Hop socks

[ghb]

I've been buy brew kits from various sources. In some of them the hops are loose in a vacuum sealed bag and others are tightly wrapped in a hop sock inside the vacuum sealed bag. Before i put the hop socks in the boiler I loosen the bag so that the hops aren't packed in so tight and the wort can flow around them easier.

My question is, why do they tie the socks up so tight and am i right to loosen them before use?

 

[Covrich]

I've been buy brew kits from various sources. In some of them the hops are loose in a vacuum sealed bag and others are tightly wrapped in a hop sock inside the vacuum sealed bag. Before i put the hop socks in the boiler I loosen the bag so that the hops aren't packed in so tight and the wort can flow around them easier.

My question is, why do they tie the socks up so tight and am i right to loosen them before use?

I dunno but I think you're doing the right thing.. I dont use muslin bags anymore, I am convinced I had a noticibale hop utilisation reduction.

So by having them compacted I would say that they would also be restricted, if they come in a sock you want them to flow as freely as you can

 

[ghb]

Thanks, that's exactly what I thought. I did try loose hopping but being a lazy ******* i didn't like the extra stuff to clean up so stuck to hop socks