So I brewed a batch of IPA last night and used a hefty amount of whole leaf hops (6 oz in 5 gallons). I didn’t want to waste any precious wort, so when I transferred to my fermenter I dumped the hops into a strainer over the bucket and smashed the bejeezus out of them with a sanitized spoon.
I know some people are of the opinion that you should never squeeze a grain bag otherwise you risk extracting tannins. Is this an issue with hops? Aside from possibly getting more hops bits in the fermenter, is there any issue with squeezing the cooled wort out of hops?
I do it too, but while the wort is still hot, to help avoid infection. I have not noticed any problems in my beer from doing this, but I don’t know for sure whether or not it can be a problem.
I originally did not squeeze hop bags, but now I do, and I have noticed no difference in the same beer brewed with the same hop schedule. So from my experience I would say squeezing hops is not an issue. No tannins to extract really…just make sure you’re sanitary about it.
I dont recall reading that. But if it is in there, Id like to know his reasoning for thinking that.
I cant logically think of any reason that squeezing your hop bag would cause issues…maybe if it were pellets and some of the material got through the bag from squeezing but certainly not leaf hops…
Ah yes, checking my old notes, it was my batch #6 made with a grand total of 3 months of brewing experience. The recipe was “Jack the Ripper Ale” from the Homebrewer’s Recipe Guide, which I still think is a good recipe book for extract brewers.
It says I used an ounce of EKG plugs to dry hop. IIRC, I squeezed out the dry hops through a strainer to reclaim all the liquid soaked up by the hops (have I mentioned before that I’m 1/4 Scottish?). Probably oxidized the daylights out of it, and since this was in finished beer, yeast couldn’t help clean it up.
This was the only batch of beer I ever made that had a wet cardboard flavor. Needless to say, I adjusted that part of my process afterwards… So go ahead and squeeze your hops as long as you avoid oxidation in the process. Also from my notes, cost of lesson? $23.76.
