Sanitation For Dry Hopping?

[Slurpdog]

Hi all

I'm thinking of dry hopping a few brews when I rack to secondary.
I'll just be using hop pellets but the question is how to ensure the pellets contain no nasties.
I currently only add hops when boiling my ingredients and so no fear of an infection there, but what about when they're added straight to the fermenter?
I'm thinking that there's nothing to worry about but it's best to ask.

Thanks
Slurpdog

 

[tangent]

i think you'll find theres a couple of different ways of dry hopping.
i suppose my method should be called wet hopping - i put the hops in a coffee cup and add boiling water, making sure to splash all the sides and rim of the cup as well. then just tip it in the fermenter.

the only time i've just chucked a handfull of hops in the fermenter it got infected.

good luck

 

[InCider]

Hi all

I'm thinking of dry hopping a few brews when I rack to secondary.
I'll just be using hop pellets but the question is how to ensure the pellets contain no nasties.
I currently only add hops when boiling my ingredients and so no fear of an infection there, but what about when they're added straight to the fermenter?
I'm thinking that there's nothing to worry about but it's best to ask.

Thanks
Slurpdog

Hey Slurpdog,

I add the required hops to a sandwhich bag (those plastic 150mm x 150mm jobs) and tie it in a knot and puncture then toss in the fermenter. My dad uses calico and ties it in a little bundle. Both methods disposable of course.

InCider.

 

[Ross]

Slurpdog,

Just throw them in loose, you'll be fine. I dry hop the majority of my beers & never had an infection from it yet. Steeping the hops first is not dry hopping & is not recommended for the best result.

Cheers Ross

 

[Adamt]

As hops are natural preservatives, if not diseased they should not cause infection.

As Palmer says; "Infection from the hops just doesn't happen".

For the record I use a big tea strainer, or a boiled, sanitised stocking if i need to feed it in my cube.

 

[lucas]

Just throw them in loose, you'll be fine.

I was wondering about that when I saw all the hop flowers floating on top of your nelson sauvin ale, how do you get the beer out without getting a blocked tap? the time i dry hopped with no bag I ended up with a hop flower blocking my tap and had to tilt the fermenter right over, pull off the tap and rinse it backwards, then screw it back on and try again. the blockages just kept happening. is that little sediment reducer thing actually useful for something?

 

[Yeasty]

I was going to use one of these -

http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29

when i try dry hopping very shortly

 

[Slurpdog]

Awesome, thanks for the info.
Obviously it's ok to just throw them in the ferementer.
I'll give it a run with my next IPA.
I love 'em HOPPED!!!!

 

[Ross]

I was wondering about that when I saw all the hop flowers floating on top of your nelson sauvin ale, how do you get the beer out without getting a blocked tap? the time i dry hopped with no bag I ended up with a hop flower blocking my tap and had to tilt the fermenter right over, pull off the tap and rinse it backwards, then screw it back on and try again. the blockages just kept happening. is that little sediment reducer thing actually useful for something?

I use a racking cane, they stop the flowers coming through & don't block up
Though I reckon those sediment reducers may work, if they get blocked by a flower, I think you'd be in trouble. Racking canes (mines an "auto syphon") are cheap & stocked by most HBS's

cheers Ross

 

[lonte]

I use a racking cane, they stop the flowers coming through & don't block up
Though I reckon those sediment reducers may work, if they get blocked by a flower, I think you'd be in trouble. Racking canes (mines an "auto syphon") are cheap & stocked by most HBS's

cheers Ross

i've had loose leaf dry hops block the tap a couple of times. it has only become a problem for me near the end of the bottling when the concentration of hops to beer becomes too much. i've lost a litre or two at the end when it's blocked completely.

i now use a bag, boiled first to sanitise, but do nothing to sanitise the hops themselves.

 

[Steve]

I just chuck em in loose in the bottom of secondary and rack on top. Never had a problem.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Thunderlips]

I was going to use one of these -
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29

They work great. I used one in my last batch and just added it to the secondary which I let sit for about a week. Next time I'll probably throw it in the keg.

 

[Stuster]

I also throw them in loose. No infections from that so far. I'm also in favour of using an auto-syphon. Rack with less trub going through, no blockages so far in 30-40 batches and you leave almost no beer behind, getting almost every sip of sweet, sweet beer. :chug:

 

[lonte]

I also throw them in loose. No infections from that so far. I'm also in favour of using an auto-syphon. Rack with less trub going through, no blockages so far in 30-40 batches and you leave almost no beer behind, getting almost every sip of sweet, sweet beer. :chug:

Dare I display my ignorance and ask exactly what is an "auto-syphon" and where I might get hold of one?

 

[Stuster]

Lonte, not sure where you can get them from, usually from your LHBS. They look like this.

 

[braufrau]

I was going to use one of these -

http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29

when i try dry hopping very shortly

That's a tea infuser! You can probably get them at woolies, and definitely at a specialist tea
place like, say, the perfect cup if you're in Adelaide.

Its a good idea. I'm going to check out my local woollies tomorrow!

Save on postage if you're not ordering anything else from craftbrewer!

-braufrau

 

[mike_hillyer]

Hi all

I'm thinking of dry hopping a few brews when I rack to secondary.
I'll just be using hop pellets but the question is how to ensure the pellets contain no nasties.
I currently only add hops when boiling my ingredients and so no fear of an infection there, but what about when they're added straight to the fermenter?
I'm thinking that there's nothing to worry about but it's best to ask.

Thanks
Slurpdog

Very good question, treat them with care but at the end of the day they are to beer what curry powder is to meat. Higher alcohol beers are safer as they have another natural preservative in them at a higher level.

 

[braufrau]

That's a tea infuser! You can probably get them at woolies, and definitely at a specialist tea
place like, say, the perfect cup if you're in Adelaide.


-braufrau

Got on today from the T-bar. $4.

 

[shayne]

This is a very old thread - and I can see an auto-siphoner is what i need to get. maybe someone has some other ideas.....

I don't have one of those siphoners and have an English Oak Ale down that has severely blocked the tap to the point I can't even sample to double check it's ready. Any one have an ingenious idea on how to unblock the tap otherwise? I was going to get agitated and agitate like mad, my first attempt didn't seem to work however.....

 

[newguy]

This is a very old thread - and I can see an auto-siphoner is what i need to get. maybe someone has some other ideas.....

I don't have one of those siphoners and have an English Oak Ale down that has severely blocked the tap to the point I can't even sample to double check it's ready. Any one have an ingenious idea on how to unblock the tap otherwise? I was going to get agitated and agitate like mad, my first attempt didn't seem to work however.....

Put some tubing in/over the tap, something long enough that it will extend up over the level of beer in the fermenter. With the end elevated, gently blow into the tube until you hear a bubble or two in the fermenter. That should unblock it.