Dry hopping: Keg vs fermenter

[thisispants]

A work colleague recently suggested that if I want a really hoppy beer I should dry hop directly into the keg instead of into the fermenter.

I love hops and am definitely keen to increase the hoppyness of my beers.

Has anyone done this, if so, how has your experience been? Better than dry hopping into the fermenter?

I've got a Citra IPA fermenting now and I'm tempted to give it a go, but I really don't want to ruin the beer.

 

[Dylo]

I have done this a heap of times in the keg and specifically with Citra. I find it gives no grassyness like some suggest and gives good hop hit till ththe keg blows. Just make sure you contain them in something and account for the swelling once the pellets absorb some beer.

 

[Reedy]

+1 for keg hopping, I have a single hop pale ale in the keg atm with 40gm fortnight hops in a hop sock which is tasting sensational.

I haven't had any real issues with 'grassy' flavours in the past, but for kegs that have taken a couple of months to empty, the hop flavour has been much less prominant towards the end.

 

[thisispants]

Do they sell things to contain the hops?

 

[thisispants]

Would you guys say you prefer keg dry hopping over the fermenter?

 

[Gloveski]

All depends on the hop , I have dry hopped with galaxy and had to remove after about 4 days as I was starting to get a bit of a grassy taste , where as Amarillo I have left in the keg until empty . It’s all about experimentation to see what you like . I know pressure transfer from fermenter to a dry hopping keg at warm temps for about 4 days then cold crash and transfer to serving keg.

 

[Gloveski]

Would you guys say you prefer keg dry hopping over the fermenter?

My personal taste is dry hopping in fermenter hop taste is somewhat muted , but that’s just me No right way or wrong way

 

[Dylo]

No real preference here. They both work well for me. Yes you can buy a hop sock bag or stainless mesh cylinders from eBay.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Another option, (I haven't tried this as yet) is using CO2 hop extract a number of craft and major breweries are using this method at the end of fermentation, I have heard Charlie Bamforth mentioning it on one of his podcasts. Has some advantages so I will be giving it a go.
https://www.brewshop.co.nz/blog/brewing-with-CO2-Hop-Extract/

 

[Chap]

I have keg hopped numerous times, with no ill effects. I have corny kegs which have a 'hanging hole' (for lack of better words) to tie in a hop sock/stocking. I use single leg stockings for keg hopping tied to the hole, and as the hops take on beer the stocking stretches giving flavour all the way to the bottom.
Depends on the style of beer I'm making whether I do it or not, but no issues so far when I have.

My $0.02

 

[scotthbutler]

I’ve keg hopped and FV hopped. No noticeable difference to me. I FV hop now for convenience. I used to put the hops in hops balls and tie them to the lid or handle with dental floss, it’s cheap and easy.

 

[Coodgee]

When I first keg a beer after dry hopping in the fermenter I find it needs a week or so for the nice hop flavours and aromas (fruit, flower etc) to dominate the unpleasant hop flavours (grassy, vegetal, astringent). What many might call just putting a bit of age on the beer. With keg hopping do you find the beer retains the flavours and aromas of a beer that has come straight out of the fermenter?

 

[scooterism]

I'm playing with this setup atm..

Not to sound like a butthole, but the search function provides plenty of threads on this subject.
That's how I learnt about attaching to the PRV on the corny keg lid.

 

[Lozbrewer]

I keg hop in knee high stockings. My friends think it sounds weird but they just don't understand.

The last keg would not pour despite truck loads of pressure. In the end i had to depressurise the keg and stick my sanitised arm in to the icy cold keg to remove a giant Razza Mataz full of hops blocking the dip tube. I licked my arm and it tasted good. The rest of the beer was excellent. Razza Mataz IPA

 

[markp]

I keg hop in knee high stockings. My friends think it sounds weird but they just don't understand.

The last keg would not pour despite truck loads of pressure. In the end i had to depressurise the keg and stick my sanitised arm in to the icy cold keg to remove a giant Razza Mataz full of hops blocking the dip tube. I licked my arm and it tasted good. The rest of the beer was excellent. Razza Mataz IPA

 

[Dan Pratt]

Last week I split a batch of Saison into 2 x 9.5lts kegs, one i used the 300um hop tube with 56g of Mandarina Bavaria hops which makes it quite heavy = 5.9g/L

Well this is the 3rd time using that hop tube in teh past 3 years and.... the hops havent exactly kicked out that citrus fruit aroma, i got more of the vegetal plant aroma at this stage after 4days of cold keg dry hopping. The hops are 2016 crop vac sealed.

Going to wait another week and try that beer again and see if the aroma comes through.

 

[Gloveski]

Last week I split a batch of Saison into 2 x 9.5lts kegs, one i used the 300um hop tube with 56g of Mandarina Bavaria hops which makes it quite heavy = 5.9g/L

Well this is the 3rd time using that hop tube in teh past 3 years and.... the hops havent exactly kicked out that citrus fruit aroma, i got more of the vegetal plant aroma at this stage after 4days of cold keg dry hopping. The hops are 2016 crop vac sealed.

Going to wait another week and try that beer again and see if the aroma comes through.

Have you tried hoping at warm temps , I have had good results at 15.5 for 4 days and then cold crashing

 

[Dan Pratt]

keg hoping has always been cold.

I was given a Mandarina Bavaria Hopped IPA on the weekend from a Commercial brewery and the hop aroma was just like mine. more herbal and earthy with some hints of citrus and tropical notes, hints only.

 

[tj2204]

Last week I split a batch of Saison into 2 x 9.5lts kegs, one i used the 300um hop tube with 56g of Mandarina Bavaria hops which makes it quite heavy = 5.9g/L

Well this is the 3rd time using that hop tube in teh past 3 years and.... the hops havent exactly kicked out that citrus fruit aroma, i got more of the vegetal plant aroma at this stage after 4days of cold keg dry hopping. The hops are 2016 crop vac sealed.

Going to wait another week and try that beer again and see if the aroma comes through.

I always find keg hopped beers take a couple of weeks to stop tasting rough, I usually spend the first 2 1/2 weeks worrying that I've ruined my beer before the ultra hoppy goodness really shines.

I like large paint strainer bags closed with a cable tie for keg hopping.

 

[Gloveski]

keg hoping has always been cold.

I was given a Mandarina Bavaria Hopped IPA on the weekend from a Commercial brewery and the hop aroma was just like mine. more herbal and earthy with some hints of citrus and tropical notes, hints only.

I started dry hoping at 15.5 after hearing that brew dog and others do it , I’m very happy with the results so far