dry hopping in glass demijohn

[Dazzbrew]

I currently have about 21ltrs of APA in a fermenter in my fermentation fridge (yeast pitched on sunday arvo). I am wanting to split off 2 x 5ltr glass demijohns after primary ferm is complete and dry hop them for a few days with different hops for each demijohn (fitted with an airlock) then bottle them from there.
My question is will the loose dry hops sink to the bottom so that they wont get in the way when i am siphoning into the bottles? The demijohns have a domed bottom so hopefully that will help.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Hi Dazz,

When you add the hops most of them will eventually absorb wort, expand and sit at the surface of the wort with a nice green layer. I tend to give my FV a bump eahc couple of days and watch the hops fall through the wort to the bottom.

If your wanting to get them nice and clear before you bottle with a siphon you can always cold crash them in the fridge. Let them dry hop for about 5-7days at room temp and the night before you bottle, make some space in the fridge and the hops will all drop to the bottom with the change in temp ( fridges usually at 4c )

 

[Dazzbrew]

thanks Pratty1.
My fermentation fridge isn't big enough for the fermenter & the 2 demijohns at the same time. I could however crash the fermenter (with the remaining 12ltrs) Friday then bottle that and move the 2 demijohns into the fermentation fridge on Saturday, then bottle from the 2 demijohns on Sunday. So one night in the fridge will be enough to sink the hops?

 

[Dazzbrew]

I meant next friday (12 days since pitching).

 

[fraser_john]

I dry hop in my carboys regularly, I use scraps from the old ladys thigh high stockings and make hop baggies, soak in star san, 1/3 fill with pellets and tie off, chuck in carboy. Works well and no bits of hop floating around. Also works in kegs.

 

[Dan Pratt]

So one night in the fridge will be enough to sink the hops?

it works for me. tend to get a few small bits of hops still at the surface. to be sure cold crash it for 48hrs.

 

[Jaded and Bitter]

I dry hop in my carboys regularly, I use scraps from the old ladys thigh high stockings and make hop baggies, soak in star san, 1/3 fill with pellets and tie off, chuck in carboy. Works well and no bits of hop floating around. Also works in kegs.

Yeah I use small cheese cloth bags tied off with nylon string.
Usually try to use whole or plugs for DH though.

 

[Dazzbrew]

Thanks guys, I might try both of those techniques. I found some brand new mesh bags with a drawer string at the top and I think they are nylon. I was thinking of using these to hold the hops and also add marble to help keep the hops submerged during the dry hopping stage. Would this be a good idea?

 

[Dazzbrew]

Also when would be the best time to draw off my 2 x 5 litres from the main batch to do my dry hopping?
Brew builder sugests my fg would be 1011, should i wait until i get consecutive fg tests aroung this figure before splitting off my 2 demijohns?