Dry Hop in keg or bucket and how long?

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m1k3

m1k3

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Hi All-

I've been reading the related threads and there is no exact answer to this (or is there?)

I brewed 10 gallons of IPA today. OG=1.066 6oz of kettle hops 60=magnum, 30=northern brewer, 20=columbus, 15=simcoe, 10=columbus, 5=simcoe (all 1oz charges)

I plan to dry hop with 4oz of Falconer's Flight. (2oz in each bucket or keg)

Here is the issue...
I leave town in 8 days. I will be gone for 12 days.

-Should I rack to two kegs at the last minute before I go and dry hop in the keg (in a hop sack with dental floss) for 12 days? Or just rack onto the pellets in a bucket secondary?

-Another option is to add the dry hops to the fermenters on day 3 for 5 days. And then keg on day 8. That seems a bit rushed because the the fermentation is proceeding slowly. I pitched 1.5 packs of Nottingham into each of the 5 gallons and the fermeters are in a tub (water is 63F).

Other ideas?
 
If you have room in the brew fridge/keezer/kegorator, ferment normally and add the dry hops to the keg (in a nylon 'hop bag') right before you leave and put the kegs in to chill/carbonate while you're away. When you get back, you'll be able to pull pints of great dry hopped brew. :D That is, if your brew is actually ready to be dry hopped before you leave. IMO, 8 days in primary is really, really short for a brew over 1.060. IMO, just leave them in primary while away and dry hop (in keg, at serving temperatures) when you return.
 
Golddiggie said:
If you have room in the brew fridge/keezer/kegorator, ferment normally and add the dry hops to the keg (in a nylon 'hop bag') right before you leave and put the kegs in to chill/carbonate while you're away. When you get back, you'll be able to pull pints of great dry hopped brew. :D That is, if your brew is actually ready to be dry hopped before you leave. IMO, 8 days in primary is really, really short for a brew over 1.060. IMO, just leave them in primary while away and dry hop (in keg, at serving temperatures) when you return.
Click to expand...

I can put one on tap. The other will get primed and wait its turn under the stairs.
 
m1k3 said:
I can put one on tap. The other will get primed and wait its turn under the stairs.
Click to expand...

Then I would only dry hop the one going on tap, in keg. If you've not tried this method before, I highly recommend it.

BTW, are you carbonating the keg with sugar or CO2? IMO, using priming solution only increases the crap in the bottom of the keg. I've had far better results just using CO2. I'm actually kegging some brews that I'll be carbonating in the basement, on gas, at about 50F. Two weeks later, they'll be carbonated and ready to go on tap whenever I want. :rockin: At that temperature, the CO2 pressure needed (for the volumes I want) isn't all that much.
 
tgmartin000 said:
Personally I'd let it ferment until you get back then it'll be good & ready for dry hopping.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with tgmartin

Just let it all sit. When you come back, dry hop the crap out of it and it will be a delicious IPA. No need to hurry things. Once you dry hop, sure, you should get it packaged, but until then you have some flexibility.

Do nothing. Dry hop when you come back.
 
Golddiggie said:
Then I would only dry hop the one going on tap, in keg. If you've not tried this method before, I highly recommend it.

BTW, are you carbonating the keg with sugar or CO2? IMO, using priming solution only increases the crap in the bottom of the keg. I've had far better results just using CO2. I'm actually kegging some brews that I'll be carbonating in the basement, on gas, at about 50F. Two weeks later, they'll be carbonated and ready to go on tap whenever I want. :rockin: At that temperature, the CO2 pressure needed (for the volumes I want) isn't all that much.
Click to expand...

I have space for 3 kegs on tap. I own 5 kegs but have never been able to get the pipeline going... I always seem to keep 2 kegs empty.

In another thread I asked if I could pressurize a keg to store and I was told no, the only option was to prime with sugar since I could not supply co2 for the kegs in storage.
 
We are hosting a Christmas Eve party so I'd like to get 5 gallons of this IPA on tap and ready for 12/24.

Since this is a 10 gallon batch in two 5 gallon fermenters, this is the prefect chance to dry hop one half in the fermenter (at 65F) and and dry hop the other half in the keg when it is needed on tap (at serving temp 35-40F).

I can dry hop today (or tomorrow morning) by adding the 2oz of pelitized Falconer's Flight to the Primary Fermenter or I could rack to secondary, and then dry hop. I am leaning toward just adding it to primary (the beer is dropping bright but it has only been 6 days).

Here is the calendar to help see the timeline:
IPA_calendar.jpg
 
Monday, Dec. 17 - I packaged the beer as planned.

5 gallons that were not dry hopped - went into a keg. a hop sack with the 2oz of dry hops and a 1/2 SS hose barb adapter (for weight) were suspended by dental floss in the keg. the keg was put on tap. 37F

The other 5 gallons, that did get dry hopped at the end of primary went into 8 - .5gallon (2 liter) growlers. The growlers were primed with 2.1oz of corn sugar and 1.7oz of cane sugar (I ran out of corn sugar).

Sunday, Dec. 22 - I discovered one growler had exploded. I always tempt fate and mix the sugar directly into the beer when botteling. Maybe at the cooler temperatures, it did not dissolve completely. I have use these growlers with the swing top lids and have had great success. So, I don't blame the bottle. I usually prime at a rate of 1oz corn sugar per gallon with no problem. Maybe the cane sugar was the issue.

Anyway not to derail my own tread but let me know what you think.

I put the three remaining growlers from that box in the fridge. Tasting notes to follow in the next day or two.

The other box has 3 growlers still at room temp (in the closet). I'll see if there are any more explosions. (I don't expect there will be after a week.)
 
m1k3 said:
Monday, Dec. 17 - I packaged the beer as planned.

5 gallons that were not dry hopped - went into a keg. a hop sack with the 2oz of dry hops and a 1/2 SS hose barb adapter (for weight) were suspended by dental floss in the keg. the keg was put on tap. 37F

The other 5 gallons, that did get dry hopped at the end of primary went into 8 - .5gallon (2 liter) growlers. The growlers were primed with 2.1oz of corn sugar and 1.7oz of cane sugar (I ran out of corn sugar).

Sunday, Dec. 22 - I discovered one growler had exploded. I always tempt fate and mix the sugar directly into the beer when botteling. Maybe at the cooler temperatures, it did not dissolve completely. I have use these growlers with the swing top lids and have had great success. So, I don't blame the bottle. I usually prime at a rate of 1oz corn sugar per gallon with no problem. Maybe the cane sugar was the issue.

Anyway not to derail my own tread but let me know what you think.

I put the three remaining growlers from that box in the fridge. Tasting notes to follow in the next day or two.

The other box has 3 growlers still at room temp (in the closet). I'll see if there are any more explosions. (I don't expect there will be after a week.)
Click to expand...

Growlers are NOT meant to be used for the pressure created during carbonation, and should not be used for bottling. They are meant to briefly store already carbonated beer. Please keep the growlers in a very safe place, even in the fridge, and be extremely careful when opening!
 
So, for Christmas Eve I served a growler of the IPA, it was ready.
The IPA on tap is just coming around. It started to taste pretty good last night.

People said the IPA was quite good. (Although my sister said it smelled like a wet dog. I corrected her, everyone knows Citra smells like Cat Pee. hehe)

I also gave away two growlers.

For the record the one that exploded was this one:
http://www.sierranevadagiftshop.com/bar-supplies/drinkware/sierra-nevada-2-liter-growler.html

The Sierra Nevada ones appear to be the same as the ones I got from William's and my local home brew shop.
 
ok. the dry hop is absolutely fantastic, right now!

do I pull the hops out of the keg now?

will it get better, or will it get grassy?
 
Jan 3 pull the hops out of he keg (they were put in on Dec 17).

Could have left them in longer probably but it is great as is.

If the hops start to drop off, I could dry hop again. I stumbled onto some Citra at my local Whole Foods store!
 

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