Dry Hopping Error

I racked my first batch in years to my glass carboy on monday.

I had it all in when I realised I hadn't added my dry hops...

Now they're all just sitting... Floating on the top laughing at me!

I used to use plugs so it wouldn't have been a huge problem.

Do you reckon they will do anything?

They will slowly sink as the ale soaks in.

It has been quoted too often but it just seems to say it best: "Don't worry, relax, have a homebrew" and since this is your first brewing attempt, well have a brew and chill.

thanks... hoping they infuse and add some hoppiness to the brew

I reckon it's looking good now...

Did the same thing. You can gently tilt the carboy to help them settle. But they will just absorb wort and settle down themselves.

Freedgull,

I did the same thing, but I used hop pellets. I had a plan of using some muslin bag and dropping them in with a marble to make them sink. It didn't work out and I ended up pouring the hops on top of the secondary.

It was the best beer I've ever made. The hoppiness was incredible. It had a gorgeous fresh hop aroma, and a wonderful bite and bitterness as you tasted it.

Your beer should be fantabulous.

What kind of hops did you use?

I have never dry hopped before, but I am correct in saying that it does not produce any hop bitterness or flavor, only aroma?

John

John,

I've heard that they don't add bitterness. I dry-hopped my IPA, so I'd think the bitterness was already there. What I did note was that wonderful hop aroma. I think it may have added to the hop flavor as well (just a taste of fresh hops-no bitterness.)

I would definitely do this again!

This lat one was my first dry hop so I can't tell really. Bitterness needs to mellow but this could be cause I put a lot of lemon zest in too..... smells incredible.

I forgot to add hops when I racked my amber ale to secondary a few days ago too. I added them in late last night. My five gallon carboy was pretty full already so I had to use a thief to get some of the beer out to have room for the hops.

I just went to go check on my carboy, and the pellets have completely dissolved, but they are all still floating at the top of the carboy. Adding the hops must have caused c02 to come out of suspension, because my airlock is slowly bubbling again, whereas it was completely still before I added the hops.

I guess I didn't remove enough beer, because my airlock is now half full of greenish-hoppy looking beer. I'm going to go sanitize another airlock and a long-handled stirrer, remove the clogged one while trying to keep any of the beer in it from draining back into the carboy, stir the contents to get the hops to sink (hopefully), and stick another sanitized airlock back on. I'm glad I went to go check on it.

Oh, and since I don't have any homebrew ready to drink yet, I'll go pour myself a commercial beer before I tackle the airlock mess so I can simulate RDWHAHB. Must be in the right frame of mind for this activity, you know.

beer4breakfast said:

I guess I didn't remove enough beer, because my airlock is now half full of greenish-hoppy looking beer. I'm going to go sanitize another airlock and a long-handled stirrer, remove the clogged one while trying to keep any of the beer in it from draining back into the carboy, stir the contents to get the hops to sink (hopefully), and stick another sanitized airlock back on. I'm glad I went to go check on it.

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I had to put a blow off tube on mine.

Beer Snob said:

I had to put a blow off tube on mine.

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I think my bubbling is just from dissolved C02 coming out of solution. Hopefully I won't have to use a blowoff.

I just stirred in the hop pellet particles and put on a new sanitized airlock. I noticed all the hops floated to the top again. I hope it sinks eventually, or my beer will not be clear when I bottle it. I want my beer to look as good as I know it will taste!

I harvested my hops off the vine and they are now dried enough to use. Does anybody sanitize them somehow before adding them to secondary or do you just toss 'em in?

I have never sanitized my hops and have never had a problem either.
Just pour them in. or put them in before racking to secondary ( that is what I do)
good luck and enjoy a nice fresh hop aroma.

Sanitizing hops would be like sanitizing a jug to store bleach in.

Hey Orpheus

I used East Kent Goldings to dry hop - the beer is an English Pale Ale (Special Bitter). It wasn't in the recipe but I like hops...

beer4breakfast said:

I think my bubbling is just from dissolved C02 coming out of solution. Hopefully I won't have to use a blowoff.

I just stirred in the hop pellet particles and put on a new sanitized airlock. I noticed all the hops floated to the top again. I hope it sinks eventually, or my beer will not be clear when I bottle it. I want my beer to look as good as I know it will taste!

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I'm in the same situation. I'm hoping the hop gunk that used to be pellets sinks fairly soon.

Freedgull said:

I reckon it's looking good now...

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They are not going to sink. Pellets sink eventually but not whole hops. Its ok though youll still get a good amount of hop aroma from them. Next time use a few hop socks weighted with ball bearings.