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First all leaf hop boil

Ingredients
#1

So i’ve used whole leaf for dry hopping before, but last night was my first shot at an all leaf boil.
I have to say that this may be the only type of hops I use from this point forward!!

I lost a ton less wort than using pellet in the past, and I guess this may differ if I had a valve on my kettle.
At the moment I still siphon until there’s 2-3 gallons left in the kettle and typically pour through a filter into the bucket.
Pellets would always clog the filter, but using leaf everything flowed smoother and looking at the wort it seemed to filter much more break material.

If only leaf hops didn’t take up so much more space in the freezer!!

On a side note, this was my test brew using caliente hops which I’ve found really nothing on. With no real flavor or aroma notes, I’m hoping I haven’t wasted 6.5 gallons on a potentially less that optimal hop.

I’ll be sure to post my findings in a few weeks, but out of the kettle they smelled only slightly citrus but quite a bit earthy and floral.

#2

I’ve started going the other way and started using more and more pellets. They not only are easier to store, they stay fresher longer.

#3

Do you have a preference for either type in regards to flow from the brew kettle?
After my one experience yesterday, I would think pellet would clog easier.
I see on your website your pickup tube is basically closed off copper tubing with drilled holes.

Have you tried the mesh steel variants?

#4

[quote=“dsidab81”]Do you have a preference for either type in regards to flow from the brew kettle?
After my one experience yesterday, I would think pellet would clog easier.
I see on your website your pickup tube is basically closed off copper tubing with drilled holes.

Have you tried the mesh steel variants?[/quote]

Yeah, I’ve tried the mesh and had bad results with both pellets and whole hops/ My pickup tube these days is an open piece of copper tubing that curves from the valve back to the side of the kettle. I put whole hops in bags and let pellets go through the pump into the fermenter. Not a problem.

#5

[quote=“Denny”][quote=“dsidab81”]Do you have a preference for either type in regards to flow from the brew kettle?
After my one experience yesterday, I would think pellet would clog easier.
I see on your website your pickup tube is basically closed off copper tubing with drilled holes.

Have you tried the mesh steel variants?[/quote]

Yeah, I’ve tried the mesh and had bad results with both pellets and whole hops/ My pickup tube these days is an open piece of copper tubing that curves from the valve back to the side of the kettle. I put whole hops in bags and let pellets go through the pump into the fermenter. Not a problem.[/quote]

Same here. I’ve tried a variety of filters for the BK, with no success.

#6

I just bottled 7 one-gallon batches of single-hopped pale ales, including one with Caliente. The hops themselves smelled pretty nondescript - mildly grassy with a little citrus, and they smelled about the same in the kettle. I definitely got a little more citrus in the aroma as I bottled it, but it was still nothing compared to the other hops I brewed with that day. I’ll post my full tasting notes on the old Caliente hop thread once the beer is carbed up and ready to drink.

As far as leaf hops go, I started using mostly leaf hops when I started brewing, with the thought that I might get more flavor and aroma from them, but now I use pellets whenever I can. I notice no difference in flavor/aroma, and the convenience is so much better for pellets.

I dry-hopped all the 1-gallon batches I just brewed. I got 6+ beers out of every batch except the one I used leaf hops for (the Caliente), which barely netted me 5 beers. For dry hops in particular, I definitely prefer pellets.

#7

Last year I bought pellets(I know, I know…I actually bought hops for the first time in 4 yrs) and I will never go back. IMO, I didn’t like how I was not able to filter all hop matter for kettle to primary and whole hops allows me to do this. Yes there is an absorption rate with whole but if the smallest batch you brew is 5 gallons, I don’t think there is any concern?
I hear it from my wife all the time about how my hops take up so much freezer space but she doesn’t complain about the beer I make :wink:

#8

[quote=“Central WA Brewing”]
I hear it from my wife all the time about how my hops take up so much freezer space…[/quote]

+1 This is the only downfall of growing your own, in my opinion. I started out packaging them in 1 oz portions, and then it was just ridiculous. I’ve gotten smart and now I package them in 8 oz bags, but they still take a lot of space. I think I’m going to start doubling all of my flavor/aroma additions and try to burn through a buttload of hops this year.

#9

I’ve been using more whole leaf hops because it seems easier to locate the types that are in short supply. ie. Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, Simcoe.

I actually just bought a few pounds of the 2012 crop.
1 Lb Amarillo
2 Lbs Centennial
1 Lb Simcoe

As for the the pick up tube in my keggle it is similar to Denny’s in design.

[attachment=0]DSC03322.JPG[/attachment]

#10

Here’s a pic of mine…

#11

Denny, it looks like yours is bent the wrong way . . . unless you’re left handed? If that’s the case, disregard!

#12

I guess mine is the wrong way too. Gotta love those counter clockwise whirlpools from downunder.

#13

I guess mine is the wrong way too. Gotta love those counter clockwise whirlpools from downunder.[/quote]

Doesn’t matter to me. For one thing, I could easily flip it over the other way. But mainly, I’m whirlpool challenged and don’t whirlpool.

#14

[quote=“gregscsu”]I’ve been using more whole leaf hops because it seems easier to locate the types that are in short supply. ie. Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, Simcoe.

I actually just bought a few pounds of the 2012 crop.
1 Lb Amarillo
2 Lbs Centennial
1 Lb Simcoe

As for the the pick up tube in my keggle it is similar to Denny’s in design.

[attachment=0]DSC03322.JPG[/attachment][/quote]

Curious to know how much beer and trub is left behind as it appears your tube is off the bottem pretty far. I ask b/c I have a keggle and run my tube to the side as low as I can and I leave behing approx 1/2 gallon…

#15

Once the wort gets down near the pickup tube, I tip the keggle a little to get the last bit of wort.

#16

I’m challenged in many more ways than just whirlpools, so I took the safe route: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid … =1&theater . As you can see I couldn’t figure out how to post pictures either and couldn’t find it in my being to drill a hole in a perfectly fine 17 gallon stainless steel swimming pool filter so the fitting is stuck to the end of my SS racking cane. In the year that I’ve been using it I’ve probably eliminated over 4 hours of cleaning the copper scrubber pad that it replaced. Little bit older and a teeny bit wiser!

#17

Very sexy get-up!! :cheers:

#18

Same here. I’d guess there’s less than a cup left behind.

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