17 replies to this topic

[jayb151]

Hey all,

I have a problem that has stopped me from using whole hops. I can't figure out how to get the liquid out of my whole hops! Anytime I use whole hops, I have so much loss that it's almost not worth it. The thing now is that I have a bunch of hops from the garden. I wanna use them all in a batch on Saturday. I usually do a 10 gallon batch in a keggle, but I'm thinking it might screw me over when I use the whole hops. Any advice??

 

Hop Porn! ...I'm the white dude.

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve Urquell]

I pour my wort through a strainer and mash the hops out with a sanitized pot. Some will post about extracting harshness/tannins etc from the hops--yadda, yadda, but it's horseshit. I've done it on Czech pilsner and other lagers and have had no issues.

[Mya]

I pour my wort through a strainer and mash the hops out with a sanitized pot. Some will post about extracting harshness/tannins etc from the hops--yadda, yadda, but it's horseshit. I've done it on Czech pilsner and other lagers and have had no issues.

just don't  it with sacks of pellets

[Steve Urquell]

just don't  it with sacks of pellets

They would flow thru my coarse leaf hop strainer. No mashing necessary.

[MolBasser]

Depends on how you smoosh them to get the wort out.  If you really grind on them, you will get off flavors, if you just squish them it should be no problem.

 

Today, when I brewed, I used my hop basket as a strainer and just propped it above the kettle during the whirlpool and got most of the wort out in twenty minutes of just gentle draining.

 

It is the price you pay for the superior flavor and aroma of whole hops.

 

MolBasser

[SchwanzBrewer]

I just make extra wort.

[Poptop]

If that's the case then how do you calculate your loss and additional wort?  I'm sure there's a loss number?

[SchwanzBrewer]

If that's the case then how do you calculate your loss and additional wort?  I'm sure there's a loss number?

 

I dunno. Brewersfriend calculates it for me based on whether it's whole hops or pellets. The belgian dark strong I made last weekend absorbed 0.3 qts of wort. it appears that it's 0.15qt/oz of whole hops.

Edited by SchwanzBrewer, 15 August 2013 - 07:17 AM.

[MtnBrewer]

I just make extra wort.

 

If that's the case then how do you calculate your loss and additional wort?  I'm sure there's a loss number?

Denny posted a hop absorption number a while back. I'll see if I can google it up for you.Survey says: 1 oz. of hops absorbs 12 fluid oz. of wort (for whole hops).

[Mya]

 Denny posted a hop absorption number a while back. I'll see if I can google it up for you.Survey says: 1 oz. of hops absorbs 12 fluid oz. of wort.

I'd say that's right

 

remember Jimvy's IIPA he made with like 7 lbs of flowers? he calculated for 12 gallons of wort to get 5 gallons in the kettle? but still only got about 4?

[MtnBrewer]

I'd say that's right remember Jimvy's IIPA he made with like 7 lbs of flowers? he calculated for 12 gallons of wort to get 5 gallons in the kettle? but still only got about 4?

I do remember that. That's one way to make green beer.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Are we talking about fresh hops or dried?

[MtnBrewer]

Are we talking about fresh hops or dried?

I don't think it matters. I'm guessing the actual amount absorbed into the hop material is negligible.

[jayb151]

Awesome. I gotta make some kind of way to let the hops drain on its own. Thanks guys.

[denny]

Are we talking about fresh hops or dried?

 

dried for my numbers.

[Mya]

dried for my numbers.

I wouldn't think fresh would absorb a whole bunch myself, but I could be wrong 

[SchwanzBrewer]

I wouldn't think fresh would absorb a whole bunch myself, but I could be wrong 

 

It's not all absorption, surface tension is a strong force and the wort that makes it's way among the petals can get trapped by surface tension. Wet hops are usually tighter than dry so they can still harbor wort.

 

I really want to do an experiment with this, but I think it takes too much hops to get a statistically relevant result. I would take my 2000ml graduated cylinder and fill it with 1000ml of water, then add 1/4oz of dry hops and let it sit until the hops were completely wetted. Then I'd decant the water into another cylinder and measure the results. Would have to do it about 30 times I think.

[al_bob]

I pour my wort through a strainer and mash the hops out with a sanitized pot. Some will post about extracting harshness/tannins etc from the hops--yadda, yadda, but it's horseshit. I've done it on Czech pilsner and other lagers and have had no issues.

I use a paint strainer bag sometimes. But the only deal there is that the trub clogs it up after a while. I just squeeze the liquid out. I think I'll try using two bags on my next try.

 

Only problem with this method, is it only works if you're going into a bucket to ferment. Which, BTW, I'm about to go back to I think..