Pellet hops and vegetable bags

[MashBag]

@hoppyscotty... The tide mark surprises me. Do you keep you spider above the surface?

 

[An Ankoù]

PS - seconded on the use of leaf hops. They form a lovely filter but are far too thirsty, especially for smaller batch brewing.

Brewing a couple of litres short and then doing a hop sparge can mitigate that issue.
I used to worry and fret about fermenting cloudy wort; today I boil both leaf and pellets in Sainsbury's (or Intermarché) bags and then give the bags a good squeeze at the end. Haven't noticed any drop in quality in my beer.
It's important to boil in a big bag so the hops can circulate. Never had much luck with the hop spider, I think the mesh is too fine.

 

[MashBag]

Me to. I when through a few spiders to get it right, most are far too fine.

I did notice squeezing the bag does directly affect bitterness.
Taste the squeezings next time, it quite a surprised me.

 

[hoppyscotty]

Delete...replying to a post that was some time ago!

 

[hoppyscotty]

@hoppyscotty... The tide mark surprises me. Do you keep you spider above the surface?

Yes.. On this particular day I forgot to put the false bottom of the kettle in place so the basket was sitting an inch or so lower than normal so the level was very close to the top of the basket so there was some bubbling over on this occasion. Normally it is quite clean.

Interestingly you do get a more vigorous boil outside the basket than inside but that is the same as with a hop spider I guess.

 

[phildo79]

I have several types of veg bag and all but one are useless. Even the 'good' one isn't all that. A hop spider for bittering hops and then those rectangle white bags from CML seem to be the best for me. You can squeeze the bags when transferring to the FV.

I have a helix coil which is good so long as the outside doesn't get gunged up. Would love a way to drastically reduce the debris from pellets. Whole cones perhaps?

 

[MashBag]

Interestingly you do get a more vigorous boil outside the basket than inside but that is the same as with a hop spider I guess.

I put that down to the element in the BM being around the outside of the kettle. I have bounced my MJ to flush hotter water through, during boil, but it makes little difference to the finished flavour.

 

[MashBag]

I have a helix coil which is good so long as the outside doesn't get gunged up. Would love a way to drastically reduce the debris from pellets. Whole cones perhaps?

Can I ask what problems is it causing you?

Washing up?
Clarity?
Pumping?

 

[phildo79]

Can I ask what problems is it causing you?

Washing up?
Clarity?
Pumping?

When I get near the end of the transfer, about 3 litres will remain and not flow out. That's if I have done my best to minimise hop debris. Yesterday I brewed and the only late hops were 7g and 14g. I threw them in loose and they completely clogged the coil. I had to use my stirring spoon to split the coil in order for the wort to flow out.

 

[MashBag]

Is this a bac brewing coil? I found them to be difficult.

Why not, have a open the valve let everything through, and use a fine mesh as a sieve?

Or perhaps better, don't worry about it at all. No issue.
I ferment on all of my trub. My hops go in a MJ 800 micron spider. That comes out. I don't do a transfer, I wait the the kettle to cool and then sprinkle. Smashing beer.

 

[phildo79]

Oh all the wort goes into the FV. I rarely leave anything behind. But if I didn't use the coil, I think the valve would clog. I have no idea what make the coil is. Will try and remember to check that out later. Are there better brands available? I have a hop spider but I only use that for bittering hops. I heard using it for late hops was bad practice for extracting aroma. But even when I used it for all the hops or when there is no late hops, there was still gunk on the coil.

 

[MashBag]

Can you do a pic of the coil?

 

[phildo79]

Not sure if mine has a brand name on it but it is basically this:

https://thebrewhouse.co.nz/beer/helix-coil-and-t

 

[hoppyscotty]

Not sure if mine has a brand name on it but it is basically this:

https://thebrewhouse.co.nz/beer/helix-coil-and-t

also available from aliexpress...


https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32962319962.html

 

[phildo79]

Quite the difference in price, eh.

 

[MashBag]

I have a hop spider but I only use that for bittering hops. I heard using it for late hops was bad practice for extracting aroma. But even when I used it for all the hops or when there is no late hops, there was still gunk on the coil.

This is the hop spider I settled on. After many trials and contraptions. Good with leaf and pellets.

https://brew2bottle.co.uk/products/mangrove-jacks-hop-spider?currency=GBP&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&stkn=f51ba00cee25&gad_source=1

I do think many (spiders) are far too fine. Ditto I think the coils are too.

I personally use, and think you would do better with an MJ spider for all hop additions. No coil. Open the valve and ferment everthing.

 

[phildo79]

Not sure where I got my hop spider from but pretty sure it was a UK supplier. I didn't want it getting squashed coming all the way from China.

It's very fine. I'm surprised anything escapes but it does. Realistically, it's just a bit of extra faff but I don't see any way of avoiding it. I have to imagine those bazooka filters would get even more clogged.

I think whole cones would help but most retailers seem to only offer pellets. For the most part anyway.

 

[MashBag]

It's very fine.

That's the problem

 

[An Ankoù]

Me to. I when through a few spiders to get it right, most are far too fine.

I did notice squeezing the bag does directly affect bitterness.
Taste the squeezings next time, it quite a surprised me.

Yes the squeezings are very bitter, but I consider that to be the bitterness that was trapped because the hops couldn't circulate freely.

 

[Brewshed]

I am surprised that lots of people have problems with freely circulating hops. It has never been an issue for me. My hops just get chucked in (whole hops). The boiler has a perforated false bottom and I leave it all to settle for 30 -40 mins at the end of the boil. It is then run off into the fermenter under gravity via a plate chiller. I have never had problems with clogging and the hops form a really good filter bed on top of the false bottom which catches pretty much all the trub. I do end up leaving a little wort in the boiler at the end but only 300ml or so.