Fermentasaurus - dry hopping under pressure

[Fleabag]

Hi all. Long time lurker, first time poster etc


I’m still in my first 12 months of brewing, so still relatively fresh to it all. My main goal is to reduce the number of steps in the process as I’ve got 2 boys under 5 which, let’s say, can demand attention at any random interval. My setup is a Robobrew > fermentasaurus (in temp controlled fridge) > keg > mini keg. (Space is limited so no kegerator just for now)

With that in mind I’m keen to keg naturally carbonated beer straight from the saurus, but I have been trying in vain to dry hop with the fermentasaurus while keeping it pressurised.

I have tried adding 30g of pellets to the collection bottle, but they end up getting clogged in the bottle neck (see photo), so I tried crushing them and prefixing in some of the beer, and still no luck (2nd photo).

Does anyone have any tips on this? I’ve searched everywhere it feels but haven’t seen much. Someone on here was using magnets and hop socks inside which I’m keen to try, but I would love to hear anyone else’s experiences. Maybe I’m just doing it really wrong?

 

[markp]

Yep I tried the collection bottle with the same results as you so now I either put my hops in through the top at time of pitch or at high Krausen and that allows the fermenter to re pressurise naturally and chew up any oxygen let in when you lift the lid.
Cheers.

 

[Yuz]

If it's not pressurised, you can squeeze the collect bottle a little to get the brew moving through the valve.
The hops should raise up once the valve throat is cleared from trub.

 

[Fleabag]

If it's not pressurised, you can squeeze the collect bottle a little to get the brew moving through the valve.
The hops should raise up once the valve throat is cleared from trub.

Yeah, when there wasn’t pressure I haven’t had issues. I did just that and gave it a squeeze.

I’ve even tried releasing pressure from the top to see if the difference helps but to no avail.

 

[Fro-Daddy]

I've been thinking about this and was going to try something like a hop sock fixed to the top inside with a magnet, then move the magnet to release the pellets so no opening is necessary.
Thoughts?

 

[Schikitar]

I've been thinking about this and was going to try something like a hop sock fixed to the top inside with a magnet, then move the magnet to release the pellets so no opening is necessary.
Thoughts?

That's exactly what some others have done - my brother does the aggressive squeeze to get things moving in his which seems to always work with some persistence but the pre-suspended weighted hop sock is not a bad idea..

 

[NealK]

I put the hops in the bottle then fill with HOT water. The hot water rises when the valve is opened and the hops mix through the fermenter.

 

[Fleabag]

I put the hops in the bottle then fill with HOT water. The hot water rises when the valve is opened and the hops mix through the fermenter.

Interesting. I had thought about this - do you give it some time for the hops to break up in the hot water first? My problem is not the hops rising, but that they block the neck when they do...

Do you boil it first? What sanitation do I need to worry about?

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

I have done it this way;

Primary ferment with vented top.

Secondary ferment with dry hops under pressure, I made a stainless steel tab washer and attached to the pressure top under the nut for the gas connect, used this to hang hop bomb with dry hops, added at day 4.

Transfer to keg under pressure when done.

No need to use the yeast trap other than to remove yeast/trube.

 

[///]

Interesting. I had thought about this - do you give it some time for the hops to break up in the hot water first? My problem is not the hops rising, but that they block the neck when they do...

Do you boil it first? What sanitation do I need to worry about?

Hot water - no. Have had oxidise the beer before hand.

 

[huez]

Can you not just release the pressure and dump the dry hops in the top and repressurise from a co2 bottle? It's such a small opening on those things, you're probably pushing more oxygen through the beer by attaching that bottle then you would be if you opened the top for 10seconds....

 

[Fleabag]

Can you not just release the pressure and dump the dry hops in the top and repressurise from a co2 bottle? It's such a small opening on those things, you're probably pushing more oxygen through the beer by attaching that bottle then you would be if you opened the top for 10seconds....

More a case of losing carbonation, and, in theory, aroma. Fizzes up like a right ******* when you ditch the pressure.

(For the record, yes I did just that this morning when the hops refused to float up.)

 

[NealK]

Interesting. I had thought about this - do you give it some time for the hops to break up in the hot water first? My problem is not the hops rising, but that they block the neck when they do...

Do you boil it first? What sanitation do I need to worry about?

Yes I boil it first to sanitise and remove as much oxygen from the water as possible. Let it cool before putting it in the bottle as the bottle will shrink if you put boiling water in it.

 

[Fleabag]

Yes I boil it first to sanitise and remove as much oxygen from the water as possible. Let it cool before putting it in the bottle as the bottle will shrink if you put boiling water in it.

So just tried that, put hops in, added water, gave it a swirl, filled with water, put in saurus... and the hops are just sat there at the bottom. So I’ve put a container around it and put 60° water in it and will just leave it and see what happens.

 

[JayP]

Hi. Same here - 5th Brew in my Saurus as we speak. I’ve successfully dry hopped using the collection bottle but only small amounts - like 30g. There was something in the manual or online from KK about this. Ive just been adding hops and topping up with foam to remove O2, reattaching and the pressure within the primary vessel gives the whole thing a bit of a squirt when the valve is open. To be fair a lot of the hops remain in the collection bottle like you’ve shown, but I have plenty of liquid contact and can see the hop oil slick appearing on the surface. Not perfect but seems to get the flavour based on a “before and after” sample.

 

[Vazerhino]

I gave up on the bottle for hops. I now dry hop from the top. As long as you dry hop with some fermentation left, the yeast will quickly bring the pressure back to 15 psi, as the hops seems to add a spark and re-ignite the fermentation a little. Alternatively, as someone said, add into the top and then hit with CO2 for a few seconds and you'll lose very little gas.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Agree with the above post know your yeast and when it will culminate, add dry hops and pressure will come back up, or as previous poster suggests, give it a squirt of CO2.

 

[buckerooni]

the other thread mentions a hop tea approach [ https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/kk-fermentasaurus-conical-pet-fermenter.93589/page-11 ] I am thinking about making a hop tea, putting it in a 1.25L PET bottle and purge/pressurising it with CO2 above whatever the internal pressure of the 'sauras using a KK carb cap - then transfer it between the bottle and the 'sauras with gas/liquid disconnect jumper lead. Should be oxygen free. thoughts?

 

[Denobrew]

the other thread mentions a hop tea approach [ https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/kk-fermentasaurus-conical-pet-fermenter.93589/page-11 ] I am thinking about making a hop tea, putting it in a 1.25L PET bottle and purge/pressurising it with CO2 above whatever the internal pressure of the 'sauras using a KK carb cap - then transfer it between the bottle and the 'sauras with gas/liquid disconnect jumper lead. Should be oxygen free. thoughts?

Might get some blockage? Worth a shot. Report back and let us know how you went.

 

[buckerooni]

Might get some blockage? Worth a shot. Report back and let us know how you went.

gonna use the aeropress to seperate the juice from the hop matter to help mitigate this problem. The aeropress uses a paper filter (metal filter may work better) so will be a pretty debris free tea.