Straining Hops

[Bigbrownrosie]

Hi Forum Guru's,
I'm on my second brew - using a Brewcraft LC Pale Ale style kit which called for the Cascade and Williamette hops to be boiled then strained into the fermenter.

Boiled up, as per instructions, then strained the mix through a very fine cotton fabric, which took forever, but left all the hops bits and some green slime in the fabric. Occurred to me later that some of this hops/slime mix may have been a 'good thing' to have in the fermenter...

Main question is, how fine should the strainer be when straining the hops, or how much of the hopsy bits should be in the wort??
Second question - SG was around 1042, been in the fermenter for 8 days at between 18 - 22 degC (21.5 lts volume), and it has now been sitting at 1012 for a few days - is 1012 adequate prior to bottling?

Thanks for all the helpful advice on the site. I have a feeling I will be Doing lots of Brewing.... :icon_cheers:

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Mate, go commando - most of the hoppage will settle into the trub anyway.

You don't need the hop greeny bits, but it doesn't hurt to have them in either - and you might save yourself some time straining it.

Don't forget to dry hop.

Goomba

 

[kelbygreen]

yep throw it all in.

1012 is about on the money depending what when into it. I would leave it 2-3 more days then take another reading on the 3rd day if its still the same bottle it. Try to get in the habit of waiting for it to ferment and leaving it 5 days more, The yeast will have time to clean up a bit more, even though the gravity is the same they are still working.

in brewing time is everything the more time you can give a brew in each stage will pay off, Its hard at the start (wait it still is ) but it does pay off. I should be right now I cut down my drinking by over half so hopefully I will have more time to let them mature (hmm now for more kegs so I can store them)

 

[Bigbrownrosie]

yep throw it all in.

1012 is about on the money depending what when into it. I would leave it 2-3 more days then take another reading on the 3rd day if its still the same bottle it. Try to get in the habit of waiting for it to ferment and leaving it 5 days more, The yeast will have time to clean up a bit more, even though the gravity is the same they are still working.

in brewing time is everything the more time you can give a brew in each stage will pay off, Its hard at the start (wait it still is ) but it does pay off. I should be right now I cut down my drinking by over half so hopefully I will have more time to let them mature (hmm now for more kegs so I can store them)

That is an extraordinary coincidence - I propose to increase my consumption by slightly more than double now I have discovered the LHBS :icon_chickcheers: .

In all seriousness - what is dry hopping, and how is it done - I've seen the term in other posts and searched the site, but still come up blank...I assume it means adding hops now the fermentation is finished, but :blink:

 

[Bigbrownrosie]

sorry - stll learning how to post here...
Reply question about dry hopping should have been sent to Lord Raja Goomba, a Guru of the first order...

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

<snip>..I assume it means adding hops now the fermentation is finished, but :blink:

Pretty much.

Depending on your yeast variety, give it 4-7 days, and chuck 'em in.

The best bit of "early brewer" advice I can give you is, go to bunnings and obtain a 25L plastic water drum ($15) and a tap ($1.50). Rack (jargon for drain from first vessel) into the sterilised bunnings drum. That leaves most of the crap (yeast and hoppage) in the 1st vessel.

Dry hop in that, though I would say that you might like to obtain some swiss voile from spotlight and make a teabag and put the hops in there and dry hop.

Goomba

 

[Bigbrownrosie]

Thanks Goomba - will be at Bunnings Saturday for other stuff, so will look then..
What kind of hops would you add to the LCPA kit mix for dry hopping, and how long do you leave it in for?

Thanks all for the quick feedback - it really settles the nerves to know one is not alone!!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Thanks Goomba - will be at Bunnings Saturday for other stuff, so will look then..
What kind of hops would you add to the LCPA kit mix for dry hopping, and how long do you leave it in for?

Thanks all for the quick feedback - it really settles the nerves to know one is not alone!!

2 or 3 days is fine.

The other good thing about racking - it makes bottling a whole heap easier (hint: search for "bulk priming").

For the record - I ain't no expert. Off a slightly inebriated memory I can name 20 or 30 brewers on here more knowledgable than I, on this forum.

Just sharing what I do know. I make a helluva good APA, AG for 2 years, brewing 13 years in total, but I am a junior here.

I'd go cascade, citra or willamette for dry hopping.


Goomba

 

[Bubba]

Hi Forum Guru's,
I'm on my second brew - using a Brewcraft LC Pale Ale style kit which called for the Cascade and Williamette hops to be boiled then strained into the fermenter.

Boiled up, as per instructions, then strained the mix through a very fine cotton fabric, which took forever, but left all the hops bits and some green slime in the fabric. Occurred to me later that some of this hops/slime mix may have been a 'good thing' to have in the fermenter...

Main question is, how fine should the strainer be when straining the hops, or how much of the hopsy bits should be in the wort??
Second question - SG was around 1042, been in the fermenter for 8 days at between 18 - 22 degC (21.5 lts volume), and it has now been sitting at 1012 for a few days - is 1012 adequate prior to bottling?

Thanks for all the helpful advice on the site. I have a feeling I will be Doing lots of Brewing.... :icon_cheers:

I use simple cheap old stockings from the supermarket, cut them up and pop my hops in them. I tie them up (knotted at both ends)and put them in the boil...the great thing about them is they are very cheap, and they expand/stretch as the hops absorb water as well and this helps release the hop oils.
I then chuck them in the fermenter with the boil, and also use them for dry hopping and they work a treat!

No mess, no leaf in the brew, all the oil escapes, you get all the flavour, aroma and bitterness, and they allow you to drop the lot in your fermenter after the boil. 1 set of stockings gets about 12 hop additions, even more and they cost less than $3.00 (so less than 25cents a drop) and I dont have to wash them I just toss them when I am done.