Hop Sock - Who Uses One?

[bradsbrew]

Has anyone else experienced an increase in hop utilisation from a hop sock? I used one two days ago and i have a feeling that i will observe a decrease due simply to the fact the hops appear restricted in the sock and not at the full mercy of the rolling boil.

Cheers

Think he was reffering to residue left in sock after three years of use adds 5 ibu, I took it as tongue in cheek.

The reason i stopped using a hop sock was i believed I was not getting the best out of my hops due to compacting in the sock and not have them roll around in the boil or late ones not getting to sit in the whirlpool. I know my way is probably not the way it should be done but after over 80 probably alot more ag brews I have found this works for me and most of my beers turn out the way I like them. When I dry hop in the fermenter they just get dumped straight in as I find cold crashing for a week or so gets them to drop to the bottom with the yeast and it drains to the kegs clear and clean. Probably should add that I avoid dry hopping with flowers.

Cheers Brad

 

[Phoney]

Im finding more and more at the end of the boil, I hoist up the hop bag (250 micron) and it takes a good 5 - 10 mins of scrubbing down the inside walls with a spoon to get the liquid out of the thing.

Is there anyway to clean a hopsock to clear out the holes? Or should I chuck it & buy a new one?

 

[scrumpy]

I have not use a hop sock for my past 5 of so brews and have found next to no diff in my wort going into the fermenter. I simply chill the wort with my immersion chiller when cool i remove then whirlpool and let sit for a good 10 or so min. When i open the ball valve on the kettle i collect the first 200 or so ml and discard the rest of the run off is clear as glass.


I will be making a bold Amaerican IPA this week with 200 or so gms of pellets so this may put my method to the test but if I end up with to many debris I'll rack into secondary once every thing has settled.

 

[felten]

Im finding more and more at the end of the boil, I hoist up the hop bag (250 micron) and it takes a good 5 - 10 mins of scrubbing down the inside walls with a spoon to get the liquid out of the thing.

Is there anyway to clean a hopsock to clear out the holes? Or should I chuck it & buy a new one?

sodium percarbonate soak not doing any good?

 

[MHB]

Hop Sock I take to mean for use in the kettle, quite different to using a T-bag or stocking in the fermenter or keg. The OP was specifically referring to in kettle use.

The merits of T-bagging is a different conversation, perhaps better kept for a different thread, if we dont have enough of them on AHB already.

MHB

 

[goomboogo]

The merits of T-bagging is a different conversation, perhaps better kept for a different thread, if we dont have enough of them on AHB already.

MHB

It may even be more appropriate in another forum altogether.

 

[winkle]

Hop Sock I take to mean for use in the kettle, quite different to using a T-bag or stocking in the fermenter or keg. The OP was specifically referring to in kettle use.

The merits of T-bagging is a different conversation, perhaps better kept for a different thread, if we dont have enough of them on AHB already.

MHB

I assume a 5% approximate loss in hop utilisation using a 500 micro sock, but I'll try the chuck it all in method next brewday (just to keep Brad happy). A sock is handy if you are chucking in odd stuff like orange peel and the like though.

 

[TidalPete]

I assume a 5% approximate loss in hop utilisation using a 500 micro sock, but I'll try the chuck it all in method next brewday (just to keep Brad happy). A sock is handy if you are chucking in odd stuff like orange peel and the like though.

I allow for a 10% loss to my 250 micron hopsock that's currently soaking in caustic in a final attempt to clear the blocked holes of the crud from 130+ brewdays. If that fails I'll start using the 500 micron that's awaiting deployment.
Have tried doing without a hopsock but find that the filter on my pickup tube seems to block more easily without it. I only use pellets with ocassional plugs for the aroma addition at flameout.
:icon_offtopic:
Just noticed the first non- brew related ads on AHB & not keen on them at all.

TP

 

[jyo]

No hop sock here.
When I first started AG'ing I read so much about different methods that it was very overwhelming (use a hopsock, don't use a hopsock, no-chill is bad, no-chill is good etc etc.) It was through lack of funds and wanting to just get my first brew under my belt that I chucked the hops in loose without a hopsock and prepared myself for the possible aftermath...
I've never had a problem with kettle hops getting into my kegs or bottles- I found that letting the wort settle after flameout (to allow most convection to cease) and then getting a kick arse whirlpool going resulted in all debris in the middle of the kettle. Then rack to a cube with nice, clear wort.
However, when doing a 10IPA with 180 plus gms of hops, there is so bloody much in the kettle that forming a stable cone with a whirlpool is a bit difficult...
Dry hopping for me is another story. Sometimes it all floccs out, other times I get a little when transferring to keg. Once it settles, it's all in the bottom of the keg anyway, so no dramas.
My 2c.
Cheers, John.

 

[Fantoman]

I use one on occasion here... When using Pellets I don't bother anymore since putting a pickup tube in my urn, but when using flowers I find I need to use the hopsock... Have had the tap block up every time i've tried using flowers without the hopsock so now always use it when using flowers.

Trying to get a hop flower unstuck from the middle of the urn tap with close to 30 litres of near boiling wort in there isn't easy and has resulted in much frustration! :blink:

 

[DU99]

i use large mesh baskets from T2,and also use wire strainer as i pour into fermenter..

 

[hoohaaman]

They do reduce the utilisation of your hops; have seen various figures but generally in the order of 10-15%.

Link please

 

[Hatchy]

I've got 2 & haven't used either for ages. A whole heap of flowers blocked the pickup tube yesterday so next time I use flowers I'll put a stainless scourer on the end of the pickup tube.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

No hop sock here.
When I first started AG'ing I read so much about different methods that it was very overwhelming (use a hopsock, don't use a hopsock, no-chill is bad, no-chill is good etc etc.) It was through lack of funds and wanting to just get my first brew under my belt that I chucked the hops in loose without a hopsock and prepared myself for the possible aftermath...
I've never had a problem with kettle hops getting into my kegs or bottles- I found that letting the wort settle after flameout (to allow most convection to cease) and then getting a kick arse whirlpool going resulted in all debris in the middle of the kettle. Then rack to a cube with nice, clear wort.
However, when doing a 10IPA with 180 plus gms of hops, there is so bloody much in the kettle that forming a stable cone with a whirlpool is a bit difficult...
Dry hopping for me is another story. Sometimes it all floccs out, other times I get a little when transferring to keg. Once it settles, it's all in the bottom of the keg anyway, so no dramas.
My 2c.
Cheers, John.

John
Some valid points raised. Usually if I am making a non Mo Fro based hopped beer I dont use a hop restraining devise but on the occasion that I do need one I use a Stainless Steel basket of about 10L volume. I for one do believe that you will loose hop utilisation if using a fine weave small size hop sock. Size does count :lol:
GB

 

[jyo]

John
Some valid points raised. Usually if I am making a non Mo Fro based hopped beer I dont use a hop restraining devise but on the occasion that I do need one I use a Stainless Steel basket of about 10L volume. I for one do believe that you will loose hop utilisation if using a fine weave small size hop sock. Size does count :lol:
GB

:icon_offtopic: What's wrong with a Mo Fro beer :beerbang:

So let the hops be more free, hey? What is this stainless basket you speak of?
Cheers.

 

[argon]

I only use the hopsock for when I use flowers or plugs. Being on the receiving ne if a stuck kettle pickup tube is a pain n the arse. Was thinking I'll give the full size biab bag a go when using flowers on the next batch... Couldn't hurt, could it?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

:icon_offtopic: What's wrong with a Mo Fro beer :beerbang:

So let the hops be more free, hey? What is this stainless basket you speak of?
Cheers.

Free-r the better ! I will show you the hop chastity belt next time you drop in, its a thing of beauty.
Let your hops hang commando.
GB

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

:icon_offtopic: What's wrong with a Mo Fro beer :beerbang:

So let the hops be more free, hey? What is this stainless basket you speak of?
Cheers.

Free-r the better ! I will show you the hop chastity belt next time you drop in, its a thing of beauty.
Let your hops hang commando.
GB

 

[rude]

Ok so utilisation is an issue thats obvious

Im a no chiller & want to go down the plate chiller path so you plate chillers out there what do you do?

Last no chill I tried my termimesh filter out in the kettle still yet to drink this one but I defeated this a bit by adding the aroma hops in the cube as I have allways put the lot in the fermenter.

If you go loose hops which I like you can allways rack off to get the wort off all the crud but how do you go cleaning you plate chiller its my biggest worry about the plate chiller purchase?

I suppose Ill just take the plunge & find my way

Also whirpooling sounds the go but I have hammered the centre of my kettle up with the pick up tube to the side so not ideal for whirpooling

So probably buy a 500 micron big hop sock & give it a go as I am also trying to get a clearer beer without fish gut & all the other stuff people use as I want my beer as natural as possible

Another thing Ide like to try is a filter but it seems Im getting lazier as my brew experience gets longer

 

[Greg Lawrence]

I borrowed a couple of hopsocks for a Doc inspired hop cleanout beer.
I was using 1kg of hops in a 35L batch so figured it would be a good idea to reduce the amount of hops left in the kettle.
I was planning on putting all the hops in the socks, but only got 200g in each bag before they started clogging up.
You could lift the hopsocks out of the kettle (full of wort) and only get a trickle comimg out of them. I dont imagine that I was getting too much utilisation out of those hops, so chucked the rest (600g) straight in the kettle.
Im not too sure if they were 250 or 500 micron, but either way I wont be using a sock again. Massive waste of time in my opinion.