[golfgod04]

So I am making the switch to all grain brewing. My Brew Pot does not have a ball valve or false bottom. So my question is, should I use hop bags or not?  When doing partial mash, I think Ive had issues getting the full effect from my hops.  I used muslin bags.   When I would transfer wort from my kettle to fermenter, I would use the auto siphon.   So should I keep doing that in all grain? Should I use muslin or nylon hop bags? Thanks in advance.

[Stevie]

Whirlpool, rest, rack from the side.

[tonyccopeland]

I use 5 gal nylon paint strainer bags from the local hardware store for my hoppy beers (mostly so I can squeeze it with the back side of my spoon to save wort.)  I think the thing to note is the hops need to be able to have space to move around in the bag to work their magic. I do use an autosiphon and try to leave the thick stuff in the kettle.

-Tony

[golfgod04]

Whirlpool, rest, rack from the side.

so no bag? whirpool after it has been chilled and let it rest for 20 minutes?

[golfgod04]

I use 5 gal nylon paint strainer bags from the local hardware store for my hoppy beers (mostly so I can squeeze it with the back side of my spoon to save wort.)  I think the thing to note is the hops need to be able to have space to move around in the bag to work their magic. I do use an autosiphon and try to leave the thick stuff in the kettle.

-Tony

do you keep the bag open so you can add hops to it at different times

[Stevie]

Whirlpool, rest, rack from the side.

so no bag? whirpool after it has been chilled and let it rest for 20 minutes?

Yep. I've used bags and prefer to avoid them. Only time i use bags now is with whole hops to keep them out of my pump. If you do use a bag, use the largest bag that you can. Paint bags are good and can be clipped to the side or made into hop spider type devices.

[golfgod04]

Yep. I've used bags and prefer to avoid them. Only time i use bags now is with whole hops to keep them out of my pump. If you do use a bag, use the largest bag that you can. Paint bags are good and can be clipped to the side or made into hop spider type devices.

Thanks, I have my old grain bag I used that is nylon.  I almost always use pellet hops.

[GS]

I don't use bags of any kind in the boil kettle, and my kettle doesn't have a valve or false bottom, or a trub dam; it's just a kettle. I see no need for them. After the boil,  I chill, whirlpool, and rack. Break material and spent hops settle out quite nicely. Rack from the side, of course.

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[HoosierBrew]

FWIW I use a 10" stainless spider in the kettle on hoppy beers, and dry hop in the keg using 5 gallon paint strainer bags. I like the results.

[golfgod04]

thanks everyone.  I appreciate it.  I wont use bags any more in the kettle

[dmtaylor]

I like bagging mine.  Whole hop cones especially.  Pellets, don't need to so much unless using a lot.

[deadpoetic0077]

is it really necessary to do that though? It was my understanding that it may be good to have the break and hop material in the fermentor? or at least didn't matter enough that it wont change flavors.

[Slowbrew]

is it really necessary to do that though? It was my understanding that it may be good to have the break and hop material in the fermentor? or at least didn't matter enough that it wont change flavors.

I've always read that as "it's good to have SOME trub and hop material make it into the fermenter".  I would put all of it in.

That said I use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag and a hop spider type thing I built to keep the majority of the hops out the fermenter.  It make removing the hops so much easier and keeps most of the plant material out of my floor drains.  I haven't noticed any utilization issues but I am not a big fan of really hoppy beers so I may not notice.

For me, it is a convenience thing for the most part.

Paul

[deadpoetic0077]

is it really necessary to do that though? It was my understanding that it may be good to have the break and hop material in the fermentor? or at least didn't matter enough that it wont change flavors.

I've always read that as "it's good to have SOME trub and hop material make it into the fermenter".  I would put all of it in.

That said I use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag and a hop spider type thing I built to keep the majority of the hops out the fermenter.  It make removing the hops so much easier and keeps most of the plant material out of my floor drains.  I haven't noticed any utilization issues but I am not a big fan of really hoppy beers so I may not notice.

For me, it is a convenience thing for the most part.

Paul

So whats the difference n having all or some? I have always just put basically all of what was in the kettle into my fermenter. Im not experienced wnough to say whether this has had a huge impact on my flavor but I haven't experienced anything I would say is an off flavor, or grassy. Not tryint o put you down, just trying to understand!

[dmtaylor]

Hop leaves get into everything and clog up tubes and things.  That's why I think it's better bagging the whole hops at minimum.

Also I have done pellets both ways, bagged and not, and can't really notice a difference -- even bagging I still get plenty of bitterness and flavor in line with whatever the recipe says.  If a bag reduces these amounts, it's not noticeable, to ME.  YMMV.