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azingsheim · 02-06-2011, 08:18 PM

Planning on using a steel marble, but it's a little rusty..... I cleaned it really good and will sanitize before using. I can scrape it with my fingernail and nothing comes off...

1) shuld I use it??
2) what are my other options??

Thanks

arkowa · 02-06-2011, 08:30 PM

I debated this topic for a long while when I started dry hopping. While I have no proof, I feel that "free roam dryhops" are happy hops that can give their Aromatics better

I found the absolute best method to be throwing the darn things in the secondary. Sanitize a lowes/home depot paint straining bag in star sans. Put your auto siphon Inside the bag. The hop matter will be filtered from the sweet aroma hopped goodness by the paint strainer bag.

Go pack go!

**Golddiggie** · 02-06-2011, 08:31 PM

I would go with either chrome, or stainless steel for metal... Another option would be glass.

You could use it, but I would clean it until all the rust was removed. Even then, you're not 100% sure there's none lurking in areas too small for you to see. An acid bath could remove the rust, but it's probably not a viable option for you.

If you do use the rusty marble/bearing, you could just call the brew "Rusty Balls"...

What is your fermenter made from? If glass, then I would attach a string/line to the hop sack so that it doesn't drop too fast.

bja · 02-08-2011, 07:42 PM

It's going to rust more while in the beer.

**Old_E** · 02-08-2011, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bja

It's going to rust more while in the beer.

That was my thought too. How about a stainless nut or bolt?

**azscoob** · 02-08-2011, 07:57 PM

I don't weigh my dry hop bags with anything due to infection risk, I do however weigh my hop catcher down while boiling, I use a small smooth river rock, I just boiled it on the stove for 10 minutes before putting it to use in the boil kettle. I used to use a large stainless bearing, but it was thrown away when a friend was helping clean up, now if my rock is tossed, I can just get another rock.

**Old_E** · 02-08-2011, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azscoob

I don't weigh my dry hop bags with anything due to infection risk, I do however weigh my hop catcher down while boiling, I use a small smooth river rock, I just boiled it on the stove for 10 minutes before putting it to use in the boil kettle. I used to use a large stainless bearing, but it was thrown away when a friend was helping clean up, now if my rock is tossed, I can just get another rock.

Why do you pre-boil it if you are going to boil it anyway?

Just sanitize things prior to putting them in your hop bag... just like you would do the bag itself.

**azscoob** · 02-08-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old_E

Why do you pre-boil it if you are going to boil it anyway?

Just sanitize things prior to putting them in your hop bag... just like you would do the bag itself.

I honestly dont have a logical reason why I did it, just seemed the thing to do at the time, I did the pre-boil only once, before its first use, not before every batch. looking back I suppose I could have just rinsed it good, maybe hit it with a scrubbie brush.

As for sanitizing before dropping into the dry hop bag, a scratch in a plastic bucket can harbor nasties that sanitizer cant get to, think how many nooks and crannies are in a rock! for weighing down a dry hop bag I would use a couple glass marbles.

**RiverCityBrewer** · 02-08-2011, 08:59 PM

I would just use a few glass marbles or a spare tailpiece or two.

Cpt_Kirks · 02-08-2011, 09:05 PM

Lead weight.

Makes you smart!