Effects on hops when suspending in fermentor above wort

[vlz]

Hi there,

I'm planning on brewing a NEIPA/Hazy Pale Ale with Voss Kveik. I'm using a Fermzilla all rounder in Ferminator to control the temperature. To prevent any oxygen from getting in with dry hops, I'm planning to put the hops in a muslin bag inside the fermentor, suspended in the head space with food grade magnets.

I have done this before with great results, but not with kveik. With my previous batches the temps have been at around 20c, but as the temp range for Voss Kveik is 35-40c (95-104f), I'm wondering how this effects the hops as they would be sitting for a few days in a relatively warm and humid environment. Any experience or advice, how would you do it?

 

[BrewerofBeers]

In the absence of O2 there should be no degradation. However, there is probably a tiny bit of O2 lodged inside each hop pellet, but don't worry about that. It will be fine. RDWHAHB. Good luck!

 

[DuncB]

I've used kveik and suspended hop pellets in bags.
Any oxygen ( air) in the pellets will diffuse and equilibrate with the fermentor gas, so will be all CO2 once oxygen used up or flushed out with the other CO2 produced.
Didn't see or taste any problems. Tricky bit with kveik is being around at the right time to slide the hops in.

I don't drop the hops I slide them down so they are below the surface and can then waft the bag about to mix up the ferment.

 

[seatazzz]

What @DuncB said. The beauty of using magnets is you can also pull the bag back up out of the way of the floating diptube when it's time to transfer to the keg; I've tried the "drop" method twice, and both times the FDT got stuck with the hop bag and stopped the transfer. Neat trick; use one magnet in the bag, but two or even three on the outside; gives more power to pulling the bag back up.

 

[DuncB]

What @DuncB said. The beauty of using magnets is you can also pull the bag back up out of the way of the floating diptube when it's time to transfer to the keg; I've tried the "drop" method twice, and both times the FDT got stuck with the hop bag and stopped the transfer. Neat trick; use one magnet in the bag, but two or even three on the outside; gives more power to pulling the bag back up.

I use the sous vide ( silicone covered I think ) magnets on the inside and then magnets salvaged from old hard drives on the outside. This is so tight a grip that you struggle to waft the bag around.

 

[vlz]

I've used kveik and suspended hop pellets in bags.
Any oxygen ( air) in the pellets will diffuse and equilibrate with the fermentor gas, so will be all CO2 once oxygen used up or flushed out with the other CO2 produced.
Didn't see or taste any problems. Tricky bit with kveik is being around at the right time to slide the hops in.

I don't drop the hops I slide them down so they are below the surface and can then waft the bag about to mix up the ferment.

Thanks for the replies!

What do you mean by "being around at the right time to slide the hops in"?

I've understood that the flocculating yeast can take away some hop aroma, or the aroma is blown off with co2 when dry hopping during active fermentation. Also, some have experienced some off flavors when dry hopping in high (35c) temps.

To avoid these I was planning on letting it ferment completely, soft crash and dry hop after that in room temp or just below.

What was your process?

Edit: using stronger magnets on the outside is a great idea. I just got the sous vide magnets and soon found out that they alone are not strong enough to suspend the weight of the hop bag if it is on the heavier side.

 

[DuncB]

Some people like to put their hops in during the end of active ferment for biotransformation. This window isn't open very long with Kveik.
I let the ferment finish and d rest, then brought temp to 14C most yeast flocced out by this stage. Opshaug drops very fast.
Dry hop one then and after 48 hours crash to 4C and dry hop 2. I drop the yeast out when collection vessel in fermentasaurus is full. This occurs during D rest and chill to 14.
Last time dropped the first lot of hops out before adding the second at 4C.

But ask a hundred brewers how they dry hop and I expect you'll get a hundred answers.
Also it all will be beer.