Dry Hopping in a Conical and Keeping Hop Particles Out of the Keg

[philm63]

I plan on dry hopping my IPAs in my new 7-Gallon SSB Unitank and will likely use somewhere in the range of 3-6 oz of pellet hops per charge, possibly multiple charges with a dump in between. I have had and most certainly do not enjoy clogged poppets on my kegs due to stray hop particles and am wondering what folks are doing to keep these particles out of the keg during closed transfer.

Quick history – I used to ferment in carboys and used a siphon to rack to the keg. A piece of paint strainer bag was usually tied to the end of the racking cane to prevent hop particles from entering the line but apparently this did not always work hence the clogged poppets.

I’ve also viewed several posts from this and other forums on this subject and have seen many different solutions but could not readily see which solutions were the most effective, or what possible pitfalls there may have been along the way.

Things I have considered: in-line strainer (What kind? Will it clog?); hops in a strainer tube (400-ish micron mesh?) or a strainer bag with marbles dropped into the conical (how could I do this w/o introducing O2?); crashing for several days before transfer (seems simple but is it effective?); strainer bag on the end of my racking arm (just thought of that one – weird, no?)

Haven’t tried any of this yet as I’m still putting the finishing touches on the new brewery, but I also do not want to go through any unnecessary steps or see any spectacular failures and would like to tap into your experiences on this subject. Ideas?

 

[sicktght311]

I think besides filtering between fermenter and keg, which will clog and require clean out during transfer time introducing oxygen, your other option is a floating dip tube. Once the keg is chilled and everything settles to the bottom, you'll pretty much have clean pours all the way to the end

 

[okiedog]

You could try one of these, which are available from several different makers/suppliers: https://www.homebrewing.org/Dry-Hopping-Tube-for-Carboy-400-Micron_p_7117.html

 

[philm63]

I think besides filtering between fermenter and keg, which will clog and require clean out during transfer time introducing oxygen, your other option is a floating dip tube. Once the keg is chilled and everything settles to the bottom, you'll pretty much have clean pours all the way to the end

Any particular floating dip tube you recommend? Are they easy to clean and sanitize?

 

[Jag75]

I just use large paint strainer bags . They work great . Weigh them down with stainless marbles , nuts or shot glasses. I'd like to do a cold crash on my next IPA but I dont want any hop matter plugging my keg up . I've never cold crashed so I'm with you on that , just how effective is it?

 

[philm63]

I just use large paint strainer bags . They work great . Weigh them down with stainless marbles , nuts or shot glasses. I'd like to do a cold crash on my next IPA but I dont want any hop matter plugging my keg up . I've never cold crashed so I'm with you on that , just how effective is it?

When I used to crash in carboys I'd go in at 33F for a few days and my IPAs would drop pretty clear, then I'd just rack it off with the siphon with a piece of a paint strainer bag tied to the end.

Are you talking about dropping the weighted bag-o-hops into the keg or into the conical? I reckon if I wanted multiple hop charges I could do one in the conical and one in the keg, no? But then there's the O2 issue...

 

[Jag75]

Yes I've done hops in weighted bags . As long as you dont just drop it on and splash your fine. I always purge with co2 as well. I've never hopped in a keg if I did I probably use one of those stainless capsule tea thingy majigy

 

[philm63]

Anybody doing multiple dry hop charges using a strainer bag in a conical? Do you leave a string attached somehow to retrieve the spent hops before adding a new bag? And is it worth the increased risk of O2 pickup doing it this way or is there a good way to minimize O2 with this method? Would I have less risk of O2 just dumping the hops in (maybe a purged hop dropper, or...?), waiting a few days, dump old hops out the bottom of the cone, add another hop charge, wait a few days, crash and rack?

 

[Jag75]

When I do double dry hop I add the 1st hop addition let it sit for about 3-4 days . I take the bag out , which floats towards the top. I purge with co2. Then when its 4 days out to package I dry hop again . Essentially your dry hopping twice but only taking the dry hop bag out once. As long as your bag is sanitized and you purge with co2 and try not to disturb the beer too much your good to go. I'm gonna try commando hopping my next IPA and then cold crashing. I hope it drops all the hop particles.

 

[philm63]

Something just hit me like a two-ton heavy thing; what about the actual closed transfer part of this process? I ask because it seems the conversation has steered more toward addressing the issue once the beer is in the keg and not while it's still in the conical, which is fine - I'll likely go with a floating dip tube to greatly reduce the chances of clogging the poppet BUT... what about when I am pushing the highly-hopped beer from the conical into that same liquid out post during the transfer? What if the hop particles get into that process and clog the poppet on the way INTO the keg? Or am I overthinking this...?

On my dry hopped IPAs there will be hop matter in suspension so I do plan on crashing for at least a few days at or near freezing to encourage most if not all of that hop matter to drop into the cone. I also plan to watch the angle of attack on my racking arm - probably will position it to one side or the other (3:00 or 9:00) until I get a handle on this part of the process. Still not 100% sure there will be no hop particles flowing from the conical into the keg risking clogging the poppet.

Again, am I overthinking it a bit, is this much ado about nothing or...?

 

[Bubman]

Here is an article I found as I am thinking about this as well. I have been filling kegs through the lid with a mesh bag on the end of the hose. This does work however I have been thinking about ways to reduce oxidation especially with hoppy beers.

There is a thread on here about using a keg during fermentation to collect CO2 then use it to transfer from the fermentor to that keg.

I have experienced clogged poppets and they are no fun!

https://byo.com/article/practical-guide-to-filtration/

 

[sicktght311]

I've had this very same issue lately as i've increased my dry hop dosages. I've cold crashed, i've tried angling my fermenter when i rack, etc. What i've pretty much come to realize is i need to pick up an inline hop filter. That way nothing eventually makes its way to the ball lock, and gets caught upstream.

These seem to be popular. Especially if you replace the filter with something finer, but i think even the one it comes with should take care of the bigger stuff that ultimately clog the poppet

https://www.amazon.com/BouncerMD-in...ilter+brewing&qid=1565287256&s=gateway&sr=8-2

 

[Blazinlow86]

I just throw them in loose and transfer after cold crashing and dumping. I've never had any debris in the connector this way. Cheers

 

[eric19312]

I've had this very same issue lately as i've increased my dry hop dosages. I've cold crashed, i've tried angling my fermenter when i rack, etc. What i've pretty much come to realize is i need to pick up an inline hop filter. That way nothing eventually makes its way to the ball lock, and gets caught upstream.

These seem to be popular. Especially if you replace the filter with something finer, but i think even the one it comes with should take care of the bigger stuff that ultimately clog the poppet

https://www.amazon.com/BouncerMD-in...ilter+brewing&qid=1565287256&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I picked up this one of Amazon for $14.

Worked really really well. You can see I am transfering in this picture--note the condensation on the tubing. No loss of seal around the filter, no bubbles, no oxygen exposure. I did do a cold crash at 36F for about 5 days but it was still the easiest closed transfer I have ever done. There were about 8oz pellet hops in the 60L fermentor on this batch. I added the hops when I still have about 15 gravity points to go so as to avoid oxygen exposure during hop addition.

1/2" Hose Barb In-Line Strainer with 50 mesh stainless steel filter screen
by VacMotion Inc.
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CH29IK2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_qUgtDbXZ1FSGZ

 

[sicktght311]

How did you use 1/2" hose to transfer into a 5/16" or 3/16" ball lock barb?

 

[Jag75]

I always do closed transfers through the out post . I always use bags for hops so I dont get hop particles in the keg. I dont think your over thinking . The thoughts are justified imo.

 

[eric19312]

How did you use 1/2" hose to transfer into a 5/16" or 3/16" ball lock barb?

https://www.brewhardware.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=FFLBarb12

and

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/keg_ball_qd_blk_flare.htm

and some 1/2" tubing...

 

[eric19312]

I just throw them in loose and transfer after cold crashing and dumping. I've never had any debris in the connector this way. Cheers

I'm still working out of my Spiedel fermentor. No dumping. To fill my kegs have to get as much of the beer off that yeast/hop/trub cake as possible and always manage to pull something that clogs my poppets. Maybe not the same issue with conicals where you have chance to dump before transfer.

 

[Blazinlow86]

I'm still working out of my Spiedel fermentor. No dumping. To fill my kegs have to get as much of the beer off that yeast/hop/trub cake as possible and always manage to pull something that clogs my poppets. Maybe not the same issue with conicals where you have chance to dump before transfer.

Are you giving it a good cold crash also? I usually wait 48hours at 33f and then dump. I also did it the same minus the dump when using carboys with no issues. I also *NEVER* move the fermentor after the cold crash. Cheers

 

[eric19312]

Are you giving it a good cold crash also? I usually wait 48hours at 33f and then dump. I also did it the same minus the dump when using carboys with no issues. I also *NEVER* move the fermentor after the cold crash. Cheers

I cold crash in a fridge. I can get the beer down to about 36F (takes 2-3 days) and will hold it there another 2-3 days before kegging. This last transfer went a little longer cold cause life got in way maybe that was difference and not the inline filter. Fermentor does not NORMALLY move at all once filled it is 60L with 16 gallons of beer and sitting inside a fridge...OK once, maybe more than once, I did have to move it could not get the beer through the poppet no matter what I did finally gave up the closed transfer and lifted that bastard up onto 2xhomer buckets with gamma lids and did an good old fashioned gravity transfer with my 1/2" ss racking cane into my kegs. I was pretty pissed off by then but filled those three kegs in 5 minutes and beer got consumed pretty fast anyway. Gah what a nightmare that kegging day was, but I did get pretty lucky and not hurt my back with that bent over twisting lift.

 

[Dgallo]

I just use large paint strainer bags . They work great . Weigh them down with stainless marbles , nuts or shot glasses. I'd like to do a cold crash on my next IPA but I dont want any hop matter plugging my keg up . I've never cold crashed so I'm with you on that , just how effective is it?

Cold crashing works wonders for hop particles. I’ll dryhop 2 days before my crash and in 24 hours all hop material is settled to the bottom. If you do it for 48 hours your yeast will settle on top of it and help keep it down