Hops

[Ped_76]

What's the difference between using vacuum sealed (fresh) hops & hop pellets?
Also how long can you keep them and how best to store them?

 

[joe1002]

I have never used pellet hops but I always re vacuum pack and put them in the fridge or freezer, wherever there is room.

The AA% will decrease over time, but I have some that are about a year old and still ok :thumb: I'm not sure they would last as long it they were not vacuum packed.

 

[NickW]

Regarding hops... when they're in the boil, is it OK they will float on the top? Will they still impart their aroma and bitterness successfully?

 

[NickW]

Also, I am planning on not immersion chilling my wort... for the reason being i dont have an immersion chiller !

I am going to put the cube in a water bath and then chill overnight to less than 5'c, bring up to pitching temp during the day and then pitch the yeast.

At what point would it be a good idea to remove the hops?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I would drain the wort from the boiler into the cube through a hop filter to remove as much debris as possible.
I would then chill to pitching temp overnight, I can't see the point of going any colder, then get the wort into a fermenter with lots of aeration and pitch the yeast.
Leaf hops are easier to filter out the boiler with a hop filter, but pellets are great for dry hopping. Don't worry about the floating in the boiler, they won't float for long.

 

[NickW]

I would drain the wort from the boiler into the cube through a hop filter to remove as much debris as possible.
I would then chill to pitching temp overnight, I can't see the point of going any colder, then get the wort into a fermenter with lots of aeration and pitch the yeast.
Leaf hops are easier to filter out the boiler with a hop filter, but pellets are great for dry hopping. Don't worry about the floating in the boiler, they won't float for long.

I read that, in terms of chill haze, its not the speed you get the wort down, its how low you can get the wort before pitching. I want to give this a go.

In terms of the hops... I am not immersion chilling. So especially with aroma hops, I will be transferring my wort straight into my cube. So the hops added at the end of the boil will literally only be in the wort for a couple of minutes.will this be enough time for the worth to impartial its aroma?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I would leave the wort in the boiler for 30 mins while the aroma hops steep and the crud settles before transferring to the cube.

I've never suffered from Chill haze so can't comment on that.

 

[NickW]

I would leave the wort in the boiler for 30 mins while the aroma hops steep and the crud settles before transferring to the cube.

I've never suffered from Chill haze so can't comment on that.

Thanks Steve :thumb:

 

[NickW]

Would this be sufficient time for the crud to settle? What if some crud was transfered to the FV upon fermentation?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

If it doesn't settle and end up in the fermenter it won't do any harm. You are basically running the wort out of the boiler the same as someone who uses a counter flow chiller. The only difference being you are chilling later.

 

[NickW]

That's great :thumb:

I don't have a hop strainer, I don't think... at the bottom of my boiler inside connected to the tap I have a round of copper tubing with small slits cut into it... is this enough?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

That's great :thumb:

I don't have a hop strainer, I don't think... at the bottom of my boiler inside connected to the tap I have a round of copper tubing with small slits cut into it... is this enough?

That's a hop strainer, mine is a copper pipe with holes in it.

 

[NickW]

That's great :thumb:

I don't have a hop strainer, I don't think... at the bottom of my boiler inside connected to the tap I have a round of copper tubing with small slits cut into it... is this enough?

That's a hop strainer, mine is a copper pipe with holes in it.

Oh, haha. You learn something new every day. I have the same in my mashtun. :lol:

I feel I should apologize for hijacking this thread with my constant questions....

Sorry ped_76

 

[Runwell-Steve]

That's great :thumb:

I don't have a hop strainer, I don't think... at the bottom of my boiler inside connected to the tap I have a round of copper tubing with small slits cut into it... is this enough?

That's a hop strainer, mine is a copper pipe with holes in it.

Oh, haha. You learn something new every day. I have the same in my mashtun. :lol:

I feel I should apologize for hijacking this thread with my constant questions....

Sorry ped_76

Normally the one with holes is in the boiler, the one with slits is in the Mash Tun.

 

[NickW]

I bought mine off a member on here. Both have the slits

 

[godfrey]

I would imagine that once the hops have been dried

you could store them in a jar with a sealing lid ?

just like coffee and herbs are stored for long periods

this is how I plan to store my hops

I never had a problem storing any other herbs this way

we even store our dried forest foraged mushrooms this way
we are currently using the 2009 harvest mushrooms :-)

 

[Rolfster]

I store all my hops in the freezer. But I have never used pellets.