Hop bags

MikeBusby · Apr 7, 2022

My hop spider keeps getting clogged up and there is little throughput of wort to get to the hops. As a result I am looking at other options.

I have bought a few 100% cotton bags with drawstrings.

The holes do look a bit large and some hop matter will probably get out, but I will give them a go anyway. These bags are washable and reusable. Can I put them in the usual clothes washing, or will that detergent cause problems? If so, what do you suggest to wash them in?

matt76 · Apr 7, 2022

What I recommend is a tip I got from @foxbat , get yourself a single large hop bag from BJ Filters on eBay - some pics in my brewday thread here.

Smaller bags can restrict circulation so extraction might be restricted, plus I imagine small bags might be more awkward to fish out.

A single large bag can be suspended in the kettle so it's not in contact with the heating element (if you have one) and the hops can swim free.

I remove the bag before/during/after chilling (I'm not consistent), squeeze it out, empty it, give it a rinse then bung it in the washing machine with my grain bag on a rinse & spin (no soap!).

MikeBusby · Apr 7, 2022

Thanks, Matt. I have a variety of different size bags here, so I will try a quite large one first. There is a drawstring at the top so I can hook that over the circulation tube to keep the bag off the bottom. Just a little concerned that the holes in my mesh appear to be a lot larger than yours!

foxbat · Apr 7, 2022

MikeBusby said:
Thanks, Matt. I have a variety of different size bags here, so I will try a quite large one first. There is a drawstring at the top so I can hook that over the circulation tube to keep the bag off the bottom. Just a little concerned that the holes in my mesh appear to be a lot larger than yours!

Yes they do look like the mesh is rather course. I'd have thought that cotton would tend to develop holes over time as well. The large nylon bags have a finer mesh and won't rip unless you catch them on something sharp.

An Ankoù · Apr 7, 2022

I don't know if they still do them, but I got my son to post me a dozen of the fruit and veg bags you can buy in the produce section of Sainsbury's. They're fine mesh, a good size and fit the bill perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I'm still using the first two after 18 months!

Benfleet Brewery · Apr 7, 2022

An Ankoù said:
I don't know if they still do them, but I got my son to post me a dozen of the fruit and veg bags you can buy in the produce section of Sainsbury's. They're fine mesh, a good size and fit the bill perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I'm still using the first two after 18 months!
View attachment 66167

Yes, I use these all the time.
The label says they can go on a 30 degree wash but mine have been through a number of 60 minute boils with no problems.

Nashbrew · Apr 7, 2022

I have been using these for a while now: 2.16US $ |Food Grade Non woven Fabric Tea Bags 100pcs Tea Filter Bags for Spice Tea Infuser with String Heal Seal Spice Filters Teabags|Disposable Tea Bags| - AliExpress
Can be heat sealed as well.

Stewart Brewing · Apr 7, 2022

Hi Mike,

Have a look at the hop bags from Crossmyloof, its what the are designed for and pretty cheap. to clean i just boil in some water after use and dry on a radiator. Boil again prior to use to sterilise.

https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/online-store/Nylon-Hop-Filter-Bags-p201821380

Loonytoone · Apr 7, 2022

An Ankoù said:
I don't know if they still do them, but I got my son to post me a dozen of the fruit and veg bags you can buy in the produce section of Sainsbury's. They're fine mesh, a good size and fit the bill perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I'm still using the first two after 18 months!
View attachment 66167

I use these too, I have bought them from Lidl and M&S.
A lot of supermarkets have them now for fruit and veg, about 50p for two.
Mine last through many a boil before I bin them.

Braufather · Apr 7, 2022

I’ve just bought two new stainless steel cylinders. The first ones lasted about a year before discolouring unraveling. Quite expensive too.

Next time I will be tempted by those supermarket fruit bags. Are they defo food safe in a boil though?

An Ankoù · Apr 7, 2022

Braufather said:
I’ve just bought two new stainless steel cylinders. The first ones lasted about a year before discolouring unraveling. Quite expensive too.

Next time I will be tempted by those supermarket fruit bags. Are they defo food safe in a boil though?

Food safe? I use the legs cut from a pair of tights for my late additions and I'm sure they're definitely not food-safe. Very beer safe though. Especially if you take the girl out first.

The Baron · Apr 7, 2022

I'm glad you cut the legs off AA because there are parts of tights that I would not use :laugh8:

FirebladeAdam · Apr 8, 2022

Like lots of others on here it seems I think the mesh veg bags from Tesco do great!

An Ankoù · Apr 8, 2022

I'm not joking about the tights, by the way. Excellent for small additions of pellets. Boil them in water a couple of times first, though as even new ones have a slight perfume smell. A veg bags a bit big for 5g!
Only use bags for pellets, though.

Jon1961 · Apr 8, 2022

Stewart Brewing said:
Hi Mike,

Have a look at the hop bags from Crossmyloof, its what the are designed for and pretty cheap. to clean i just boil in some water after use and dry on a radiator. Boil again prior to use to sterilise.

https://www.crossmyloofbrew.co.uk/online-store/Nylon-Hop-Filter-Bags-p201821380

Crossmyloof included a hop bag, free, with my last order of hops. It worked well.

Tassie · Apr 8, 2022

Can't understand why anyone would want to use bags? Hop matter gets left behind with the trub in the kettle.

Donegal john · Apr 8, 2022

Tassie said:
Can't understand why anyone would want to use bags? Hop matter gets left behind with the trub in the kettle.

If using leaf hop it cuts down on losses in the kettle. Especially when using 150+g

Tassie · Apr 8, 2022

Donegal john said:
If using leaf hop it cuts down on losses in the kettle. Especially when using 150+g

Why on earth would anyone put leaf in a bag! Pellets are what is under discussion.

An Ankoù · Apr 8, 2022

Tassie said:
Can't understand why anyone would want to use bags? Hop matter gets left behind with the trub in the kettle.

Not a problem with leaf, or mainly leaf with some pellet late additions, as the cones form a sufficient filter, but with all pellets my filters clog too quickly and I've never really got a whirlpool to work without leaving several litres of beer behind. So I've adapted by using large bags to contain and remove most of the hop debris and the last bit, together with the break material, go through a sterilised muslin filter on the way to the fermenter. This later disperses the flow across the filter (a bag contained in a perforated stainless sleel pot- in fact it's the top section of a 30cm veg steamer) and increases the aeration of the wort. It works for me.

Tassie · Apr 8, 2022

Fair enough An Ankou, we all have our own methods of transferring clear wort from kettle to fermenter. I just chill out for a couple of hours before transferring.
Funny thing is I was using rain water to brew with, just threw a 10mm galvanised nut into the mash as water treatment and my wort seemed clearer in Strathgordon than using treated town water in Burnie. Work that out.

Hop bags

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