What to do when hops clog up keg?

Have an issue with my hops plugging up my dip tube. Need some tips on how to get a screen added.

I've already taken out the dip tube, cleaned it up, added a cheese cloth at the bottom, but quickly realized--this won't fit into the opening.

So, is the only way to add the screen is to 'gingerly' add the screen AFTER inserting the dip tube through the OUT side of the keg?

This was the first time I had not used a secondary for dry-hopping and got lazy and through in the dry hops into the primary.

Any tips/advice in avoiding hops getting stuck would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Usually removing, cleaning, sanitizing, and replacing the dip tube fixes the problem for me. Often it may take two or three times to keep the beer flowing. The secret is not to move the keg to much. Other than being more careful with racking.

Hammy71 said:

Usually removing, cleaning, sanitizing, and replacing the dip tube fixes the problem for me. Often it may take two or three times to keep the beer flowing. The secret is not to move the keg to much. Other than being more careful with racking.

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Just did some doogle search and I hear shortening the dip tube an inch might to the trick. I guess I will now have one dedicated "special" keg for hoppy beers. I just hope I haven't disturbed the beer too much--but with my luck...

Off to find my pipe cutter.

Cut about 1.5 inch off bottom. Problem fixed!

Be more careful when racking? I always do my first dry hop in primary and never have a problem as I'm careful when racking to the keg.

Assuming you are dry hopping in the keg....

I simply place my hops in a muslin bag/hop sack and tie it off to the dip tube about half way into the beer and leave it there until the keg is kicked. Works great!

How do you do this? String or something?

BreezyBrew said:

How do you do this? String or something?

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If the bag is large enough you can simply tie off the top around the tube, if not use some sanitized string, either way works fine.

duboman said:

If the bag is large enough you can simply tie off the top around the tube, if not use some sanitized string, either way works fine.

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Yeah. I was thinking more along the lines of... how do your hands fit into the corny opening lol.

BreezyBrew said:

Yeah. I was thinking more along the lines of... how do your hands fit into the corny opening lol.

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Yeah, that's the tricky part, luckily I'm a really tall skinny dude with big hands and long fingers

Seriously though, you make a loose knot and as you slide the tube in pass through the knot and then tighten the knot before inserting the tube all the way down

Thanks man. I usually just throw the bag in there lose, but this last time, the bag got stuck. Had to blast it with 30 psi on the opposite end, which would have been fine, but I got suck back somehow and beer ended up in the C02 line.