First, I am far from an expert on the subject of hops, but here is my 2 cents.
I like the plug hops and try to use those in place of pellets as much as possible, and here's why. I like to cook, and I have found that with certain ingredients (like garlic) that if you smash them (like a garlic press) that you get a harsher flavor than if you use a very sharp knife to chop fine. When I have a handful of pellets, it just smells a little brutal to me, like the whole thing has just been pulverized.
Has there been any research as to how the oils might be more susceptible to oxidation in pellet form? Anyway, I'm going off now.
I want to finesse my brew, and for my own reasons (above) I use plugs. For that reason, I always use a hop sack. When I dry hop, I usually have some pellet, and some plug and they both go in the sack. If I am using pellets in a boil, no sack. Plugs in a boil, get a sack. I have yet to use whole hops in a brew.
I have a relative who is a brew master, and he says pellets are fine for dry hopping, and that you do not need a sack. They should all settle.
), I'm gonna try a hop bag with a little bit of extra room for expansion & also use a sanatized hop bag as a filter when racking into my bottling bucket. I'll post my results.
