# Are Ping Pong Balls Food Safe?



## Kingbrownbrewing (2/3/12)

I was thinking of using ping pong balls as floats for my dry hopping socks so that it doesn't just sink to the bottom and get stuck in the yeast cake.
Any thoughts??


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## argon (2/3/12)

Better off tethering the bag to the top of the fermenter then weighing it down with some stainless or a sanitised shot glass. Works a treat


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## freezkat (2/3/12)

Mattress said:


> Not if they come from Thailand



They once were made of celluloid which isn't chemically stable. Really flammable though. How about a sanitized ziplock bag?


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## raven19 (2/3/12)

A bit of fishing line would work too.

As for the ping pongs... I thought something totally different when I saw the thread title... :lol:


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## MHB (2/3/12)

Dental Floss
Its so fine and flat-enable that it can be used without losing the airtight seal on a fermenter or a keg.
And yes its food grade.
Mark


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## DU99 (2/3/12)

what about a cork float


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## Online Brewing Supplies (2/3/12)

King Brown Brewing said:


> I was thinking of using ping pong balls as floats for my dry hopping socks so that it doesn't just sink to the bottom and get stuck in the yeast cake.
> Any thoughts??


Burn one and tell me you can live with that taste in your beer ! NO.
Nev


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## Nick JD (2/3/12)

My hop swags float. Why don't yours?


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## jameson (2/3/12)

I remember reading years ago of a ping-pong being used in surgery some how. 
We used to get jif Lemmon In a lemon shaped plastic bulb that we use to use as fishing floats maybe that might work.


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## brettprevans (2/3/12)

Interesting. I sink mine for max wort exposure


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## Batz (2/3/12)

Oh my I have a story here B)


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## TidalPete (2/3/12)

Dan,

THBOMM Screwy uses some kind of food-grade float in his MT. PM him.
Always rack & add my dry hops in a weighted voile bag after 7 days in primary so there's not much yeast at the bottom of the secondary anyway not that it matters much. 
The only time I bother racking to secondary is when dry hopping or adding stuff like fruit, coffee, etc.
Not saying my method is the only way to go about this but perhaps worth consideration?

TP


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## Kingbrownbrewing (2/3/12)

You sick fucks... It was an honest question...
Thanks for a sensible answer TP...


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## [email protected] (2/3/12)

MHB said:


> Dental Floss
> Its so fine and flat-enable that it can be used without losing the airtight seal on a fermenter or a keg.
> And yes its food grade.
> Mark



OT - MHB I have tried to use dental floss in the keg but still get CO2 leakage around the keg lid. What brand have you used and what type of o-ring (silicon etc)?

abc


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## Malted (2/3/12)

abc said:


> OT - MHB I have tried to use dental floss in the keg but still get CO2 leakage around the keg lid. What brand have you used and what type of o-ring (silicon etc)?
> 
> abc



Mint flavoured might be nice


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## [email protected] (2/3/12)

Malted said:


> Mint flavoured might be nice



Maybe drinking my beers will give the Colgate ring of confidence!


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## argon (2/3/12)

:icon_offtopic: Mint in beer?... No thanks, you know I'm right Angus.


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## [email protected] (2/3/12)

argon said:


> Mint in beer?... No thanks, you know I'm right Angus.



Yep... Can't think of too many where it would be appropriate.


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## Barndillo (2/3/12)

Somehow I could see teflon tape through an airlock being useful?


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## TidalPete (2/3/12)

abc said:


> OT - What brand have you used and what type of o-ring (silicon etc)?
> 
> abc





:icon_offtopic: 
The ones in the pic are gradually replacing my screwtop (sorry  ) -type fermenters as they are much easier to clean, seal, & do not have the problems associated with fishing line, dental floss, etc, as mentioned on this thread.
That said, my oldest screwtop/rubber seal fermenter is at least 15 years old & still going strong. It all depends on the quality of the fermenter you buy & how you take care of your gear.

TP


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## bradsbrew (2/3/12)

I am wondering what is better. The hops being restricted in a bag held in suspension within the wort or the hops being able to 'freeball' and end up in the trub and krausen?

Cheers


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## Maheel (2/3/12)

whats wrong with just peeling back the cling wrap and throwing them in no sock ? 

or are you not using pellets ?


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## TidalPete (2/3/12)

bradsbrew said:


> I am wondering what is better. The hops being restricted in a bag held in suspension within the wort or the hops being able to 'freeball' and end up in the trub and krausen?
> 
> Cheers


Just add 10% more dry hops to the hop bag if my old information is correct?

TP


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## winkle (2/3/12)

I'd vote for the 'free ball' option - seriously.


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## bradsbrew (2/3/12)

TidalPete said:


> Just add 10% more dry hops to the hop bag if my old information is correct?
> 
> TP



Well if you have to add an extra 10% doesn't that mean that the freeball is better?

Cheers


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## argon (2/3/12)

bradsbrew said:


> I am wondering what is better. The hops being restricted in a bag held in suspension within the wort or the hops being able to 'freeball' and end up in the trub and krausen?
> 
> Cheers


I get a brighter aroma from a big bag suspended in the wort other than freballing. The same way hops restrict bacterial and yeast growth (coating in resin) you also lose some of the volatiles being extracted into the beer. I feel allowing the hops to mix witht the trub scrubs out quite alot of aroma. 

Saying that though, half the time I just chuck them in... Through laziness mostly.


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## bradsbrew (2/3/12)

argon said:


> I get a brighter aroma from a big bag suspended in the wort other than freballing. The same way hops restrict bacterial and yeast growth (coating in resin) you also lose some of the volatiles being extracted into the beer. I feel allowing the hops to mix witht the trub scrubs out quite alot of aroma.
> 
> Saying that though, half the time I just chuck them in... Through laziness mostly.



It would also depend on what stage of ferment you put them in as well?

Cheers


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## scooter_59 (2/3/12)

+1 winkle


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## argon (2/3/12)

bradsbrew said:


> It would also depend on what stage of ferment you put them in as well?
> 
> Cheers


Yeah true, i tend to put them in a day or so before cold crash. The extraction will happen faster the warmer they are, but also have more yeast interaction (when held in suspension). So when held in suspension I like to hold cold (-1c) for about 7 days prior to packaging.


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## Nick JD (3/3/12)

Go buy a pair of neodymium magnets.

Put one in your hop bag. Put the other on the outside holding the bag where you want it.

Adjust the level to suit your extraction.


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## Wimmig (3/3/12)

Nick JD said:


> Go buy a pair of neodymium magnets.
> 
> Put one in your hop bag. Put the other on the outside holding the bag where you want it.
> 
> Adjust the level to suit your extraction.



Solid idea. And for those who want something food safe;

http://www.gaussboys.com/ndfeb-magnets/D3706ABS-N42.html


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## TidalPete (3/3/12)

argon said:


> Yeah true, i tend to put them in a day or so before cold crash. The extraction will happen faster the warmer they are, but also have more yeast interaction (when held in suspension). So when held in suspension I like to hold cold (-1c) for about 7 days prior to packaging.



Agree with you here in part argon as I like to dry hop for 7 days at fermentation temp in secondary before dropping to cold crash. :icon_cheers: 
All this bullshit of course depends on your personal preferances, blah, blah, blah. 

Dan brad, :lol: (private joke)
A 10% increase in dry hopping additions is neither here nor there when dry hopping. Refer to Post 12 mate. 
I go this way because of the advice I received many, many, years ago from someone we all love & respect.



> It would also depend on what stage of ferment you put them in as well?


Not trying to inflict my dodgy brewing practises on you Brad so perhaps just suck it & see mate?.  
Been doing this for a long time but will not be upset at all if someone kindly points out the error of my procedure.

TP

PS --- Broncos have survived "Life Without Locky" in round one at least so that's gotta be good news? :super:


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## winkle (3/3/12)

Leaf hops I normally put into a stocking (de-dyed, sanitised) and that floats, usually they'll go in after high krausen - if that helps the OP.


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## Batz (3/3/12)

> THBOMM Screwy uses some kind of food-grade float in his MT. PM him.
> TP



A fishing float actually, not strictly food grade but working well I believe.

batz


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## fraser_john (3/3/12)

If you drink red wine, keep the plastic corks (if the bottle uses them), they are food grade and can be boiled to sanitise them. I've used new ones in the past in a keg to keep the mesh bag from blocking the pickup tube when the hops sink.


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