get most of it off. After my last brew (5oz of pellets), I had to remove the paint strainer bag and soak it separately from the unit...it's not that bad though. I definitely prefer it over hop bags.

 

[Slowfro]

Using my current setup I don't use bags at all. Turkey fryer with hop pellets, I just throw them in; and with dry hopping also just put them right in the carboy. I'll swirl the carboy every now and again to help them settle to the bottom before filling.

This winter I had a huge craigslist score and picked up a single tier 3-keggle system but haven't used it yet. When I fire that up I plan to make a hop spider because the guy I bought it from had tons of leaf hops that I'll use up first and don't want to mess around with clogging any wort transfer from the BK to plate chiller.

 

[Spartan1979]

My rule is, if it's going to be boiled, you don't need to sanitize it. Make sure it's clean, sure. But you don't need to go crazy. The boil will take care of that.

I was talking about dry hopping.

 

[Xalwine]

I was talking about dry hopping.

Doh!

 

[Surface_Tension]

I used to mess with bags, but now I just dump in boil kettle. Whatever makes it into the primary is heavier than the yeast and will settle out anyway. Much less fuss.

 

[jbrookeiv]

I do.

 

[Paulasaurus]

No bags for me. I like knowing that the hops can run free in the boil kettle or dry hop. I plan accordingly in the boil and leave most hop and break material behind at the bottom of the keggle and most of the hops settle at the end of a 7-10 day dry hop with minimal swirling of the better bottle. I do however rack from dry hop to keg/bottling bucket using a paint strainer bag over the racking cane and that does the trick for me.