Who Uses a Hop Sock/Bag

[SBOB]

I was using a K K hop spider, **** of a thing struggled to get a good load of hops in it, anything more than 100g was too much for it

Is this the new stainless 'hang over the side' hop spider they sell? Was interested in one of those and hadn't seen any negative reviews until yours.

 

[rehabs_for_quitters]

Yeah it not a negative as such as much you will use a lot more hops per batch with it, its different strokes for different folks, bit like the dry yeast argument h34r:

I just found my hop utilisation was crap when using it and when your trying to fit 200 to 400 grams in a 40Litre batch it was a waste of time, 100gram bittering charge of warrior @ 14% AA netted about 30 IBU in real terms

 

[menoetes]

I use one of these courtesy of Martin at National Homebrew.

It's a super fine wire mesh and keeps the hops from spreading throughout the boil while allowing the movement of hot liquid to pass in and out of it. Basically just another hop spider of sorts.

It works a treat. For those of you who use a hop sock when cubing, do you just do the full 60min boil then remove the hop sock before cubing or do you do the 45 min boil, remove the sock and cube expecting more bitterness to develop cooling period?

 

[SBOB]

I use one of these courtesy of Martin at National Homebrew.

Isnt that the one that rehabs_for_quitters is talking about above? Thats the one I'm planning to get once my local Country Brewer gets them back into stock. Just got a plate chiller so need something to remove the hops as currently get a lot in the bottom of the urn and due to expose element it doesnt whirlpool very well

 

[rehabs_for_quitters]

Yes the same one, for really small hop additions go for it as they are beaut for that, just ***** for large additions according to my brewing

 

[fdsaasdf]

Yes the same one, for really small hop additions go for it as they are beaut for that, just ***** for large additions according to my brewing

No issues with up to 150gms in 42-50L batches using mine, curious to know if you have a particularly violent boil?

I actually find it is almost equally useful for catching sediment when transferring from MT to BK, particularly making my first bock with a mate when we had some issues a blocked false-bottom.

When it comes to hop additions, I don't let it hang over the side, I lock it in place with a vice grip and it sits maybe 2inches higher than if it was just over the side (of an 80L pot). Come flameout I give the wort a gentle stir with the hop spider. Haven't measured the difference but I figure it can't hurt as a gentle hop-infusing whirlpool...

 

[Crakkers]

I use one of these http://www.bunnings.com.au/morgan-laundry-wash-bag_p4510438 for my bittering hops.
They're plenty big enough to give a decent amount of hops lots of swimming room.
I just lift it at the end of the boil and give it a squeeze with some sanitized tongs.
For the later additions I have a whole stack of the 90mm tea balls.

 

[nala]

Free style for me when boiling.
One of these for filtering into the keg after free style dry hopping.

Never get even the smallest hop residue in the keg,just a small voille bag attached to the transfer tube from the fermenter.

 

[spog]

How many grams of hops do you reckon would fit in each mate? They look pretty useful.

I found that 10 g of hops into the small tea balls ended with it being compacted so much that I've had to tap the tea ball to get the left overs out.
10 g in a 50 mm tea ball works well as at the end of the boil when the tea balls are taken out there is a lot of free space inside,so to my understanding I'm getting better utilisation of the hops which over time made me think about how much I lost using the smaller ones.
I am going to buy some 90 mm " balls for use for additions over 10 g.
It's easier to have the hops pre loaded in the " balls" all lined up and at the required time drop it in rather than split each addition into 2 or 3 smaller ones and end up having to clean too many balls .

 

[Rocker1986]

I have one of those Craftbrewer hop sock/bag things that I turned into a spider of sorts by wrapping stainless wire around it and bending 3 legs to hold it to the urn. I don't know what the difference is in my beers between using it and not using it as I've rarely not used it, and the last time was so long ago that I can't even remember if there was a difference now. Either way, my beers turn out as I want them and expect them to when I create my recipes, so I am happy to continue using it.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I use a hop sock, have been trying to source a stainless steel hop spider, but it seems stocks are currently low in Australia.

Main reason for using a hop sock is so that the hops can go into the wheelie bin, instead of the garden with the rest of the trub, where the dogs might be tempted. :excl:

Keg hop for the ultimate hop aroma.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I use a hop sock same, or similar as the one Razz uses but a 400 micron, I bought 50 of them (a minimum order)
but they just keep on lasting, I doubt whether I would ever use more than the one.

 

[Eagleburger]

I use ss hop spider and just bought a sock as well. I usually pour a few scoops of hot wort in the top, whilst boiling, to help the goodness leach into the wort.

I have a plate chiller and never had any blockage issues even when not using a sock etc. I use brewbrite and also give the kettle tap a purge. It clears any trub in the pipe/tap and I use that 100ml for gravity check n taste.

 

[Coalminer]

Free style for me when boiling.
One of these for filtering into the keg after free style dry hopping.

IMAG0589.jpg

Never get even the smallest hop residue in the keg,just a small voille bag attached to the transfer tube from the fermenter.

Yep, exactly what I do
Never have problems with blocked poppets

 

[yankinoz]

I mostly use them, because after chilling I filter out trub; a few dispersed pellets help with that, but a lot of them create a clogging problem .I stir the sack around if the addition is late, but don't worry about that in early additions. For dry hopping I never use a sack.

 

[kaiserben]

Yes the same one, for really small hop additions go for it as they are beaut for that, just ***** for large additions according to my brewing

I bought one. Used it once. Then went back to hop socks.

My problems with it were that the inside of the mesh got clogged with hop matter (a medium sized addition, not ridiculously large at all). After pumping my wort out to a fermenter this thing was left still full of wort - that's how badly clogged it was.

And afterwards I couldn't clean all of the hop matter out of it. Gave it several cleans (and tried to remove remnant flakes of hop matter while they were both wet and dry, but couldn't remove it all).

 

[SBOB]

I use a hop sock same, or similar as the one Razz uses but a 400 micron, I bought 50 of them (a minimum order)
but they just keep on lasting, I doubt whether I would ever use more than the one.

Licence 012.jpg

where did you buy these from?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

USA $2.00 each plus postage.

 

[SBOB]

USA $2.00 each plus postage.

got a link?
though not sure I would need the 50 min order

 

[wide eyed and legless]

You will definitely not need 50 and that is the minimum order they will just last, get discolored but will last. If you want some send me a pm.

 

[time01]

What is everyone's process for no chill, hops in cube? Do you put them in a sock and remove once ready to ferment or just chuck the hops in cube as are, and then pour into fermenter as well?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I get the large Chinese spice or soup bags from Ali express, put the dry hop pellets in them then remove them before they get to grassy.

 

[Alchomist]

eMPTy - I normally get about 50g in each one, then squash them down (keeping the precious elixir) & maintain the same hop variety in each ball during boil additions.

Looked at hop spiders but couldn't justify the cost, & these work great for dry hopping as well.

Just received another few from Mr H Kong & plan to try 4 different Hop Hog Clone versions this long weekend

Happy brewing

 

[goid]

What is everyone's process for no chill, hops in cube? Do you put them in a sock and remove once ready to ferment or just chuck the hops in cube as are, and then pour into fermenter as well?

I just throw them in loose in cube. Then pour the whole cube into fermenter. The hops sink to the bottom into the trub.

 

[Barge]

I just throw them in loose in cube. Then pour the whole cube into fermenter. The hops sink to the bottom into the trub.

Tried that on the last batch. Ended up with hop debris in the airlock/blowoff tube. PITA to clean up. The batch is conditioning so I will see how it tastes. I'm worried it will be a bit grassy as it was Fuggles.

I usually use a hop sock in the boil though. Clean up seems to be easier and I lose less wort to trub so it helps with efficiency. I haven't noticed any issues with bitterness either.