Question for those who dry hop in keg - skip dry hop in fermenter?

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-TH-

-TH-

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The last IPA I did I dry hopped 1 oz in secondary and 1 oz in keg (with great results). Yesterday I brewed another IPA and I'm thinking about skipping the dry hop in fermenter and just doing 2 oz in the keg. Anyone have any experience/reasoning/thoughts/advice on the matter?
 
I routinely dry hop in the keg. I much prefer it over the secondary for a couple reasons. First of all, it renders the secondary unnecessary. Typically, I just let my beer sit in the primary for a few days after fermentation has completed. I've found that reduces off-flavors such as diacetyl. Also, remember everytime you move your beer from one container to another, you increase the chance for contamination. So eliminating that step just keeps it safer.

Secondly, you can lose a little aroma in secondary through the airlock, whereas in the keg, it is kept tight.

I'm not sure you really need to double up in the keg, however. I suspect you would get the same result by just adding a half ounce more in the keg, because of the longer time it spends in contact with the beer.
 
I recently switched to dryhopping in the keg, purging, room temp for 3 days, then chill and gas...i get faster flavor/aroma saturation than if i chill it right away. I agree, the closed system seems to keep the aromas in better
 
Thanks for the tips!

heferly, your method sounds like a good idea. How do you do your purging?
 
I love dry hopping with whole hops in a paint bag in the keg. There is something about drawing a beer through an inflated/saturated bag of whole cone hops that just can't be duplicated any other way.
 
^^
this

+1
But, I pull the bag out after 2 weeks (begins to taste grassy, and the keg's half empty anyway).

Keep in mind, just like mashing, the hops hold a LOT of liquid - that little two ounces will swell to fit a half-gallon pitcher when you pull them out.
 
Hang Glider said:
^^
this

+1
But, I pull the bag out after 2 weeks (begins to taste grassy, and the keg's half empty anyway).

Keep in mind, just like mashing, the hops hold a LOT of liquid - that little two ounces will swell to fit a half-gallon pitcher when you pull them out.
Click to expand...

I am considering suspending my hop bag with fishing line so that as I draw the beer down the hops no longer are in the beer and all the beer in the hops has a chance to drip out of the hops in an oxygen free environment. I think I will try that next.
 
-TH- said:
Thanks for the tips!

heferly, your method sounds like a good idea. How do you do your purging?
Click to expand...


just purging the keg w/co2, as you would normally. hit it with about 30 psi to seat the lid, release pressure a few times, and you're good to go
 
heferly said:
just purging the keg w/co2, as you would normally. hit it with about 30 psi to seat the lid, release pressure a few times, and you're good to go
Click to expand...

Ok thanks I get it now. For some reason I thought you meant you release pressure thats generated during the time at room temp.
 
permo said:
I am considering suspending my hop bag with fishing line so that as I draw the beer down the hops no longer are in the beer and all the beer in the hops has a chance to drip out of the hops in an oxygen free environment. I think I will try that next.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I use a piece of ss wire to hold the bag up, but mostly to keep it away the dip tube. Someone here gave me the idea to put a ss hose clamp around the inside portion of the pressure relief valve on the corny lid, and tie the string/wire to that so it doesn't have to go through the seal on the lid.
 
So I just bought a tea ball and plan on dry hopping with pellets. Does It matter where my tea ball is in the keg ? It is pretty big so I can't imagine it interfering with the dip tube. Anyone else use a tea ball ?

I have also read that a lot of people leave the hops in for the entire keg with no ill effects.
 
hercher said:
I routinely dry hop in the keg. I much prefer it over the secondary for a couple reasons. First of all, it renders the secondary unnecessary. Typically, I just let my beer sit in the primary for a few days after fermentation has completed. I've found that reduces off-flavors such as diacetyl. Also, remember everytime you move your beer from one container to another, you increase the chance for contamination. So eliminating that step just keeps it safer.

Secondly, you can lose a little aroma in secondary through the airlock, whereas in the keg, it is kept tight.

I'm not sure you really need to double up in the keg, however. I suspect you would get the same result by just adding a half ounce more in the keg, because of the longer time it spends in contact with the beer.
Click to expand...

hitting a cascade only APA with a nylon bag of more cascade 1/2 way through keg just for more cascade nose! noticed difference 2 days in.
 
Wingfan13 said:
So I just bought a tea ball and plan on dry hopping with pellets. Does It matter where my tea ball is in the keg ? It is pretty big so I can't imagine it interfering with the dip tube. Anyone else use a tea ball ?
Click to expand...

I seriously doubt it will interfere with the dip tube. The bags have no barrier rigidity and can be sucked into the dip tube end if not suspended.

I would just make sure the tea ball is a decent size. I bought one at the LHBS and even 1/2 oz of hops swells to the tea ball size. I use nylon paint strainer bags now...might try a tea ball again if I can get a monster size one.

Wingfan13 said:
I have also read that a lot of people leave the hops in for the entire keg with no ill effects.
Click to expand...

Yes, the grassy flavors tend to happen from prolonged exposure at higher temps. There's been people with dryhopped kegs that taste great for months. I have dryhops in my one keg for a month and it tastes awesome.

permo said:
I am considering suspending my hop bag with fishing line so that as I draw the beer down the hops no longer are in the beer and all the beer in the hops has a chance to drip out of the hops in an oxygen free environment. I think I will try that next.
Click to expand...

That's what a lot of people do - either fishing line or unwaxed dental floss. I bought a 100pk of 4" zip ties from Lowe's and use that to close my 1G paint strainer bag and then tie the floss around the zip tie. Works great.
 
BrewThruYou said:
I seriously doubt it will interfere with the dip tube. The bags have no barrier rigidity and can be sucked into the dip tube end if not suspended.

I would just make sure the tea ball is a decent size. I bought one at the LHBS and even 1/2 oz of hops swells to the tea ball size. I use nylon paint strainer bags now...might try a tea ball again if I can get a monster size one.



Yes, the grassy flavors tend to happen from prolonged exposure at higher temps. There's been people with dryhopped kegs that taste great for months. I have dryhops in my one keg for a month and it tastes awesome.



That's what a lot of people do - either fishing line or unwaxed dental floss. I bought a 100pk of 4" zip ties from Lowe's and use that to close my 1G paint strainer bag and then tie the floss around the zip tie. Works great.
Click to expand...

I got a 3inch tea ball from Sur Le Table if you have one in your area. It was under $4. It was the biggest one they had.

My usual process for this beer is to primary ferment for 14 days. Then move to secondary for dry hopping for 10 or so days. This will be my first time dry hopping in the keg so I plan on primary for 14 days. Move to corny with the tea ball for 3 days at room temp then move to the keg for 2 weeks while carbing.

Does this sound like a good way to do it ? It is an IPA by the way.
 
Wingfan13 said:
I have also read that a lot of people leave the hops in for the entire keg with no ill effects.
Click to expand...

I had a pale ale that was dry hopped in the keg for about six weeks. The last glass was the best. I think the colder temps keep the off grassy flavors at bay.
 
EllisTX said:
I had a pale ale that was dry hopped in the keg for about six weeks. The last glass was the best. I think the colder temps keep the off grassy flavors at bay.
Click to expand...

I actually find the grassy flavors come early on & dissapate after a week or so. Just to be sure; I am also talking whole hops/paint strainer/in corny keg. I have been tying off with dental floss as an "emergency rip cord", but I haven't pulled it yet.

+1 on the last glass being the best:mug:

-d
 
Wingfan13 said:
I got a 3inch tea ball from Sur Le Table if you have one in your area. It was under $4. It was the biggest one they had.

My usual process for this beer is to primary ferment for 14 days. Then move to secondary for dry hopping for 10 or so days. This will be my first time dry hopping in the keg so I plan on primary for 14 days. Move to corny with the tea ball for 3 days at room temp then move to the keg for 2 weeks while carbing.

Does this sound like a good way to do it ? It is an IPA by the way.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I am going to do too. I'm wondering if I will get a little bit more yeast sediment in the keg than I normally do since I usually cold crash prior to transfering to keg. But if I don't disturb my kegs once they're in the keezer I think it shouldn't really be a problem.

We should both report back here in a few weeks with our results.
 
-TH- said:
This is exactly what I am going to do too. I'm wondering if I will get a little bit more yeast sediment in the keg than I normally do since I usually cold crash prior to transfering to keg. But if I don't disturb my kegs once they're in the keezer I think it shouldn't really be a problem.

We should both report back here in a few weeks with our results.
Click to expand...

I was trying to get a really clear beer out of this one so maybe I will move it to secondary, cold crash it then transfer to keg and dry hop. I still havent decided.
 
Never had a problem leaving the hops in for the whole time. A keg usually doesn't last me much longer than 4-6 weeks anyway. Also, I typically don't put in more than an ounce. I use pellets in a woman's nylon stocking. For $1.99, I get enough nylon to dry hop several kegs. (I usually cut the stockings into 6" tubes.
 

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