Dry hopping

[Gggsss]

Hello all.

I know plenty been discussed on the subject, but I'm a lazy toe rag and can't be dealing with a scrolling through the threads.

Quick one. How do you lot dry hop? I have been chucking them in loose but the clogging when transferring or bottling is starting to become debilitating to my emotional well-being. Need some hassle free tips for maximum flavour, minimum blockage.

At the moment I can't cold crash (chamber out of action), I'm using a Grainfather Conical (no chiller). I constructed a filter to go over the dual valve internal post but that got covered in hops sharpish.

My thoughts were add pellets to a big enough bag and add 10-20% more than the recipe requires (to make up for loss of aroma/flavour).

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Ta..

 

[Agentgonzo]

I chuck the hops in one of those canisters that is made from stainless steel mesh. Google "dry hop canister"

 

[Stu's Brews]

I use pellets, added loose after fermentation is complete and after cooling to 12degC. I hold for 24 hours and then crash to <6degC for a further 3-4 days to drop everything out of suspension.

I also use a Grainfather Conical but don't have a glycol chiller; instead I use the pump kit (link below) with an old coolbox that gets filled with ice packs and water. It's obviously not as easy as using a glycol chiller as the ice packs need swapping round every 12-24 hours depending on the ambient temperature but it is a darn sight cheaper!

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/pro...al-fermenter-cooling-pump-kit/?v=79cba1185463

 

[hoppyscotty]

Depends on your kit really. If bottle with tap and bottling wand then you’re going to have to use a bag or mesh container to avoid clogging the bottling wand. If you can dump trub then dump before dry hopping to create the volume to not clog your tap. Alternatively you can transfer beer into a keg containing the hops and dry hop in the keg. Lots of different methods depending on amount of faff, and how anal you are about keeping air/oxygen away.

 

[Stu's Brews]

The other thing I should have added is that for beers I intend to dry hop heavily I use the longer 160mm dual valve inlet:

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/pro...dual-valve-160mm-liquid-inlet/?v=79cba1185463

 

[hoppyscotty]

The other thing I should have added is that for beers I intend to dry hop heavily I use the longer 160mm dual valve inlet:

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/pro...dual-valve-160mm-liquid-inlet/?v=79cba1185463

Ok, not seen that. That’s interesting as sometimes with thick and stubborn trub it won’t drop out of the dump port.

 

[Gggsss]

Stu. That looks interesting, thanks. Try and figure something out using that.

Agent. Thanks. Do use get enough aroma/flavour using that compared to slinging in loose?

Hop. Tried loads of filtering methods and eventually end up with the same headache. I'll always compromise with acceptable results/minimum agg.

 

[Agentgonzo]

Agent. Thanks. Do use get enough aroma/flavour using that compared to slinging in loose?

Hard to tell without a side-by-side comparison, TBH, but as long as you don't overload it, I wouldn't expect much difference, if any at all. Mine normally goes in midway through fermentation then stays until completion, so at least 5 days in the fermerter.