Dry Hop/Late Hop in a Sanitized Bag or Dump in Keg? Hop Spiders?

I use a hop spider during the boil - and like others, I can't say if affects clarity. The biggest change I saw was using a Whirfloc tablet 5 minutes before flame-out! That along with an active fermentation in an undisturbed environment for at least two weeks seem to give me very clear results. I do drop the trub from my fermenter after about a week (sometimes), but I'm not convinced it affects clarity other than making it easier to avoid the trub when transfering the beer after fermentation!
 
Obvious but you don't let them hit the bottom to avoid scorching right? The bags look pretty big. Headed to Ace today!
I have a false bottom in my electric kettle (Brewzilla). You can tie a pice of fishing line or string to it to keep it off the bottom too.
 
I have a false bottom in my electric kettle (Brewzilla). You can tie a pice of fishing line or string to it to keep it off the bottom too.
Same with the Anvil. One gallon bags. Use enough string to close the bag and have enough extra to tie to the handle. Helps fishing them out at the end of the boil.
 
paint strainer bags during the boil? I see them online and MoreBeer has some other too. I see the pick of the strainer/shaker? Is there a name for that.....apologies for my density. :)
Paint strainer bags for boil, yes. You could also use them for a bucket fermentation if you sanitize them and clean them very well between uses.

The stainless hop strainer/spider pictured works for buckets or other fermenters and can be cleaned and sanitized easily either with a hot-soak with PBW or by boiling.
 
Obvious but you don't let them hit the bottom to avoid scorching right? The bags look pretty big. Headed to Ace today!
I use a spring clamp to clip the bag to the rim of the pot. You want to be able to take it out easily once the boil is done and your started chilling. You can use a bag for the whirlpool/hopstand as well but it's handy to have a separate one for boil hops. The 5 gallon size isn't too big to use for hop additions. They're cheap enough to get both sizes and have a few on hand. Soak them in mild dish soap and warm water and then rinse them very well with hot water and then dunk them in Star San. For boil, you don't need to worry about sanitation but if you use them for fermentation, the need to be squeaky clean. :)
 
I use a spring clamp to clip the bag to the rim of the pot. You want to be able to take it out easily once the boil is done and your started chilling. You can use a bag for the whirlpool/hopstand as well but it's handy to have a separate one for boil hops. The 5 gallon size isn't too big to use for hop additions. They're cheap enough to get both sizes and have a few on hand. Soak them in mild dish soap and warm water and then rinse them very well with hot water and then dunk them in Star San. For boil, you don't need to worry about sanitation but if you use them for fermentation, the need to be squeaky clean. :)
What is the reason for pulling the hop bag out at the end of the boil?
 
What is the reason for pulling the hop bag out at the end of the boil?
It's not absolutely necessary but if you want to control IBUs and flavor, leaving all the hops in during whirlpool or hopstand or even all the way through the cool-down can add some utilization, especially if late addition hops are left in. If I'm doing whirlpool, I'll often use 2 bags so that I can pull the boil hops as I normally would as chilling commences and then pause the chill at 180 or so and throw in the bag with all the whirlpool hops.
 
but if you use a bag do you squeeze it ?
I find that the bag lets a little hop residue out during the boiling process. Whatever stays in there seems to stay in even during a squeeze. I definitely give it a squish up against the side of the pot with my big spoon as I'm pulling out out. It's hard to squeeze it a lot because it's boiling hot. :)
 
Nylon bags work for me at any point in the brewing and they are reusable/squeezable. As mentioned, some Irish Moss seems to help, too. The hops usually just get dumped in at any point before the ferment and I use a strainer to catch the hops. Bagged late hops used during the cool down sometimes go over to the ferment and a bag is great for this technique.
 
I find that the bag lets a little hop residue out during the boiling process. Whatever stays in there seems to stay in even during a squeeze. I definitely give it a squish up against the side of the pot with my big spoon as I'm pulling out out. It's hard to squeeze it a lot because it's boiling hot. :)
I take the boil hops bag out after transferring to fermenter
 

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