[Stevie]

I pump now, but only for the last few months. No issue with pellets clogging the pump or valve. I do need to throttle the output to keep it from cavitating during the boil.

[Indy574]

I use a hop spider wirh mesh paint straining bags from Lowe's. Thought about ditching it and using a SS mesh for my bucket fermenter?  I just can't justify the $50 for what it does.

[Saccharomyces]

I have been using pellets for the last eight or so months after using whole cones and a false bottom for over two decades.   I absolutely despise having to deal with pellet sludge.  With whole hops and a false bottom, the cones settle on the false bottom and the break settles on the hops when using an immersion chiller.  The result is clear wort.  The only reason I switched to using pellets is because pellets are much cheaper to ship from the West Coast.  I have decided to switch back to using whole cones and a false bottom after my current pellet supply has been exhausted.

[PORTERHAUS]

Never did. I use an immersion chiller and stir while chilling so after the wort is cooled I allow some time to settle before  transfering to the fermentor. I installed my ball valve about 2 inches off the bottom of my kettle so everything settles below that point and I transfer clear wort from above that. I often leave behind about 1 gal of wort that is filled with break material and hop sludge. After it settles more I might top off the fermeter before pitching the yeast but usually I end up with my 5 gals in a 6 gal carboy so thats good enough.

[blair.streit]

I have been using pellets for the last eight or so months after using whole cones and a false bottom for over two decades.   I absolutely despise having to deal with pellet sludge.  With whole hops and a false bottom, the cones settle on the false bottom and the break settles on the hops when using an immersion chiller.  The result is clear wort.  The only reason I switched to using pellets is because pellets are much cheaper to ship from the West Coast.  I have decided to switch back to using whole cones and a false bottom after my current pellet supply has been exhausted.

Interesting to hear that you used whole cones until recently. Ever come across anything that made you think that minimizing hop pellet sludge is or isn't something to worry about when repitching?

[juggabrew303]

I use a 5gal paint strainer bag placed just inside the opening of my big mouth bubbler and drain/syphon my wort through the bag, while this is collecting hop gunk I feel this is also aiding in aerating as it moves through the filter dropping to the bottom of the fermentor.  After kettle is drained, I wear nitrile gloves that are sanitized I pull the bag out slowly and squeeze till I get every last drop of wort out of the hops.  Although I'm getting away from using pellets so I dont have to do that anymore, I find that works well for me at the moment. Cheap and easy


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[Saccharomyces]

Interesting to hear that you used whole cones until recently. Ever come across anything that made you think that minimizing hop pellet sludge is or isn't something to worry about when repitching?

Minimizing pellet sludge and break just makes it easier to take a relatively break and hop debris free crop.  The crop shown below was bottom cropped from a primary fermentation vessel before I switched to pellets.

[blair.streit]

Interesting to hear that you used whole cones until recently. Ever come across anything that made you think that minimizing hop pellet sludge is or isn't something to worry about when repitching?

Minimizing pellet sludge and break just makes it easier to take a relatively break and hop debris free crop.  The crop shown below was bottom cropped from a primary fermentation vessel before I switched to pellets.

Holy smeg that's clean.

[Stevie]

Mine look nearly that clean with a pumped whirlpool and slow run off. But I did find it satisfying when I would be done racking out of the kettle and find all that break stuck to the cones.

I also always hated the amount of volume lost to the whole hops. A moderate IPA could cost 1/2-3/4 gallons.

The other issue with whole hops is seemingly smaller variety. I know everything in pellets but blends can be found in whole form, but I find many shops favor pellets. I've noticed it can go both ways in regards to availability of some of the newer experimental hops.

[erockrph]

Mine look nearly that clean with a pumped whirlpool and slow run off. But I did find it satisfying when I would be done racking out of the kettle and find all that break stuck to the cones.

I also always hated the amount of volume lost to the whole hops. A moderate IPA could cost 1/2-3/4 gallons.

The other issue with whole hops is seemingly smaller variety. I know everything in pellets but blends can be found in whole form, but I find many shops favor pellets. I've noticed it can go both ways in regards to availability of some of the newer experimental hops.

I've never seen whole hops available for NZ or Aussie hop varieties, so that's the dealbreaker for switching to whole cones for me.

With the massive quantity of hops I use, my main problem with pellets is the amount of hop particulate that stays in suspension after dry hopping. I always get a rough "raw hop" character with a big pellet dry hop. I've decided to build a Randall and stuff it with whole hops as a filter while jumping to my serving keg after dry hopping. Since I ferment in a keg, I could just as easily use this as a hopback to filter hops and break prior to fermentation I suppose.

[hopfenundmalz]

Mine look nearly that clean with a pumped whirlpool and slow run off. But I did find it satisfying when I would be done racking out of the kettle and find all that break stuck to the cones.

I also always hated the amount of volume lost to the whole hops. A moderate IPA could cost 1/2-3/4 gallons.

The other issue with whole hops is seemingly smaller variety. I know everything in pellets but blends can be found in whole form, but I find many shops favor pellets. I've noticed it can go both ways in regards to availability of some of the newer experimental hops.

I've never seen whole hops available for NZ or Aussie hop varieties, so that's the dealbreaker for switching to whole cones for me.

With the massive quantity of hops I use, my main problem with pellets is the amount of hop particulate that stays in suspension after dry hopping. I always get a rough "raw hop" character with a big pellet dry hop. I've decided to build a Randall and stuff it with whole hops as a filter while jumping to my serving keg after dry hopping. Since I ferment in a keg, I could just as easily use this as a hopback to filter hops and break prior to fermentation I suppose.

I bought a pound of whole Galaxy a while back, so while rare, those sometimes can be found.

[erockrph]

I bought a pound of whole Galaxy a while back, so while rare, those sometimes can be found.

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to keep my eye out.

[Stevie]

I bought a pound of whole Galaxy a while back, so while rare, those sometimes can be found.

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to keep my eye out.

I've used whole leaf southern cross as well.

[stpug]

So, what are you guys doing for your beers that have significant hop additions (>5oz per 5gal batch)?

All of my hops go into bags and remain that way until the end of chilling.  Once I have the wort <100F, I pluck the bags from the wort, and using a sanitized bare hand, squeeze to get back ~90% of the wort stuck in the hops. I aim to get the majority of the wort but no so much I feel like I'm wringing the hops too much.

I do the same for every batch of beer I brew.

[coolman26]

I use this in my BK.  I then pump whirlpool and have never had a clog. I just adjust my volumes and leave it in. I used a CFC and all pellets. My last IPA had over a pound of hops and would never go back to free dropping or bagging. Clean up is easy.






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