No Hop Sock Brewing

[The King of Spain]

I'm tempted to do my next brew without using a hop sock.

I would run my cooled wort through a steralised sock (250 Micron) at the end to filter out both hops and break.

Hardly a world beater I know, but I would like hear from the experience of other who may have done this.

Cheers

 

[troydo]

i never use a hop sock, i just whirl pool at the end, stir wort to create a whirl pool and then leave to sit for 5 mins when i come back all the gunk is in a pile in the middle of the kettele and i happily drain it off

 

[Jye]

I would run my cooled wort through a steralised sock (250 Micron) at the end to filter out both hops and break.

Im pretty sure Tony was the first brewer to use a hop sock and he used it for this purpose. Ive done it a few times with my home made one but it clogs with break material, I dont know if this will happen with 250um.

 

[crozdog]

Like troydo I have never used a hopsock & simply whirlpool.

I'd be worried about your sugggested approach due to clogging (like Jye suggests) but also the additional risk of HSA (if it exists h34r: ) caused by the splashing of the wort dripping through the sock

 

[PostModern]

I've recently taken to "brewing bareback" as well. Only when I use pellets exclusively tho. Flowers would block my pickup tube. I don't filter at all. Just boil, whirlpool (with more hops) and run into no-chill cubes. A good whirlpool and well placed pickup tube are all you need.

 

[floppinab]

I've recently taken to "brewing bareback" as well. Only when I use pellets exclusively tho. Flowers would block my pickup tube. I don't filter at all. Just boil, whirlpool (with more hops) and run into no-chill cubes. A good whirlpool and well placed pickup tube are all you need.

When you say well placed PoMo where exactly would that be. I recently fitted a pickup tube to my very wide kettle mainly because the tap was a long way off the bottom of the kettle and I had to tilt the kettle a long way to get that last 4 or 5 litres out. The copper tube does a U from the outlet of the tap and I've cut the end of the tube flat so it sits snugly against the bottom of the kettle. Will that go OK you reckon as I have not yet tried it out (maybe this weekend)????

 

[sluggerdog]

I used to use a hop sock but didn't like it so I don't use one anymore.

I only use pellets, if I use plugs/flowers I would probably use it again.

 

[troydo]

just need pickup tube near the edge.

i used flowers last time., i had only previously used pellets and a few shot into the no chill cube, but i just poured it through a kitchen strainer into the fermenter the next day and it caught it all, prob help aeration too

 

[The King of Spain]

Thanks guys. One last question, do you find that you leave more wort behind? I'm used to squeezing the hop bag out the end of the boil.

Cheers

 

[Adzmax]

Why do you not want to use a hop sock out of curiosity? Cleaning or are you looking for better hop utilization?

 

[sathid]

I poured my wort through a sanitized stainless steel sieve with my last brew. Did take a little while to filter through the 60g or so of hop pellets, and the resulting beer was a little hazy (probably due to dry hopping tho)

I sort of had the impression this was normal practice?

Will be going the hop-sock route for convenience next time.

 

[Pumpy]

I'm tempted to do my next brew without using a hop sock.

I would run my cooled wort through a steralised sock (250 Micron) at the end to filter out both hops and break.

Hardly a world beater I know, but I would like hear from the experience of other who may have done this.

Cheers

Go for it KOS

I have found with the NC method I dont really bother what goes into the fermenter because I have found is all good and I find no noticble difference to the beer IMO.

Dont bother with it anymore.

Pumpy

 

[The King of Spain]

Why do you not want to use a hop sock out of curiosity? Cleaning or are you looking for better hop utilization?

Hop utilisation, and to my way of thinking I will get a better break. I've noticed that the volume within the sock is quarantined from the rolling boil action which is needed for a good break.

Plus its simpler

 

[PostModern]

When you say well placed PoMo where exactly would that be. I recently fitted a pickup tube to my very wide kettle mainly because the tap was a long way off the bottom of the kettle and I had to tilt the kettle a long way to get that last 4 or 5 litres out. The copper tube does a U from the outlet of the tap and I've cut the end of the tube flat so it sits snugly against the bottom of the kettle. Will that go OK you reckon as I have not yet tried it out (maybe this weekend)????

If it's in the centre of the kettle, it's not well placed. After a whirlpool, that's where the hop debris and hot break will be. Mine goes from the tap to about 7" away from the centre on the opposite side of the kettle. It's slightly curved to allow the whirlpool to flow around it and the tip is turned downwards. I found when I recently brewed a wheat beer, it picks up a little break material, but I figure it'll settle out in the fermenter anyway. Another pale ale I brewed like that was great. Lost only about a litre of beer amongst the break and hop crap.

 

[Adzmax]

Yeah it's interesting theory. I used a jumbo hop sock and the contents are definitely exposed to a nice boiling action, personally I just hate cleaning them but no problem with utilization, I just hook one of Ross's hop bags on the side of the pot with some wire and it works a treat. Anyhoo each to their own huh!

 

[Aaron]

Never used a hop sock with pellets or plugs. Just whirlpool with no filtering and no problems. I don't see the point of a hop sock.

 

[DJR]

I used one for ages, now i don't. I'd only use it if i was using flowers, which is never.

Good whirlpool, a bit of whirlfloc and hop pellets means no need for me.

 

[andrewg]

Never used a hop sock with pellets or plugs. Just whirlpool with no filtering and no problems. I don't see the point of a hop sock.

No hop sock for me too - whirlpooling works really well and if there is any residual debris it drops out in the cube or (at worst) the fermenter. The only time I would use a hop sock would be to dry hop.
cheers
HStB

 

[Gulpa]

I recently used a hopsock for aroma with some flowers. Im very unhappy with the aroma (virtually none) and dont think I will use a hop sock again with flowers. Think Ill try a strainer at the end of the pickup tube next.

Cheers,
Andrew.

 

[warrenlw63]

I recently used a hopsock for aroma with some flowers. Im very unhappy with the aroma (virtually none) and dont think I will use a hop sock again with flowers. Think Ill try a strainer at the end of the pickup tube next.

Cheers,
Andrew.

Andrew

Set your kettle up like this and whole hops and plugs are a breeze and smell great to boot.

Warren -