When should I remove the hops?

hockeynut

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I have been home brewing for three years and feel I am doing it all wrong. I have been trying to brew extract IPA's with whole leaf hops using SS mesh cylinders to contain the hops. I can stuff 4 oz of hops into each canister and typically on a 5 gallon batch, I will add at 60/30/0 minutes with 4 more ounces used to dry hop, 48 hours prior to bottling. I have been leaving the hop canisters in the single fermenter until bottling. Despite all of this, I do not get the hop zing one expects from an IPA. I suspect I should be using the whole leaf hops free floating in the boil and then allow the false bottom and tube strainer on the ball valve in my 10 gallon brew pot to filter out the hops from my wort. What do other home brewers do?
 
I have been home brewing for three years and feel I am doing it all wrong. I have been trying to brew extract IPA's with whole leaf hops using SS mesh cylinders to contain the hops. I can stuff 4 oz of hops into each canister and typically on a 5 gallon batch, I will add at 60/30/0 minutes with 4 more ounces used to dry hop, 48 hours prior to bottling. I have been leaving the hop canisters in the single fermenter until bottling. Despite all of this, I do not get the hop zing one expects from an IPA. I suspect I should be using the whole leaf hops free floating in the boil and then allow the false bottom and tube strainer on the ball valve in my 10 gallon brew pot to filter out the hops from my wort. What do other home brewers do?
I suspect oxidation, the bane of many homebrewed IPAs. Leaf hops make it worse with their larger surface area. Do whatever you can to keep O2 out except at pitch. Consider pellet hops and dry hop at high krauesen and see if things get better.
 
Can't be doing everything wrong if you end up with beer :)

I would say what @Nosybear said plus maybe drop the 30 minute addition and try 15 minutes and later. Mine are usually 15, 10 and 5 plus flameout or whirlpool and a dry hop addition as well.
 
Beat me to it Yooper ! Yer just too fast :)
 
Also, when you say “stuff” 4 ounces of hops in, do you mean that literally? The hops should be free flowing and loose in order for the hops oils to be released into the wort.
That would cause problems as well....
 
That would cause problems as well....

Well, not really. If someone is going to use a hops spider, bag, etc, they can add plenty of hops but use several bags if needed so that the hops are loose in the bag/canister and not packed in. Just like when you BIAB, the bag itself is fine but not if you pack it tightly. The ingredients should be loose in any bag, as if they were free floating in the wort.

Of course, sometimes I do throw them in loose without any bag, depending on how many, if they are pellets or whole leaf hops, dry or wet hopping, etc.
 
Well, not really. If someone is going to use a hops spider, bag, etc, they can add plenty of hops but use several bags if needed so that the hops are loose in the bag/canister and not packed in. Just like when you BIAB, the bag itself is fine but not if you pack it tightly. The ingredients should be loose in any bag, as if they were free floating in the wort.

Of course, sometimes I do throw them in loose without any bag, depending on how many, if they are pellets or whole leaf hops, dry or wet hopping, etc.
Sorry I miscommunicated - I was agreeing with you!
 
Yeah I have a small BIAB bag that didn't fit what I intended and I use some binder clips to hold it in my kettle for hopping, works really well. I found hop spiders didn't really work that well.
 
hockeynut = hockeybot?
 

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