Using pellets

[Will_D]

Now I have never used pellets before.
I think more amd more of us will be using pellets!

If I am following a recipe that uses pellets fine.

But what about adapting leaf recipes to pellets.

Can someone post up a quick 101 on peelets please?

[Ciderhead]

Drop down menu on Beersmith is what I use.
I'll never go back to leaf now.

[Will_D]

As we are using T-90 pellets then they are a direct weight for weight replacement!

I always thought pellets were more concentrated than whole leaf!

I know T-45 is though as its only about 45% of the weight of the original flower after the leafy bits have been removed!

Next question Hop-sock or no Hop-sock?

[Samael]

Drop down menu on Beersmith is what I use.
I'll never go back to leaf now.

You mean "Hop bitterness" tool or what

[Dodge]

This is my take on pellets and leaf

Pellets stay fresher than leaf over time
Pellets contribute more bitterness than leaf that's why in beersmith on the hop selection screen you can specify pellets or leaf with equivalent alpha acid % and beersmith calculates
In the kettle leaf have the advantage over  pellets in terms of forming a better filter bed. Obviously if you use a fine mesh or hop bag then pellets are good
Dry hopping with pellets gives a better hop beer contact since the pellets will break up thus allowing better oil extraction to beer in a shorter time. Less grassy flavours.

This is my understating on what I've experienced and read

[imark]

Dry hopping with pellets gives a better hop beer contact since the pellets will break up thus allowing better oil extraction to beer in a shorter time. Less grassy flavours.

Very interesting. Was not aware of this and explains what I've experienced on moving to pellets. Need to adjust my schedule.

[mr hoppy]

Although wouldn't have thought pellets would have been particularly compatible with tea balls / dry hopping in the keg?

[imark]

I've seen the larger hop tablets used on commercial beers for dry hop. I assumed the logic is they'll minimise oxidation.

[Eoin]

They're probably plugs as opposed to pellets. Whole hops pressed into a coin shaped format.

Sent from my U9200 using Tapatalk 2

Yep I was thinking the same.

Sent from my HTC One

[nigel_c]

I've been using mainly pellets lately. I find them much easier to manage and store. I love how easy it is to dry hop with them. Throw them straight in and they will do their thing and sink. I've had times when dry hopping with leaf hot where I found a real lack of a punch I should have gotten with the pint of leafs I used. Never had this pellets. Greater contact and not a chance of poor contact with the beer.
For keg hopping I would still use leafs though in a bag.

A real plus for me is the shelf life of pellets over leaf.

[imark]

They're probably plugs as opposed to pellets. Whole hops pressed into a coin shaped format.

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That's what they were alright. Couldn't remember the correct term.