Dry Hopping Plans

[earthwormgaz]

Loosing 3 brews is a major problem...Ive done over 50 A/G brews and never lost one yet...With all respect back to basics?

I think I've lost three as well, 2 of those were dry hop ones, hence me being a bit nervous about doing this.

I quite like the idea of just emptying them in there and not nobbing about with a big or a brick that's asking for infection.

It seems about 50g/2oz is the right amount of hops to use anyway. Might go for emptying the cascade and fuggles in tomorrow, and wrack off Monday/Tuesday next week.

 

[joe1002]

I quite like the idea of just emptying them in there and not nobbing about with a big or a brick that's asking for infection.

That's what I did, just lobbed them on top and shut the lid :thumb:

But maybe I just got lucky by not getting an infection :hmm:

 

[Hirsty]

Graysalchemy, rather than putting the hops in boiling water and losing a lot of aroma, how about wearing some surgical gloves breaking the hops? I use them when pitching, bottle filling, gravities, or anything which involves me being exposed to the beer before drinking - they do the job very well and are pretty cheap.

 

[Hirsty]

Rather than a brick, do you have anything made of food grade stainless steel to weigh them down? Far safer infection wise.

 

[earthwormgaz]

Rather than a brick, do you have anything made of food grade stainless steel to weigh them down? Far safer infection wise.

I was thinking a brick in a plastic bag. Dunno though.

 

[Hirsty]

You'll have something in the kitchen that is stainless steel - spoons, for example.

I'd be nervous of the bag splitting & exposing your lovely booze to some extra brick flavouring.

 

[RobWalker]

gaz, do you use vwp? i had the same problem for two batches. it's a flippin nightmare, don't use it, or if you do, rinse 5 times with hot water!!

 

[Steamedbeech]

Marbles, easy to clean, keep them in a pot so you don't lose them :whistle:

 

[lambert]

I use a small voile bag to dry hop. I just dunk the bag into a Star-san solution, swirl it around and then squeeze out the excess liquid. Pop the hops in the bag, together with a stainless steel plumbing connection that was also star-sanned, and drop everything in the fermenter.

 

[calumscott]

I've dry hopped in various ways, all with great success...

Muslin bag and various stainless kitchen utensils dropped in boiling water then wrapped up as a bag
Pellets just lobbed in

and most recently

Whole hops just lobbed in :lol:

Pellets are the way forward IMO. They bob about for a bit on the surface, break up into a green scum then eventually sink and merge with the rest of the crud at the bottom. Easy peasy.

I think I'll end up losing quite a lot to the whole hops just chucked in which is was a little short sighted. With the bag you can tie it off to the side of the FV and it slowly releases the trapped beer... Ah well...

 

[earthwormgaz]

Well, I just emptied the fuggles and cascade into the beer the other night. Wish me luck lads, racking off in a few days¬

 

[wilsoa1111]

ive got to say despite the odd accident blending whole hops works for me, will be blending it dry nxt time though...

the APA i did came out excellent with only 220g of hops in total in 20l start, used about 40g in the dry hop, really could have used some extra though seemas i missed out on the cascade dry hop

didnt have any racking issues just bunging it in like pelleted and leaving for gravity to sort out- wouldnt be able to reuse the yeast as easy though,
and defo better than whole leaf hops plugging the siphon tube

for me it seems to work better than in bags, think they contain too many of the oils, like what they try to do in a oil spill...well its a theory anyway- but reusing them isnt gonna happen easy

 

[winelight]

I've had trouble with real hops blocking the holes in the racking cane, well I don't have pellets only real hops so I'm going to try boiling up a bag and spoons for 10 minutes, then using sterile gloves to break up the hops put them in the bag and seal up the bag.

 

[EskiBrew]

When you have lost 3 big brews to infection you become a little cautious. :grin: :grin:

True - I have only dry hopped once and lost the brew to infection (not something I usually have a problem with) so have never done it again :?
I really should though - and to be fair, there is probably little risk :hmm:

 

[graysalchemy]

I haven't lost any to dry hopping but I always air on the side of caution.

I have enough stout vinegar to keep me for a few more years in pickled onions :lol: :lol:

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Excellent 2 hour chat today with my boss (Ex Head Brewer/Owner) and he said that he never lost a brew (over 1,000,000 pts) through dry hopping. He says that the cause of any infection is probably down to the fact that you put them in a bag/muslin. He understands "small ammount brewing" and recommends, that when your brew is ready to be kegged, add finings and dry hops, and let the finings and gravity do their stuff.

 

[winelight]

Thanks for that, useful to know. I dry hopped today into the FV but boiled muslin bag and stainless spoons for 10 minutes first, then used sterile gloves to put the hops in the bag and tie it shut.

 

[AndyBWood]

Evening All,

Any updates on the dry hopping that has taken place over the last few weeks ?

I've got a Summer Lightening almost complete which has a few more days to go in the fermenter but would like to have a go at this.

Cheers :thumb:

A

 

[home brewer]

I'm sure I heard of people using a magnet in a muslin bag of hops, with a cornie. Hence with the magnet on the outer can be slid along and the bag can be submerged or lifted out of the ale without having to open.

 

[Duxuk]

I just chuck them in! I syphon into bottles or keg and they cause no problem. I have tried 2 very similar brews with and without the dry hops and the difference is considerable, so I definitely recommend it.