Hi Guys,
I am slowly getting all the kit I need for my move to All Grain later this month or early May.
For my Boiler what do you guys suggest as my hop strainer to keep the hops away from the draining tap.
Should I get a copper or stainless steel hop strainer fitted or do you recommend a mesh hop bag as being the best?
What are the advantages & disadvantages of each.
Thanks, all replies gratefully received.
FB
Hop Bag or Hop Strainer
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DerbyshireNick
Re: Hop Bag or Hop Strainer
Hey, I originally had no strainer, just a 15mm hole out that I would use a siv with. The only problem I found was the hops soaking up ALLOT of wort and generally getting things very messy and clogged down there. I got a bag thats nearly as wide as the boiler and 2/3s as deep. Got some garden wire and stiched it onto the opening of the bag so I could keep it open and circular. This bad pretty much fills the boiler and sits just above the elements getting the benifit of plenty of swirling during the boil without making a mess. The other real advantage was that after I just lift it out and squeeze all the wort out of it. More beer / More hop flavour.
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Valley Commando
Re: Hop Bag or Hop Strainer
Hop Bag for me. I own a decent hop strainer that I custom built but it sure is easier to keep the hops in the bag : Faster cleanup and less hassle. When you are done with the hop tea-bag you just remove it, empty into compost and dump bag in washing machine. I have a couple of bags allowing different timed additions and that seems to me to be a very user friendly solution. The alternative (which I have built, tried and discarded) requires the hop strainer and boiler be thoroughly cleaned out to remove hop debris which is a PITA.
Your experience may vary from mine but I couldnt taste any difference in the beer, and it was a whole lot quicker and more fun using the hop bag. All that guff about hop strainers allowing the hops to circulate is just that- guff, the hop bags allow plenty of room for an ounce of hops to do their thang. Just ask the person who gives you "hop strainer is better" bull if they use teabags: I bet they do and for the same reason I use a hop bag; cos its easier and quicker.
Your experience may vary from mine but I couldnt taste any difference in the beer, and it was a whole lot quicker and more fun using the hop bag. All that guff about hop strainers allowing the hops to circulate is just that- guff, the hop bags allow plenty of room for an ounce of hops to do their thang. Just ask the person who gives you "hop strainer is better" bull if they use teabags: I bet they do and for the same reason I use a hop bag; cos its easier and quicker.