what can i use to weigh down my hops?

[chrispurvis]

Hi guys.
i want to dry hop my lager. However the fv i use has a tap on for bottling.
so im going to fill a filter bag with hops but want it to sink.
i read everywhere to use marbles but havnt got any. Ive been warned off using anything metallic too.
Would i get away with using a rubber bung? The sort that the airlock sits in.
Any1 got any good ideas plzzz.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I would not use rubber as it may make your brew taste awful.

 

[chrispurvis]

Thx chippy tea. This is what i was concerned with.
Cant seem to find anything about the house thats small enough but heavy enough to sink it. There has to be something probably right under my nose too.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Do you have any of the ceramic blind baking beans?

 

[sloth]

Srainless steel teaspoon or other cutlery?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Buy some marbles tightwad. :lol:

 

[chrispurvis]

Blind baking beans? Never heard of them.
Think im gonna throw them in loose then fish them out with a paddle in a few days. But thx all the same guys.

 

[honeymonster]

If you are talking about weighing them down I'm assuming you were planning on putting them in a muslin or mesh bag. If you throw them in loose you could always put the bag over the end of your siphon when you are racking the beer. It'll act like a hop filter.

This does assume you have a bag and will be racking the beer to another vessel at some point though.

 

[chrispurvis]

Yep using a mesh filter bag from an old festival kit. But not got a spare bottling bucket to syphon into mate.
got a tap on mine and bottling wand. But like a kid at christmas i bought 3 kits and put them all on together. Using all my fv's and my two pressure barrells are currently full with said festival kit and a wherry :)

 

[honeymonster]

That's a brilliant excuse for not having a spare bucket :)

 

[BruinTuns]

I bottled my first 'rickthebrew's' ginger beer today, Bottling was a pain due to the huge amaount of vegetable matter in the brew,. The next time I do one I'll definitely be looking to put the grated ginger and fruit into a weighted mesh bag of some sort.
What I'm going to try is mixing some builder's plaster and filling a plastic milk (or similar) container with it. When it's set I'll cover the opening with clingfilm (to help ensure thatt the brew doesn't penetrate) and screw the top on.

 

[honeymonster]

What I'm going to try is mixing some builder's plaster and filling a plastic milk (or similar) container with it. When it's set I'll cover the opening with clingfilm (to help ensure thatt the brew doesn't penetrate) and screw the top on.

Maybe a coopers PET bottle? Thicker plastic and the screw top on one of those waaaaaaay better than a plastic milk bottle lid! Or any other 500ml fizzy juice bottle would work.

I've used a bag of pennies in a ziplock bag before( actually 4 bags, one inside the other, just to be sure). A sanitised bottle full of pennies would be easier to deal with and not as messy as the plaster.

 

[BruinTuns]

Excellent idea!
Cheers honeymonster :hat:

 

[rodwha]

I recently found a very large mesh tea strainer thing. With as much as you fellas on that side love tea I'm certain someone has one large enough.

Here's mine:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/dry-hop-basket-505457/

 

[brewpirate]

Stainless steel nuts from the hardware store.

 

[Godfather50]

How about a small pebble. Just big enough to sink the bag. I'd also think about tieing a string to the bag so that it can hang rather than bedding down in the yeast. Also boil it all for a few minutes before putting it into FV.

 

[chrispurvis]

Would you adam and eve it?
Just popped into the pub on way home from work for a swift pint.
Asked the landlord if he had any loose marbles laying about from some old kiddies games.
To which an old lady who usually pops in during the week replied "i found some in my handbag today and hung them on the christmas tree"
I wernt really sure if she was talking about bawballs but had a look anyway. 6 marbles in a net bag hanging on the tree. They very quickly found themselves a new home in my pocket to later find them selves in a muslin bag at the bottom of my brew.
the lil old lady also found herself a half lager curtosy of moi.
Happy days!!!