Dry Hopping Tip

[MarkBastard]

This may be someone everyone already does anyway, but in case they don't I thought I'd make a thread.

I dry hopped a keg yesterday and I tried to do it by using fishing line and putting it out the keg lid but I couldn't get a seal. The fishing line was breaking the seal. As I already had the hop bag in the keg and the fishing line hanging out I had to come up with a quick solution so I ended up getting a spare keg post seal (little black rubber band) and I tied the fishing line to that, and then I slipped it onto the underside of the pressure relief valve. basically turned the keg lid over and there's a little knob where the pressure relief valve is housed, and I put it over that like a rubber band. It's nice and solid and means I can fish out the bag when I Want, and now the keg is completely self contained as if I wasn't even dry hopping.

I'll be doing this every time now.

 

[gregs]

Dental floss trough the lid seal works great as its flat and seal well. :icon_cheers:

Cheers.

 

[Lachlan]

I cable tie the hop bag directly to the lower end of the dip tube.

 

[MarkBastard]

I cable tie the hop bag directly to the lower end of the dip tube.

Dunno why but I dry hop after force carbing.

Never really thought of setting it up before racking. Not a bad idea but.

 

[hsb]

I've wondered about the same issue, I just ended up sinking it and drinking it which made for a mighty hoppy brew by the time I got through it.

Fishing line was what I was going to use but as per OP, I figured it would break the seal.

How about something floating on the beer like a Cork, Ping Pong ball - attached to fishing line and the hopball?

Open her up and bob for hops when you've finished dry hopping?

Attaching it to the underside of the lid sounds far too sensible.

^ Is the dip tube the short tube for the gas to enter?

 

[MarkBastard]

hsb, no need for floats etc. The solution I came up with is perfect IMO.

 

[argon]

Perfect solution i reckon... i can clearly see how this would work.. nice one!

IIRC someone uses magnets to fish out dry hop bags... one in the bag one outside to draw it up so it can be fished out.

The hard suspended version still seems better though. I always weigh mine down with a ss nut. Stops it from just floating at the surface.

 

[brewmasterz]

Perfect solution i reckon... i can clearly see how this would work.. nice one!

IIRC someone uses magnets to fish out dry hop bags... one in the bag one outside to draw it up so it can be fished out.

The hard suspended version still seems better though. I always weigh mine down with a ss nut. Stops it from just floating at the surface.

I use about 5/6 marbles in the hop bag , works for me! I don't worry about fishing it out I jsu leave it in there until the end

 

[Lachlan]

I've wondered about the same issue, I just ended up sinking it and drinking it which made for a mighty hoppy brew by the time I got through it.

Fishing line was what I was going to use but as per OP, I figured it would break the seal.

How about something floating on the beer like a Cork, Ping Pong ball - attached to fishing line and the hopball?

Open her up and bob for hops when you've finished dry hopping?

Attaching it to the underside of the lid sounds far too sensible.

^ Is the dip tube the short tube for the gas to enter?

My mistake, i should have called it the pick up tube or maybe the beer out pipe.

 

[hsb]

hsb, no need for floats etc. The solution I came up with is perfect IMO.

Roger that MB, will try it next time I dry hop. :icon_cheers:

 

[Bizier]

I have never dry hopped in the keg, but I have been trying to think of ways to keep the dry hops and yeast separate without racking to a secondary vessel prior to the keg. I might just start using this method.

 

[Bribie G]

Fourstar sent me one of these that he had picked up in Vietnam and it's perfect for dry hopping with a plug (e.g. Styrian Goldings) but I can't find any in Brisbane, I'll have a look round the Korean stores in the Valley at work tomorrow but can't find them in the Chinese Shops. They are available online and assume they'd arrive ok.

 

[drsmurto]

Teaballs - Bought mine from an online teashop. Cant remember the name but a quick search found this site which sells them - Link

 

[thesunsettree]

theres one of those tea megashops kickin around now called T2. maybe they might have them, they're in some of the malls in bris. my old lady used to have one those when i was a kid, like 20 years ago. might be a place to look, ya never know

cheers
matt

 

[thesunsettree]

when i have dry hopped the keg i have used a small swiss voille bag with a drawstring (roughly the same size as the hop teabags you get from lhbs). i got it from spotlight for a few bucks, to clean soak in napisan and then starsan, seemed to be effective. i just dumped in keg and left it there til empty. now i mostly dryhop into fermenter after about 10 days and haven't found it necessary to keg hop since, however if i did that would be how i would do it. my 2c

cheers
matt

 

[MarkBastard]

I bought two tea balls actually but didn't like them.

1 - Couldn't fit enough hops in them.
2 - Did a test run with pellets and the hop matter made it out of the hop ball too easily.

Though I really like the idea. Maybe if I do something with only a small amount of dry hopping and only with flowers, but damn you wouldn't get many flowers in would you.

Cost me $5 each and I bought 2. Anyone who wants them let me know. About golf ball size.

 

[MarkBastard]

I have never dry hopped in the keg, but I have been trying to think of ways to keep the dry hops and yeast separate without racking to a secondary vessel prior to the keg. I might just start using this method.

It gives a different flavour but I really really like keg hopping. I love the mouthfeel it gives and the way it makes you burp. Not everyone's cup of tea.

 

[Pennywise]

For those that are using t ball thingies, keep an eye on the little metal pin that holds the two sides together. Alot of them are not stainless and will rust in time. I would have concerns about infections if this was the case

 

[thesunsettree]

:icon_offtopic:
how many people have had infections develop in the keg. if the beer is soaked in co2 and the head space is purged with co2, therefore no oxygen, can nasties multiply in the beer? i'm sure its more complex than i give credit, but i'm not as concerned about sanitation once the beer goes into keg for gassing..should i be?? i mean its not like i scratch my nuts, pick my nose and pat the dog just prior to kegging but.. i think you know what i mean. is it just less risky and i'm lucky it hasnt happened??
thoughts...

cheers
matt

 

[TidalPete]

IIRC someone uses magnets to fish out dry hop bags... one in the bag one outside to draw it up so it can be fished out.

That may have been me as TTBOMM I recall posting along those lines a couple of years ago????
Don't dry hop in the keg very often (I prefer secondary) but when I do I use these little beauts ($5 or so from Jaycar). One in the hop bag in the keg & one outside to pull the bag up.
Very handy in stopping your stir bars from falling into fermenters, etc & also good for stir bars themselves I'm told. Don't know what I'd do without them?



TP
PS sorry about the double pic. Can't seem to get rid of it. --- Done!