Hop Socks

[Fermented]

Hello!

Potentially stupid question, so [flame suit on]...

I've been happily hopping but just chucking the lot into the fermenter after the boil without straining but am getting occasional clogs on bottling and sometimes some hop particulate in the bottles which I would prefer to avoid just for the sake of a little finesse. Therefore, I guess a hop sock is called for. Maybe.

How is a hop sock used? Is it only for late hopping / dry hopping? Or is it OK to use one for a conventional hopping schedule (i.e. add hops to sock at 60/30/20/15/0 mins)?

Is there a home-made version that works well? Yes, I'm handy with a sewing machine and overlocker (had to teach my wife), so can make it if I know what to make it from. Otherwise, what commercial kind works well?

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[mwd]

I have a real hopsock actually it is a pair of freebie socks from Singapore Airlines not the purple ones.

Some kind of manmade fibre not sure what boiled before use. Stick the hop pellets in tie a knot in the end and chuck in the pan for the boil. The flameouts I just toss in the pan.

 

[peas_and_corn]

I used a hopsock from Ross in the boil. If you want to us esome sort of sock for dry hopping, many members here in the past have recommended using stockings- just make sure they are boiled up first, and are new.

 

[Bribie G]

I must admit I was a bit reluctant to use a hopsock when I bought my urn.... boil free oh little hop flowers... but I didn't want to clog the somewhat skinny tap in the urn so got a large hopsock from Ross. It worked just fine and the spent hops in the sock afterwards were good an' spent.

I hoist mine on the same cord as was used by the BIAB bag and this avoids it touching the element and maybe melting. As you can see it's quite a robust and structured thing, not like the floppy item I had imagined.

 

[Supra-Jim]

+1 for pre-boiled cheap stockings. Just tie a knot in em and throw em in!

 

[Kleiny]

I suggest buying a couple of tea balls they contain the hops when dry hopping

all other additions i find the bulk of stays in the kettle and the rest settle out in the trub, but then again when i dry hop i just let it settle for a week or two in the fermenter and have not had any trouble with floaties.

It also helps if you can use some hop plugs or flowers as well as pellets in the kettle they act as a screen

Bring on Brew Santa
Kleiny

 

[cdbrown]

My last brew was very hoppy, but only through the boil - I chucked the lot into the fermenter without straining so lots of chunks. After ferment had finished I crash chilled for a few days. Transferred to a spare fermenter with gelatine to help drop the particulates and get it off the hoppy yeasty trub. Another day or so added polyclar to drop what's left before transferring to bottles and kegs. If you slightly tip the fermenter back this should keep the chunks away from the tap.

 

[Fermented]

Thanks for the hints fellas. Greatly appreciated!

Cheers - Fermented.

 

[warra48]

I don't want to start a new thread, so I'll resurrect this one.

I have some of the Swiss Voile used by the BIAB brewers to contain their grain. I was thinking of asking mrs warra to make me a hop sock for use in the boil, but I'd prefer not to use it in the boil if I can avoid it. It just makes it difficult with my immersion chiller.

Instead, is there any reason why I should not sanitise the sock in the boil for about 10 minutes or so, and then fit it into the fermenter as I drain the kettle?
It should then collect any trub and hops which find their way through the ball valve and into the fermenter, allowing me to remove the sock once the kettle is drained.

 

[Scruffy]

Hi Warra,

This is now my only use for the hop sock - it's the large one from Ross's emporium...

I tried using it a few times, but got shocking efficiency IBU wise (especially with 100g+ IPA's - I use beersmith to work out bittering - with the sock I can be up to 20 points out), now I just bung whatever, pellets, flowers, twigs etc into the boil, loose, and let the sock strain what doesn't whirlpool when transferring into the fermenter.

The swiss voile is ideal for straining - two layers...

 

[warra48]

Thanks Scruffy.
That's what I'll do then.

Interesting on the two layers. Should not be a problem.

 

[Ivan Other One]

My last brew was very hoppy, but only through the boil - I chucked the lot into the fermenter without straining so lots of chunks. After ferment had finished I crash chilled for a few days. Transferred to a spare fermenter with gelatine to help drop the particulates and get it off the hoppy yeasty trub. Another day or so added polyclar to drop what's left before transferring to bottles and kegs. If you slightly tip the fermenter back this should keep the chunks away from the tap.

+1
This method works very well with the fermented wort chilled to 10C or a bit less, then racked to secondary and kept cool for three days before kegged. have not used or feel the need to use polyclar as yet. The result has always been very clear beer with no hop bits at all in the beer.