# Do You Dry Hop In The Keg ?



## Pumpy (12/11/08)

I have dry hopped about eight batches now in the keg and have had good flavour results but a bit unhappy with the occassional 'floaty' which does not really bother me but I like to present a floatie free beer 

by the way the occassional tea leave size floatie actually sinks unless got caught in the head .

I have been using a SS mesh to hold my hops but feel I should probably go to a finer material , I was worried that a curtain mesh material may get sucked up the dip tube .

I wish to persue dry hopping in the keg as it is traditional of cask ales 

My East Kent Golding plugs in my bitter were the better leaving very little residue 

The Cascade plugs in my APA started off OK in one batch towards the end heavy floaties .

It pays to keep it carbed well otherwise less carb seems to allow the floaties to wander .

what do you use to contain all hop plugs when dry hopping in the keg ???


Pumpy


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## SJW (12/11/08)

I have done a couple of times mate, with EKG in English Bitter. Even though my EB's leave a little bit to be desired the dry hopping in a tea ball seemed to be good. The problem is I could only fit one plug in a tea ball and I doubt you get the full benefits. I would like to make one of Docs massive keg dry hopper out of Termi-mesh and put a couple of plugs in. But I have not really made good bitters so for now I will stick with my Lagers.

Steve


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## Jye (12/11/08)

A handful of gravel


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## Duff (12/11/08)

As mentioned in a few threads containing the same information, I have always dry hopped in kegs using a stocking.

Unused of course.

Tie a piece of dental floss around the stocking so it is the only thread protruding from the keg. Gas as normal, and let sit for however long one determines.


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## Pumpy (12/11/08)

Hey Steve this works well for me 

Jye good idea with the gravel will keep the stocking down 

Chiswick 
English Special or Best Bitter 

Type: All Grain
Date: 19/07/2008 
Batch Size: 40.00 L
Brewer: PUMPY

Boil Size: 50.78 L Asst Brewer: 
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: My Equipment 40 
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 
Taste Notes: 

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU 
6.45 kg BB Pale Malt (4.0 EBC) Grain 90.85 % 
0.65 kg Weyermann Caramunich I (100.5 EBC) Grain 9.15 % 
27.10 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.20 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops - 
40.00 gm Target [9.00 %] (60 min) Hops 23.9 IBU 
14.00 gm Northdown [8.10 %] (15 min) Hops 3.7 IBU 
11.50 gm Challenger [6.60 %] (15 min) Hops 2.5 IBU 

Dry hop in the keg one plug 

1.00 tsp Koppafloc (Boil 10.0 min) Misc 
2.11 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Misc 
21.13 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc 
1 Pkgs British Ale (Wyeast Labs #1098) Yeast-Ale 



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.041 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG 
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG 
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.04 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 % 
Bitterness: 30.1 IBU Calories: 90 cal/l 
Est Color: 13.9 EBC Color: Color 


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body Total Grain Weight: 7.10 kg 
Sparge Water: 30.00 L Grain Temperature: 22.2 C 
Sparge Temperature: 75.6 C TunTemperature: 22.2 C 
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH 

Single Infusion, Medium Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp 
60 min Mash In Add 18.52 L of water at 74.4 C 67.8 C 
10 min Mash Out Add 10.37 L of water at 91.5 C 75.6 C 



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time). 
Carbonation and Storage


Notes

Dry hop one EKG plug in the keg


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## dr K (12/11/08)

You need one of these...


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## Pumpy (12/11/08)

Ohhhhh Dr K is that from a Fish tank ?

Thats Finer than mine 


Pumpy


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## dr K (12/11/08)

Got em FREE with the latest series of Futurama...arrived tonight.

K


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## Pumpy (12/11/08)

WOW what was it meant for


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## bugwan (12/11/08)

dr K said:


> Got em FREE with the latest series of Futurama...arrived tonight.
> 
> K



That's random! Perhaps part of a Bender costume...?

I've had better results using pellets in tea balls than plugs, but I'm pretty sure that's just because the plugs don't have enough room to expand and be exposed to the beer. SWMBO doesn't have any stockings worthy of keg use, so it looks like I'm off to the hosiery section of Myer tomorrow...  

PS. T2 (as in Tea Two, the tea shop) has a selection of larger tea balls, but again, you might run into chunky green bits with their holes allowing for the passing of the odd green nugget.


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## samhighley (13/11/08)

I think K is taking the piss.

The two items pictured are plumbing fittings. The meshed part is for putting onto the top of a ventilation tube to stop crap getting in.

Sam


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## newguy (13/11/08)

I haven't dry hopped in the keg for quite some time, but I used to boil the foot from an unused pair of pantyhose and I'd put the hops in that. Just tie a knot in it and throw it in. Almost forgot the marbles to weigh it all down. Works really well.


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## SJW (13/11/08)

Thanks Pumpy, I was looking for a tried and tested English Bitter recipe. I will give that one a crack with the dry hopping too. Can't wait.

Steve


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## Steve (13/11/08)

I used to use my tea ball until it carked it (hinge dissolved). I now use a stocking tied with a bit of string. The first few glasses are sensational  
Cheers
Steve


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## raven19 (13/11/08)

Sanitise that gravel and/or marbles too!


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## warrenlw63 (13/11/08)

Ask your local aquarium for "filter medium bags" they use them to hold charcoal for tank filters.

They're great for dry hopping. Even come with a drawstring.

Warren -


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## Pumpy (13/11/08)

warrenlw63 said:


> Ask your local aquarium for "filter medium bags" they use them to hold charcoal for tank filters.
> 
> They're great for dry hopping. Even come with a drawstring.
> 
> Warren -



You are a bloody ledgend Warren 

Pumpy


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## warrenlw63 (13/11/08)

Pumpy said:


> You are a bloody ledgend Warren
> 
> Pumpy



 Stretching a point a bit I think Pumpy.

Here's a link which may explain them better. They come in various micron ratings too. Which matters if you're using pellets as opposed to whole hops.

Warren -


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## TidalPete (13/11/08)

warrenlw63 said:


> Ask your local aquarium for "filter medium bags" they use them to hold charcoal for tank filters.
> 
> They're great for dry hopping. Even come with a drawstring.
> 
> Warren -



Are they good for pellets Warren?

TP :beer:


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## warrenlw63 (13/11/08)

TidalPete said:


> Are they good for pellets Warren?
> 
> TP :beer:



Personally I've only used them for plugs and flowers Pete (800 micron). They do offer a 250 micron jobbie so I'd say you'd be fine for pellets.

Warren -


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## Pumpy (13/11/08)

Excellent Just what I wanted to the Fish shop tonight .

The knowlege on this site is unbelievable (especially when you add it to mine)  

no more floaties 

Cheers Warren 

Pumpy


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## TidalPete (13/11/08)

warrenlw63 said:


> Personally I've only used them for plugs and flowers Pete (800 micron). They do offer a 250 micron jobbie so I'd say you'd be fine for pellets.
> 
> Warren -



Thanks for that mate. I was just curious as at the moment I dry hop to keg using a home-made bag sewn up from the curtain material that Rossco used prior to the introduction of the hop sock. And (Never start a sentence with "and" :lol: ) this works quite well with pellets.
I will take a look at the 250 micron jobby. :icon_cheers: 

TP :beer:


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## Pumpy (13/12/08)

I found some SwimSafe Filtersavers in nylon for a pool Basket in Big W in the pool section , they are like white short stocking bags will have to tie up with Dental Foss like Duff suggested no not the Minty floss .going to give them a go.

$6 for five socks !!

My Double Cascade plug dry hopped APA in the Keg is a really nice give plenty of body 

With'Dry Hopping in the kegs' I find I get a lot of foam on the beer ,I thought it may be to do with overcarbonation but think it may be to do with the hops ,as beer head retention additives are made from hops.

Pumpy


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## Fatgodzilla (13/12/08)

Pumpy said:


> I found some SwimSafe Filtersavers in nylon for a pool Basket in Big W in the pool section , they are like white short stocking bags will have to tie up with Dental Foss like Duff suggested no not the Minty floss .going to give them a go.
> 
> $6 for five socks !!
> 
> ...




Used same pool socks in a fermenter (pellets) as previous time I added they broke up and didn't settle. Seemed to be okay for the job - certainly saw nothing to suggest won't work in a keg. Interesting point about the foam - makes sense but can't say I've noticed (though most of my kegged beer start overcarbed)


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## mickoz (13/12/08)

Hi Guys,

I use Swiss voile aka BIAB material tied up with kitchen twine about 20cm x 20cm is heaps. I reckon this works out to about 20c a bag.
I have also just thrown pellets in the keg, left for a week or two depending on how it well the taste and aroma have developed then push through a filter into a clean keg. This works better IMO as you get better usage out of the hops.

Use low pressure and push beer in through the out post creating less foam.

Mick

Edit - Fixed a typo


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## enoch (13/12/08)

Steve said:


> I used to use my tea ball until it carked it (hinge dissolved). I now use a stocking tied with a bit of string. The first few glasses are sensational
> Cheers
> Steve


I thought I was an orphan! Mine dissolved too.


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## Yorg (13/12/08)

Where do you get the Swiss voile?


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## mickoz (14/12/08)

Yorg said:


> Where do you get the Swiss voile?




Spotlight


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## Sunshine_Brewer (14/12/08)

Pumpy said:


> I have dry hopped about eight batches now in the keg and have had good flavour results but a bit unhappy with the occassional 'floaty' which does not really bother me but I like to present a floatie free beer
> 
> by the way the occassional tea leave size floatie actually sinks unless got caught in the head .
> 
> ...



Pumpy and everybody,

There is a very informative dry hopping podcast by the brew strong boys on the brewing net. which just became available. Lots of helpful tips, especially in regards to giving your fermenter a blow :huh: .


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## Pumpy (14/12/08)

Sunshine_Brewer said:


> Pumpy and everybody,
> 
> There is a very informative dry hopping podcast by the brew strong boys on the brewing net. which just became available. Lots of helpful tips, especially in regards to giving your fermenter a blow :huh: .




Thanks heaps Sunshine is this the one

http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/Brew-St...-08-Dry-Hopping

Pumpy


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## Sunshine_Brewer (14/12/08)

Pumpy said:


> Thanks heaps Sunshine is this the one
> 
> http://thebrewingnetwork.com/shows/Brew-St...-08-Dry-Hopping
> 
> Pumpy



You got it!


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## Pumpy (14/12/08)

Sunshine_Brewer said:


> You got it!



Yes Sunshine ,

Great Podcast thier intro is all about thier visit to the Australian brewing conference which was cool


Pumpy


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## Pumpy (17/12/08)

I am coming to the conclusion following about eight batches dry hopped with plugs some one plug some two that the effect of the dry hopping only really lasts for about three days .

I dont know if I an not shaking the keg to mix up the hop juice with the beer .

However considering a dry hopped cask in a pub may only last a couple of days if that .

Am I right or wrong with this theory 

Pumpy :unsure:


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## joecast (17/12/08)

Pumpy said:


> However considering a dry hopped cask in a pub may only last a couple of days if that .
> 
> Am I right or wrong with this theory
> 
> Pumpy :unsure:


i think the beer itself starts going "stale" after a few days in a cask anyway. as for keg dry hopping, i would have expected it to last two to three weeks, so to hear you say three days is a bit of a surprise. i only tried it once so my experience is very limited. might try it again with more aromatic hops in the future.
joe


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## Pumpy (17/12/08)

joecast said:


> i think the beer itself starts going "stale" after a few days in a cask anyway. as for keg dry hopping, i would have expected it to last two to three weeks, so to hear you say three days is a bit of a surprise. i only tried it once so my experience is very limited. might try it again with more aromatic hops in the future.
> joe



JC I do think that in a pub they will sell a cask of beer a night 

my dry hopped kegged beer is Ok but for the first three days it hs noticable body and flavour then its nice but different 

pumpy


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## rendo (24/5/10)

Pumpy said:


> With'Dry Hopping in the kegs' I find I get a lot of foam on the beer ,I thought it may be to do with overcarbonation but think it may be to do with the hops ,as beer head retention additives are made from hops.
> Pumpy



Really? Not that I am saying this isnt true, I just didnt know this was true.

Anyone care to elaborate or comment if they get more foam when dry hopping?

(another thing to put on the todo list for the next brews....when I finally get to AG there will be a lifelong list of 'things' to try)

rendo


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## scrumpy (5/1/11)

hey folks,

When dry hopping in the keg is it common practice to leave the hops in the keg for the entire time until it is empty, or are the hops pulled out after a certain time?

cheers


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## MarkBastard (5/1/11)

scrumpy said:


> hey folks,
> 
> When dry hopping in the keg is it common practice to leave the hops in the keg for the entire time until it is empty, or are the hops pulled out after a certain time?
> 
> cheers



Some people pull them out after a week, I never bother. Then again I've never had a dry hopped beer last more than a month in the keg.


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## Bribie G (5/1/11)

As I've posted a few times if you can get one of these - but a 3 inch size - it's perfect for holding one plug. I use it for Styrians in TTL style ales. And yes I just leave it in there until finished which is usually less than a fortnight.


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## Innes (5/1/11)

I dry hop in my kegs, especially for IPA's and APA's.

I use these...







Their called "T2 in the Bag". They are a disposable tea bag made of a food grade fine mesh. Because they are design to be used for tea, the mesh is fine enough not to let disolved hop pellets get through and you can use them in the boil as well as dry hopping.

Basically you open the top of the bag, fill with hops (I've managed to get up to 80g of pellets in one bag) and then the top flap folds over itself to seal. There is a risk that the bag may leak if you pack too much into it, so you just split the hops into to bags.

When you put the bags into the keg at the beginning, the bags will float until the hops have become saturated and the bag settles to the bottom next to the dip tube. There is nothing better than pouring a glass of IPA that has been sucked through the hop bag sitting next to the dip tube. :icon_drool2: 

They cost $7.50 for a packet of 25. They are usually located at the front counter at the T2 shops. I pick up a packet whenever I see a T2 shop.


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## DU99 (5/1/11)

morgans make finishing hops in tea type bag.


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## MarkBastard (6/1/11)

That's awesome but I don't think I've ever seen a T2 shop!


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## Innes (6/1/11)

Mark^Bastard said:


> That's awesome but I don't think I've ever seen a T2 shop!


There is a T2 shop in Queens Plaza in Brisbane.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (3/10/11)

And at Chermside.

(just thought I'd get my necro post up).

Goomba


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