Getting Rid Of Dry Hop Floaties

[The Giant]

Howdy All

On my 5th brew and this time I decdied to dry hop the cascade hop pellets to compare with my last batch that I boiled.

Certainly noticed the flavour is more pronounced, my problem though is with taking the last 2 FG readings I have noticed a lot of hop floaties.
I was going to dry hop in a stocking to protect from this but decided against due to risk of infection.

I added finnings 2 days ago in a hope to settle this down which it did a bit
But tomorrow is day 4 since the hops were added and 2 weeks since i first laid the brew

Beer is cloudy as expected and is just a coopers blonde with BE1, 250g dextrose and 305 cascade dry hopped
Worried about grassiness of dry hopping so plan to bottle tomorow.

Og was 1038
FG is 1008 as of this aftenoon

My proposal is to place the stocking over the the bottle feed to capture any floaties as i bottle
Will this work?
Any better ideas

I dont have another fermentor to cold condition or rack.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Steve@PMF82]

Hey

i just had the same situation. Even after CC for couple of days there was still much floaties.
I had heard of the stocking thing, but did not have any so i got some cotton bandage, doubled it over so it was
more of a dense weave, boiled it, then placed it inbetween little bottler and fermenter tap.
Worked a charm, at the end there was a nice little lump of hops there = not in my bottles.
I say give the stocking a go if you have them.

From one steve to another

 

[mwd]

Finnings will not really do much for hop floaters. 4 days is not very long for dry hopping to sink into the yeast trub at the bottom. I would leave it another few days you might get a few floaties in the bottle not sure how you would filter it through a stocking but that would stop the hops.

Re you sure about the 305 of Cascade dry hopped you should be only using about 1g per litre. If it is grassy usually it will subside with storage time.

 

[Phoney]

My proposal is to place the stocking over the the bottle feed to capture any floaties as i bottle
Will this work?
Any better ideas

I dont have another fermentor to cold condition or rack.

Cheers
Steve

Next time dry hop on day 3 of your fermentation, that way they will all drop to the bottom all by themselves by the time you're ready to bottle..

The stocking idea will probably just clog the tap and end up with a mess. (just a guess, never actually tried it.) How much hops did you put in? 305 grams? :blink:

 

[kelbygreen]

I throw the lot in and after finning the hops drop out. it is best to just use a hop bag though. I boil mine to sanitise it but I only use them in the keg if I hop in the keg otherwise they get chucked into fermenter and drop out with the yeast. I thrown them in once ferment has stopped leave at 18 for a day or 2 then drop temps to around 3c leave 2-4 days add islinglass then leave for another 3-4 days rack to keg clear beer

 

[bum]

Hops put hair on your chest.

(i.e. the odd floaty won't kill you, relax)

 

[mwd]

If you have a Coopers fermenter it comes with a sediment reducer that fits into the back of the spigot tap. Great for stopping crud but also dead easy to block up with hop debris and a pain to clear out.

 

[QldKev]

I have used a 13mm irigation filter inline when transferring my beer to kegs for the past few years. It stops larger bits of hops etc; I wouldn't be without one. I beleive Whitworths also sell a clear version of them.

QldKev

 

[Steve]

I was going to dry hop in a stocking to protect from this but decided against due to risk of infection.

Next time get your little stocking bag and boil it in water for 15 mins....then put your hops in it and put in your fermenter. With this brew dont use the spring loaded bit on the end of your little bottler as this is where your hops will clog and its a serious pain in the arse. Try it with just the straight tube into the bottles. Its tricky though as you are just relying on the speed you can turn the tap on and off. She'll be right.

 

[Bubba]

I have used the stocking to filter...it works but does clog and slow down your bottling/kegging and at times I needed to take the stocking off and clean it or use another. Didnt like the process as it did expose the brew to infection with constant removal of the stocking to get rid of clogs, and was very slow.
I would suggest when dry hopping to use a stocking, boil it first in water to sterilise, or even quick boil (a few minutes so no more bitterness is created) the stocking and hops together tea cup style and add the lot to your fermenter. I dont think you will have any problems either way.

 

[DU99]

Hop Ball (Stainless Steel)
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=901
Or try T2 a tea strainer various sizes
http://t2tea.com/tea-ware/accessories/general/

 

[BoilerBoy]

I use to use (and still do occasionally) a small piece removed from a SS scrubby and wedged inside a racking hose... works fine.

Cheers,
BB

 

[The Giant]

Thanks people.

It was only 30g of hops, my typo said 305 hahahh

The plan was to place the stocking over the bottling tube and filter that way. Still might do that but without the auto bottler thing at the bottom like someone said

My tap does have a sediment reducer on it already but some are coming through

I do like boilerboys idea of placeing the ss scrubby in there, hopefully that way it will stop the majority of them in the tube and then the stocking will collect the rest and the ss scrubber if it comes through

 

[The Giant]

Well happy to report back that I just did a stocking over the bottler and removed the auto feed thing, so i just had to turn the tap on and off all the time.

Happy to say it worked really well. Not one hop floaty. Only had to rinse the stocking once due to build up which wasnt to bad over 23l

Lesson learnt is use the stocking to dry hop next time or get on of those hop balls.

Cheers

 

[Steve]

Well happy to report back that I just did a stocking over the bottler and removed the auto feed thing, so i just had to turn the tap on and off all the time.

Happy to say it worked really well. Not one hop floaty. Only had to rinse the stocking once due to build up which wasnt to bad over 23l

Lesson learnt is use the stocking to dry hop next time or get on of those hop balls.

Cheers

Good to here it went ok. The hop balls bugger up after a short while. The hinge rusts and disintegrates. Better off with the ole ladies clean stockings.

 

[BobtheBrewer]

I sometimes forget to add dry hops so do it into the keg. I use the bottom bit (of the leg) of pantyhose with one of those plastic sealing clips. Soak both in starsan before adding hops and dropping into the keg. No problems with blockages in the pickup tube.

 

[milob40]

Well happy to report back that I just did a stocking over the bottler and removed the auto feed thing, so i just had to turn the tap on and off all the time.

Happy to say it worked really well. Not one hop floaty. Only had to rinse the stocking once due to build up which wasnt to bad over 23l

Lesson learnt is use the stocking to dry hop next time or get on of those hop balls.

Cheers

hop balls?
very interested, where can i get such an animal?

 

[goomboogo]

hop balls?
very interested, where can i get such an animal?

Tea shop, 2 dollar shop, kitchen shops. The sponsors at the top of the page even had them at one stage.

 

[milob40]

Tea shop, 2 dollar shop, kitchen shops. The sponsors at the top of the page even had them at one stage.

so just use a "tea leaf cage" i suppose you would need 2 to accomodate the right amount.

 

[mwd]

so just use a "tea leaf cage" i suppose you would need 2 to accomodate the right amount.

Yes you would need at least 2 of the large ones as hop pellets swell like anything.

You could also use a womens stocking or even some swiss voile tied up with a bit of string to make a bag.