Hop Bag?

[RichLum]

Hi guys,

I have been using loose hop pellets and adding them to the fermenter with my brews so far.
Someone gave me a one of those packs of hops that are in teh little cloth bag.
I used that in my current batch and it has filled with air and is floating on the top in the fermenter.
When I use loose hop pellets they usually float at the top to begin with but then sink to the bottom after a few days of fermentation.

The hop bag has some yeast/krausen stuck around it.

Is the bag supposed to be floating or should it sink like the loose pellets?

Should I remove the bag at some stage before bulk priming or leave it?

thanks,
Rich

 

[Jovial_Monk]

leave the hop bag in untill you rack to bottling bucket--12g of hops is not a lot of dryhops!

Jovial Monk

 

[RichLum]

Thanks JM.
I didn't have any other of the same type of hops so just used the bag...

The kit was one of those new Wal's kits from the Country Brewer and it had hops floating in the can. Not sure what type though

Rich

 

[sluggerdog]

Slightly off above topic but to do with hop bags...

My question is, do many people use hop bags when doing AG or extract brews? I haven't in the past but was recommened to do so, putting each stage into a bag when boiling, then remove them all when you transfer into the fermentor.



Any thoughts or draw backs on this?

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Slightly off above topic but to do with hop bags...

My question is, do many people use hop bags when doing AG or extract brews?

[post="58881"][/post]​

Sluggerdog

I only do AG, and I don't see the point of hop bags. With the full boil you need to get the hops moving in the boiling wort. Also, at the end you whirlpool or in my case, use a manifold in the kettle to avoid the hop sludge.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[sluggerdog]

Thanks Pedro, the only thing with my AG's is I do not wirlpool or use a manifold as I am using a 20 litre pot at the moment which I tip into the fermentor.

I think I might throw in the boiling hops loose and bag the rest, atleast until I get some better equipment.

 

[big d]

once the wort is cooled sluggerdog why not pour it through a strainer placed over the top of your fermenter.this is the way i did it with grumpys partial kits.

cheers
d

 

[Gulf Brewery]

Sluggerdog

I think Big D's suggestion is a good one. The other thing to help (which you probably already do) is to let the wort sit for 10 or 15 minutes after the boil is finished, so the crud settles out. Then when you pour into the fermenter, leave the last litre behind.

Cheers
Pedro

 

[Jovial_Monk]

You can't stir the wort at all after the boil?

To make the straining easier, stir (if possible, and after placing pot in cooling bath if wanted) cover and let stand 60 minutes. Then smoothly move the pot to the fermenter and in one sustained smooth pour strain the wort into the fermenter through a sieve--the hops won't show up until right at the end. Very easy

Jovial Monk

 

[Ross]

I use hop bags & they work great, the bags are large enough to let the hops float freely & I get no noticable loss of bittering/flavour or aroma.
Makes life so much easier....

 

[sluggerdog]

I use hop bags & they work great, the bags are large enough to let the hops float freely & I get no noticable loss of bittering/flavour or aroma.
Makes life so much easier....

[post="58907"][/post]​

Yep I might try to sieve it. Sounds like an idea!

Ross, the only reason why i asked about this as the other day when I used a bag it seemed to float on top for the whole time and it got me a little worried.

Maybe my bag isn't big enough, I might try a bigger bag like yours, didn't think of that!

 

[Ross]

I use hop bags & they work great, the bags are large enough to let the hops float freely & I get no noticable loss of bittering/flavour or aroma.
Makes life so much easier....

[post="58907"][/post]​

Yep I might try to sieve it. Sounds like an idea!

Ross, the only reason why i asked about this as the other day when I used a bag it seemed to float on top for the whole time and it got me a little worried.

Maybe my bag isn't big enough, I might try a bigger bag like yours, didn't think of that!

[post="58928"][/post]​

Slugger,

I only use bags because it makes the whole process much easier with my set up - My drain hole from the boiler is dead centre & the hops would give me a nightmare if loose. I boil very close to the boiler limits & if FW hopping, I wouldn't be able to skim the brew if they were loose. Also I like having my yeast free of debris in the primary & this method ensures that & finally makes cleaning up that bit simpler as well - So as I see no drawbacks, it's the method for me...

 

[dickTed]

You could put something (stainless) in the bag with the hops to weigh it down.

Wouldn't use a lead sinker though.

 

[SJW]

I do all AG's and dont use a hop bag in the boil but have started using one in the primary fermenter. I did a Pilsner Urquell clone last week and even with 160g of Saaz, in the keg after the boil, with the aid of Whilfloc & a quick stir at the end of cooling i was able to leave 99% of the hops in the kettle. But what I do hate is using plugs in the kettle and fermenter so with the Pilsner i put 2 plugs in a hop bag with a marble. It went straight to the bottom and once the yeast fired up it came to the top then settled back down. So if you hate the mess of loose hop flowers floating around, use a hop bag & a marble. Works a treat.

STEPHEN.

 

[warrenlw63]

But what I do hate is using plugs in the kettle.

[post="58968"][/post]​

Second what SJW says. Happened to me a couple of years ago. Put 2 plugs of goldings into the boiler at strikeout.

One of the bastards lodged itself on the kettle outlet. Haven't used a plug in anger since. <_<

Wasn't a happy camper.

Warren -

 

[Sean]

But what I do hate is using plugs in the kettle.

[post="58968"][/post]​

Second what SJW says. Happened to me a couple of years ago. Put 2 plugs of goldings into the boiler at strikeout.

One of the bastards lodged itself on the kettle outlet. Haven't used a plug in anger since. <_<

Wasn't a happy camper.

Warren -

[post="58969"][/post]​

It always strikes me as the biggest difference in home & craft brewing between here and England. In England no-one would dream of using pellets in homebrewing and they are pretty rare in micro-breweries. They are seen as a nasty, big-brewery invention. But you do need either a false bottom in your kettle, or a proper hop-back combined with an unstopable way of draining your copper.

 

[Ross]

But what I do hate is using plugs in the kettle.

[post="58968"][/post]​

Second what SJW says. Happened to me a couple of years ago. Put 2 plugs of goldings into the boiler at strikeout.

One of the bastards lodged itself on the kettle outlet. Haven't used a plug in anger since. <_<

Wasn't a happy camper.

Warren -

[post="58969"][/post]​

It always strikes me as the biggest difference in home & craft brewing between here and England. In England no-one would dream of using pellets in homebrewing and they are pretty rare in micro-breweries. They are seen as a nasty, big-brewery invention. But you do need either a false bottom in your kettle, or a proper hop-back combined with an unstopable way of draining your copper.

[post="58977"][/post]​

or a hop bag