Does using hop bags have much of an impact on hop utilization? My last IPA really didn’t come out as hoppy as I was expecting. I typically use pellet hops and until recently just threw them in when I brewed but have tried switching to keeping my hops in hopbags because I was having problems with the hop debris clogging up my manifold… 8)
People say that you use a little bit utilization.
I recently used hop bag and I got very little utilization.
It can have a slight impact but I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. I use hop bags and I get excellent hop bitterness, flavor and aroma in my beer. If anything you may have to adjust your additions up in weight to accomodate the slight decrease in utilization.
If you are worried about this and need to use a bag in your system, go to the big box store and get the large nylon paint strainer bag.
I have heard that using hop bags can effect utilization by, up to, 10%. I use a coarse, nylon straining bag that I picked up at my LHBS for my hop additions. I feel it allows better utilization than the regular hop bags and still keeps most of the hop matter out of the wort.
I’ve been round and round on the hop bag issue. I just feel better letting the hops float free in the wort. I currently use a whirlpool immersion chiller and have been moving towards whole hops that I’ve been bagging. I was thinking of using a false bottom in the BK instead. Any thoughts on this as an alternative to the bags?
Bag the bags. Go with the FB or a “hop taco”.
That is not a bad idea, I might try that. My kettle has a circular copper maifold around the bottom but I find it will clog with hops if I am using a bunch. The original idea was to whirlpool to get the debris in the center but I have never had much success with that.
This seems like a great idea also but I might start with the paint straining bag until I have a little time to work on a project
I did side-by-side brews, discussed here http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=6581.msg79412;topicseen#msg79412. The upshot was that most people, including myself, couldn’t tell the difference between a batch using hop bags and the same batch without hop bags, but that there probably was some small utilization loss.