Hop Ball Into Keg After Youve Started Drinking?

[Steve]

Purchased a hop ball for dry hopping a while back from Ross. Havent used it yet. Kegged a Nelson Sauvin lager (Knappstein clone) the other day. Its actually quite bland. 100% Weyerman Pils and NS throughout. I was going to dry hop but forgot in my rush to get it on tap. Anyone dry hopped with a hop ball once youve already kegged n gassed it up? Do I just plonk it in and let it sink?
Cheers
Steve

 

[warrenlw63]

Just degas and turf it in Steve. They sit in the keg without a problem.

Warren -

 

[Steve]

Just degas and turf it in Steve. They sit in the keg without a problem.

Warren -

Terrific - thanks Warren.
Steve

 

[mfdes]

I don't see why not.

I use a keg to both dry hop and gas up the beer, then transfer to the serving keg with a liquid-liquid jumper. Works a treat. I drink the beer while it's dry hopping till it has the amount of character I'm after, then move it.

MFS.

 

[rwh]

Yeah whack it in. It's pretty fun to taste how much it changes over time (massive changes for the first few days, finally settling down to the flavours you'd expect from dry-hopped beer).

 

[devo]

do it! I've done it. tis good.

 

[bugwan]

Steve, I do it all the time (maybe I should work on being a better brewer, instead of fixing my mistakes with dry hops!!).

The first few pints will leave you burping pure alpha acid though, so prepare yourself for that. A great experience!

 

[warrenlw63]

The first few pints will leave you burping pure alpha acid though, so prepare yourself for that. A great experience!

Yummmm is there anything more savoury than a good dryhop belch? :wub:

Warren -

 

[Steve]

Yummmm is there anything more savoury than a good dryhop belch? :wub:

Warren -

I cant wait to get home now. Nearly beer o'clock.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Thunderlips]

I tried it once (with the tea/hop ball) and while it worked well enough regarding hop flavour I got hop floaties in my beer and later when I went to clean the tap it was a bit of a mess.
I think though, from memory, I originally overcarbonated the keg so I had to let it sit for a while with the lid off. When I left it too long it was under-carbonated so I needed to force carbonate again. Maybe all the shaking caused the hop floaties.

 

[Steve]

holy crap.....thats done the trick! The difference in taste and aroma is bloody amazing. Ive just brewed a Knappstein Lager! :beerbang: Ross expect an order for more hop balls.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Pumpy]

do you use one hop ball per half a plug so two balls per keg ?

I understand the plug expands more than one ball can cope with ?


Pumpy :unsure:

 

[goatherder]

A full plug fits for me Pumpy. The poor little ball is pretty full by the time I pull it out though...

 

[Pumpy]

A full plug fits for me Pumpy. The poor little ball is pretty full by the time I pull it out though...

thanks GH I have some Styrian Golding plugs I must give a go in my ESB

Pumpy

 

[bonj]

My hop ball was used once, and then fell apart The hinge pin on the clip deteriorated and broke in half. I've since bought a replacement from one of those homeware stores and the pin on it seems alot thicker. Perhaps the original wasn't stainless after all? Dunno... but I haven't used the replacement yet either, so I can't say anything for certain. Just be aware, and inspect it I suppose.

 

[Zizzle]

I borrowed Brad's hop ball a while ago since an APA I have in the keg is losing some of it's hop flavour.

This thread finally inspired my to put it to use tonight. A few Amarillo pellets in about and hour ago. Just poured a beer. Very yeasty, no surprises there, dropping the ball in would have stirred it all up.

Can see a little clear layer above the cloudy beer but below the head. Hop oils?

I reckon it tastes bloody fantastic, but SWAMBO doesn't think so at all.

 

[Doogiechap]

I did a double batch of SFPA a few months ago and one keg was dry hopped with Amarillo with the tea ball thingy (mine has busted too Bonj ) and the other without. Lets just say the dry hopped keg blew dry in half the time . Glorious :chug:
Cheers
Doug

 

[Darren]

My hop ball was used once, and then fell apart The hinge pin on the clip deteriorated and broke in half. I've since bought a replacement from one of those homeware stores and the pin on it seems alot thicker. Perhaps the original wasn't stainless after all? Dunno... but I haven't used the replacement yet either, so I can't say anything for certain. Just be aware, and inspect it I suppose.

Sounds a bit suss! Iron in your beer is bad for your health. Did the pin rust?

cheers

Darren

 

[Doogiechap]

Sounds a bit suss! Iron in your beer is bad for your health. Did the pin rust?

cheers

Darren

Mine looked to be Aluminium Darren and yes it had corroded. The pin is about .8mm dia and about 3mm long.
My current taps are brass so I'm happy to have a broad sprectum of metals entering my system :blink: .
Doug

 

[bonj]

If it is rust Darren, it's definitely not iron oxide. I agree with Doogiechap... could very well be aluminium. The pin was quite thin, so if it is aluminium, it could very well be torque damage from opening it up after. The new one looks much sturdier.