Hop pellets

[The Baron]

Many thanks, I've received some great tips on this subject and I'm gonna try them all in time, thanks again wasn't the quote on your profile attributed to Winston Churchill )

Yes it was

 

[Dave's Bunker]

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/the-magic-of-a-cold-crash.96206

Going bye what most members are saying (those with positive comments anyway) I think a "Spider" ( metal strainer) plus a mixture of finings and cold crashing is the route to follow,cheers

 

[Dave's Bunker]

I use a "dry hopping tube" (google that for examples) - think I got it for about £10 from Amazon - very fine mesh so seems to keep all hop matter out of the fermenter. Bear in mind that for very heavily dry hopped beers you might need two tubes - I just finished up a black IPA dry hopped with about 250g of pellets and the tube was so packed once the pellets had expanded with the absorption that I'm sure it will have impacted the ability to infuse. I'd say more than 150g is going to be the limit.

For clarity I'd use finings when kegging (or stirred gently into fermenter a few days before bottling) and cold crash if you can move to a colder place for 48 hours before packaging.

If you do try the hop tea method (I'm sceptical whether it'll be any good) - please post back what the results are!

Thanks for the advice, I've ordered a small one from FleeBay, they call them a "Spider" , thanks again

 

[crowcrow]

If you are able to cold crash you don't need a spider - but if you can't cold crash then a spider is great - I have one which I use in my pressurised fermentation in a corny, but I don't use them in a bucket as I'd rather get the full hops to beer transfer and always worry the spider is a barrier to that transfer. That said, I use a spider in my boil, and that seems to work fine. Enjoy and let us know how you get on - sure you will make some great beers whatever route you take

 

[Dave's Bunker]

If you are able to cold crash you don't need a spider - but if you can't cold crash then a spider is great - I have one which I use in my pressurised fermentation in a corny, but I don't use them in a bucket as I'd rather get the full hops to beer transfer and always worry the spider is a barrier to that transfer. That said, I use a spider in my boil, and that seems to work fine. Enjoy and let us know how you get on - sure you will make some great beers whatever route you take

Many thanks for the advice, I think I've found a way I can cold crash so when the spider arrives I'll try both ways.

 

[Racinsnake]

Has anyone mentioned a syphon sock? Festival kits come with one supplied, or they used to. After cold crashing virtually nil sediment transfer in my experience.

 

[Harbey]

It might be worth using a very fine sieve or even a filter paper when transferring from FV to bottling bucket. I always use a filter on my syphon but I also cold crash so there's only a very small amount of hop debris as a rule. After that, conditioning at a nice low temperature for a couple of weeks after carbonation works wonders.

 

[ScrumpyRam]

I was given a Coopers American IPA kit for Christmas which i started yesterday. I intend to add some Simcoe dry hop pellets towards the end of primary fermentation. I guess it all comes to taste preference but will 100g of pellets be too much?

 

[Tanglefoot]

I was given a Coopers American IPA kit for Christmas which i started yesterday. I intend to add some Simcoe dry hop pellets towards the end of primary fermentation. I guess it all comes to taste preference but will 100g of pellets be too much?

Simcoe seem to be a bit of a marmite hop, I like them but 100gm would be too much for me.
Better used with other C hops, Cascade works well but all down to taste as you say.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Simcoe seem to be a bit of a marmite hop, I like them but 100gm would be too much for me.
Better used with other C hops, Cascade works well but all down to taste as you say.

I'd agree, I love Simcoe but a 100g dry hop would be a bit much I think.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Strangely, I was last night reading through some of the Brulosophy hop chronicles and saw one where they did a single hop Simcoe brew which had a large late addition and an 85g dry hop. When it was written (2016) the brewer concluded it was “the best American pale ale I’ve ever made”.

https://brulosophy.com/2018/03/01/the-hop-chronicles-simcoe-2016/

 

[ScrumpyRam]

I'd agree, I love Simcoe but a 100g dry hop would be a bit much I think.

Tanglefoot/Pilgrimhudd, thanks for your comments. I think I'll put 50gms in and keep the rest back for another brew and mix up with cascade. Cheers.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I wouldn't get too hung up on a murky or muddy looking wort transferred to a fermenter. It drops out in the fermenter with the trub and doesn't affect the final beer. Especially if you use finings in the boil and cold crash. I've had perfectly clear bears from a muddy wort. and in any case no point in worrying about muddy looking wort going into the fermenter if you're going to dry hop and chuck hops in too. Yes, its ideal if you can leave all that stuff behind in the kettle but with every measure you use to try to do that there is a downside. Some level of tolerance will make your brew day much easier and you'll be less stressed.