Thinking of using Pellets

[Wez]

I'm thinking of trying out pellets as I quite like some of the obvious advantages such as easy to ship, small to store. Can anyone give me a pro's and cons to using pellets and also the best way to use them rather than whole flower hops.

Cheers!

 

[BrewStew]

never used them but i've seen people complaining of them not filtering too well. perhaps someone who has can shed light on it as i'm interested in giving them a go too

 

[MEB]

I use pellets from time to time. Good points-100g of pellets is smaller in size than 100g cones. That's about all i can think of. Bad points-they clog up my strainer unless i put them in a bag. Which i do. I add the first pellets to a large grain sack and tie up the end with copper wire which i then use to attach the grain bag to my kettle. I'll undo this and throw in the 15min additions. The same with the steep hops. Bit of a palaver really but if all you can get is pellets then you've gotta do something. Oh, it's quite easy to wring the grain bag out and get all the hoppy goodness in your brew so you don't lose much liquor to the hops.

I prefer cones to pellets for ease of use. I'm not sure i can taste any difference between the two.
Hope this has helped a bit.

 

[steve_flack]

I use pretty much nothing but pellets - mostly because they're smaller, easier to store and keep better. I would say that if you can get very fresh whole hops then the aroma will be better. Personally however I've found the pellet hops supplied from Craftbrewer to have great aroma. Some hop varieties pellet better than others (Saaz is apparently quite bad but it keeps shockingly badly in any form anyway).

Generally filtering the hops out is a non starter - it will probably block up. You could either stir your cooled wort so the hops all the hops pile up in the middle of the boiler (this probably works better in gas fired kettles as there aren't any elements interrupting the swirling action)...or use a hop sock (a glorified hop bag). I use the latter.

 

[Kingfisher]

Generally filtering the hops out is a non starter - it will probably block up. You could either stir your cooled wort so the hops all the hops pile up in the middle of the boiler (this probably works better in gas fired kettles as there aren't any elements interrupting the swirling action)...or use a hop sock (a glorified hop bag). I use the latter.

I was thinking about pellets mainly to source hops that aren't available in leaf. I got this from ebay it's about 125mm dia do you think it would be suitable for pellets

 

[steve_flack]

Is that some sort of love toy? :lol:

Anyway, I think the holes are far too big. It would probably be best for dryhopping with whole hops.

 

[delboy]

You can always bodge together a hop strainer from fine stainless steel mesh. Thats what aleman and garth have, apparently they are very effective with pellets.

 

[Kingfisher]

Is that some sort of love toy? :lol:

Anyway, I think the holes are far too big. It would probably be best for dryhopping with whole hops.

:lol: Whatever fills your boots Steve. I've got some fine s/s mesh I can line it with. Not having used pellets; do they just go to a soup

 

[Aleman]

You can always bodge together a hop strainer from fine stainless steel mesh. Thats what aleman and garth have, apparently they are very effective with pellets.

Cheeky Sod! I object to the word bodge! That is a carefully crafted and assembled precision device I use :grin:

Wez, the largest particle you will get with pellets is about 1mm . . . most are much smaller think sawdust.

Using a HopStopper (TM) is about the only effective way of removing them I've found, and I've used pretty much every form of hop filter known to brewing. Prior to the hopstopper I used to whirlpool the cool wort and rack from the edge of the copper

 

[delboy]

You can always bodge together a hop strainer from fine stainless steel mesh. Thats what aleman and garth have, apparently they are very effective with pellets.

Cheeky Sod! I object to the word bodge! That is a carefully crafted and assembled precision device I use :grin:

Wez, the largest particle you will get with pellets is about 1mm . . . most are much smaller think sawdust.

Using a HopStopper (TM) is about the only effective way of removing them I've found, and I've used pretty much every form of hop filter known to brewing. Prior to the hopstopper I used to whirlpool the cool wort and rack from the edge of the copper

Im a bit confused now aleman, does your homemade bodged, sorry carefully crafted hop strainer stop pellets or do you really need the expensive american one??

 

[Aleman]

I crafted my HopStopper Clone using information from the US Site and Forum and the #30 mesh stops pellet debris a treat.

In fact I'm about to order some more mesh from Inoxia to build a HopStopper for the femtobrewery, and also some of the coarser (probably #20 mesh) as a mash filter for the femtobrewery, I am fed up with the amount of debris that comes through my FB, although that does clear easily using the RIMS

 

[delboy]

Thanks for clearing that up aleman, i finally got my sheets from inoxia so i'llbe carefully crafting one in the near future.
Im going to hit candirect for a supply of perle, cascade and magnum, SNPA here we come :

 

[Vossy1]

The only 'problem' I found with hop swatters, was that they allow particles inside them, and once in, they are a bugger to get out....even with a jet washer.
I've seen reference to 80 mesh being used for said items as a pellet blocker, and I am sorely tempted...once my leaf hops run out.

 

[Kingfisher]

SMDIF but I think, as a previous poster suggested, that you can be as dirty as you like before cooling and fermentation. If there's a few "chewy" bits left on the stainless hop filter, after boil; does it matter A bit of meths, or similar, a match and a good wash will sort it.

 

[Vossy1]

Tis true....but there's something dirty about using a swatter with detritus inside it :twisted: ....but then again I am a sort of perfectionist

My concern was that if there's stuff already inside the filter pre brew....it can only make matters worse during the brew.
Re-circing may take care of that issue though :hmm:

 

[Kingfisher]

Tis true....but there's something dirty about using a swatter with detritus inside it :twisted: ....but then again I am a sort of perfectionist

My concern was that if there's stuff already inside the filter pre brew....it can only make matters worse during the brew.
Re-circing may take care of that issue though :hmm:

Burn the swatter and boil it then "Mr Clean" :P

 

[Vossy1]

Burn the swatter and boil it then "Mr Clean"

:lol:
It has been said that I am a bit disfunctional regards sanitising and cleaning.....ask Wez, EB, Slurp etc...etc :lol:

 

[Kingfisher]

Burn the swatter and boil it then "Mr Clean"

:lol:
It has been said that I am a bit disfunctional regards sanitising and cleaning.....ask Wez, EB, Slurp etc...etc :lol:

You mean you don't wash your hands :shock:

 

[Rabmaxwell]

I use a home made hop-stopper & pellets it's the best filter i have used most excellent bodge. :party: :

 

[Vossy1]

What gauge mesh did you use Rab?