Dry hopping in keg vs fermenter

[EllisTX]

Is there any difference in hop aroma/flavor when dry hopping in a cold keg vs fermentation temp primary/secondary? I'm referring more to the temperature than the vessel. Does it take longer to get the flavor and aroma out of hops at colder temps?

 

[brewmonk]

yes, a cold keg can sit around a lot longer than you want (but not at my house).

 

[tcory77]

Interested in this same question. Just tapped a black IPA and my home grown cascades didn't give me what I wanted when i dry hopped them, so I added an ounce if cascade pellets to the keg. To add to the OP's question, will this take a while to get the hop aroma to come through? Is that due to the temperature? Do I need to shake the keg at all?

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, just wanted to add to it and expand it a little.

 

[Yooper]

Interested in this same question. Just tapped a black IPA and my home grown cascades didn't give me what I wanted when i dry hopped them, so I added an ounce if cascade pellets to the keg. To add to the OP's question, will this take a while to get the hop aroma to come through? Is that due to the temperature? Do I need to shake the keg at all?

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, just wanted to add to it and expand it a little.

I dryhop in the keg all the time. It does take longer to get the effect of the dryhops in the keg, but it also seems to "keep" longer so I never get any grassy or off-flavors. At room temperature, I usually dryhop about 5-7 days. In the keg at kegerator temps, I notice some hops flavor in about 5 days, but it's better in 14 days or so.

Use a hop bag/ball to contain them, otherwise you'll have a clogged diptube!

 

[TheBrewinator]

I will second that, I only dry hop in the keg now and it takes a bit longer to come through but I feel it lasts a lot longer. I personally use a sure sceen from northern brewer and get some hop bits towards the end but never have had a clogged tube.

 

[tcory77]

Awesome.......I used a nylon hop bag. I think i might start using this technique more often. I might go 3 weeks in primary(given ferm. is complete) and then dry hop in the keg when I turn the gas on, leaving it alone for around 2 weeks. Hmmmmm......time to experiment. Thanks guys!!!!

 

[EllisTX]

Thanks for the replies. I think my question was answered. Basically, dry hopping warmer gets the results faster and the feeling is that hopping at low temps keeps the hop character longer. Right?

I've got an apa and ipa in primary and I plan on dry hopping them both in primary. I want the shortest turnaround possible and beer doesn't last long at my house.

 

[mvolz]

I've been having this problem with most of my beers that I dry hop.I rack from primary after 3-4 wks.,right into the keg.I usually only use .5 oz. to dry hop with in a hop/tea ball.Put the lid on,hook up co2, purge, and set at about 12,and put in fridge.And I normally get great hop character at first(because I cant wait to drink it)but it eventually fades away.I think I might try not putting in the fridge,and let it set for a week or so before carbing and cooling.

 

[rycov]

i agree with yooper. it may take a little longer for optimal hoppiness, but i found the one i did this way crisp and pretty hoppy after a week. two weeks was better. all the hops didn't fit into the hop ball i had so i used a section i cut out of panty hose (shut up, its all i had). at first i didn't want to use the panty hose, "No way! i don't want my beer to taste like.... wait, yeah im good with that."

 

[humann_brewing]

Both are good if done right but why not do both?

 

[hamiltont]

I dry hop in the keg with pellets placed in a white women's knee high nylon at room temp for at least a week. Then into the kegerator & on CO2. I leave the hops in 'till the keg blows. Never get an off flavor. Cheers!!!

 

[tcory77]

Whoa.......humann_brewing just blew my mind.......indeed......why not both?!!!!!!!!!

 

[Seven]

Is it possible to get grassy flavors when dry-hopping in the keg if it takes a few weeks or months to kick the keg?

 

[rycov]

Is it possible to get grassy flavors when dry-hopping in the keg if it takes a few weeks or months to kick the keg?

don't let it take that long!

seriously though, i put hops in the keg and left them there the whole time i was drinking it (about three or four weeks i think) and never got any off flavors, actually the beer got better.

 

[humann_brewing]

Is it possible to get grassy flavors when dry-hopping in the keg if it takes a few weeks or months to kick the keg?

don't let it take that long!

seriously though, i put hops in the keg and left them there the whole time i was drinking it (about three or four weeks i think) and never got any off flavors, actually the beer got better.

the temp has a big factor in the length of time to get grassy flavors.

So yes, i you serve your beer at 60 you will have some grassy notes in a couple weeks or so but at 40, your fine for months.

 

[Seven]

the temp has a big factor in the length of time to get grassy flavors.

So yes, i you serve your beer at 60 you will have some grassy notes in a couple weeks or so but at 40, your fine for months.

Cool, I'll give this a shot with my next batch... which is a heavily dry-hopped Pliny clone.

Thanks!

 

[duckmanco]

I just got my kegging set up a few weeks back, and figured I'd try dry hopping in the keg. I used a sanitized new women's nylon, 1oz of simcoe, and teflon tape to hang the bag (still lets the lid seal).

I was knocked out by the hop aroma. It was so pungent and aromatic that it made seem every ounce I used to dry hop prior to this, was a complete and total waste. I had never ever gotten aroma like this before. I dry hopped for 7 days or so, but got chicken and pulled it. If you guys are having luck with a month or more, then I'll have to try that too.

 

[BA_from_GA]

very excited to try this out! I've got an "herb ball" for soups and stuff, (new in the package). It's basically stainless mesh like a tea ball... would this work for pellet hops or would they likely disolve and seep through the mesh???

 

[rycov]

depends on how fine the mesh is. i had one, but my problem was it wasn't big enough, one ounce of pellet hops expanded and completely packed that thing full. i'm sure i didn't get near the utilization that i wanted. (this was for boil, not dry hopping, but still). so make sure you use one that is real big.

 

[BrewThruYou]

depends on how fine the mesh is. i had one, but my problem was it wasn't big enough, one ounce of pellet hops expanded and completely packed that thing full. i'm sure i didn't get near the utilization that i wanted. (this was for boil, not dry hopping, but still). so make sure you use one that is real big.

Even 0.5 ounce will pack mine full....pellet hops expand like crazy. I like using sanitized 1gal paint strainer bags with a sanitized zip tie now.

 

[rycov]

actually mine may not have been a full ounce either. i definately feel like i wasted the money i spent on it (not much) if i were gonna get one i would get a huge one, knowing what i know now. i've just been using muslin bags or panty hose or whatever for now, think i need to find some paint bags too. i want something i can reuse.

 

[scoundrel]

I'm getting lazier with old age, so I use a 1 gallon nylon paint bag from Lowe's and tie nylon, unwaxed and unflavored dental floss to it. Then I put keg lube on the floss and drop it in. Then, seal the keg with some floss hanging out. When the hop flavor is where I want it, I pull the floss and the bag gets pulled out of the beer.

So far no kegs have leaked and the nice thing is that I don't have to fish out the hops until the keg runs dry

 

[eyebinker]

Something I've done in the past is dry hop in the keg (nylon paint strainer and unwaxed dental floss bag). Let it sit for about 7 days at room temp. Then chill and force carb. It really seems to be the best of both worlds. Nice hoppiness that lasts for months and doesn't get really grassy. I did a Belgian IPA that was dry hopped and I didn't use this technique, chilling right after hopping, and it took about a month before the beer really tasted good. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Leeds1]

I have 5 gallons of Denny's Rye IPA in primary right now. I'm going to transfer to secondary next week and dry hop with an ounce of Columbus leaf and then transfer to a keg the following week and dry hop with another ounce of Columbus. Hoping for some awesome flavor and aroma since I've never dry hopped both ways like this before.

 

[surfnturf]

I plan on doing the same thing with a batch of Yooper's pale ale. Cascade 1oz dry in secondary followed by another oz in the keg. Never used leaf hops before but I am hoping for a longer lasting aroma.

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I just did this for the first time, so I'm glad to know I can just leave them in there. What I did, was take a 5 Gallon paint strainer, put my 2oz Whole Leaf dry hop in there and then tie a knot at the very end. Then I just used the Dip Tube to hold down the knotted end of the bag. That way the hops are fully submerged in the beer. This beer has the best aroma of any beer I've ever made, the aroma also seems to last longer in the glass.

 

[robtotten]

I did the same thing but used knee highs from a latino woman.

I dry hop in the keg with pellets placed in a white women's knee high nylon at room temp for at least a week. Then into the kegerator & on CO2. I leave the hops in 'till the keg blows. Never get an off flavor. Cheers!!!

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I did the same thing but used knee highs from a latino woman.

Now that's funny right there! Should make the beer kinda spicy I would think