Keg to Keg Transfer using Hop Rocket

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hatfieldenator

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I tried a new technique tonight that will hopefully get me a more intense, fresh hop flavor in my IPA. I had a batch of uncarbed IPA in a 5 gallon keg (with a slightly short pick up tube to help leave yeast behind). I cold crashed it for about a week (only because I was busy at work, 3 days would have been adequate as well). I decided to transfer it to another keg for carbing and hooked up my Hop Rocket for the transfer. It went really smoothly and I'm hoping to get awesome results, but we'll have to wait and see! Here are some pics. Please excuse the mess:) I wasn't worried about being tidy while in the middle of this. I just wanted to make sure I did it right.

To do this, I hooked up CO2 to the full tank. Put the pressure up fairly high (15-20 PSI). I then hooked up the hop rocket to the out put of the full keg and the other end to the output of the empty keg. Before starting the transfer I purged both the hop rocket and empty keg with CO2 and pressurized them to around 5 PSI). I filled the Hop Rocket with 2 OZ of whole Centennial Hops.

When ready, I hooked up the CO2 to the full keg first. Then I connected my hop rocket to the empty keg. Then, the final step is hooking up the hop rocket to the full keg. Beer immediately began to fill the hop rocket and started pouring over into the empty keg. I had to periodically purge gas from the empty keg to keep the pressure difference unequal so that the beer would keep flowing. When almost empty, I turned the hop rocket upside down to get every last drop out.
I now have a full keg of heavily hopped IPA! Can't wait to try it in a couple weeks when its carbed!:rockin::rockin:

hoprocket.jpg

hoprocket2.jpg

hoprocket3.jpg
 
I sampled some of the beer from the lines as I was cleaning out the Hop Rocket and I can say that its got some very intense aroma and bright flavor. Not grassy at all either. I think this is going to be a good one!
 
I sampled some of the beer from the lines as I was cleaning out the Hop Rocket and I can say that its got some very intense aroma and bright flavor. Not grassy at all either. I think this is going to be a good one!

So this technique eliminates the need to dry hop?
You used whole hops, right?
Did you need to filter the beer after the hops?
Could it be used in between the keg and the tap and just left in line (inside the fridge of course)?
 
Yes, u could replace dry hopping with this method. I did it in addition to dry hopping:). U have to use whole hops with this device. I didnt filter it, but it could be done with a custom cut filter pad. There was some small hop debris the first few pours, but no big deal.
Absolutely it can be left inline with your tap system. In fact, thats one of its intended uses and it comes with all the fittings necessary for that. The beer I made with this turned out amazing, the hop character is perfect, exactly what I was looking for. Reminds me of some of my favorite beers (sculpin IpA, stone IPa, lagunitas, two hearted, etc)
 
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