How do you keep keg from clogging from unfiltering and huge dry hops?

[theheadonthedoor]

I have kegged a solid 18 beers, but the last couple I have gone for the more unfiltered style with huge dry hops (although in bags). Either way, I am getting the problem of stuck kegs now. I can't gelatin it out because there is already too much sludge and that would defeat the unfiltered purpose.

I read to cut an inch or so off the drip tube, but I don't really have that kind of equipment. I guess I could bring it somewhere... Either way, what have you cool cats done to avoid or fix this problem? Because I don't want to go back to dry hopping 5 gallon batches with less than 6 ounces of hops. And I rather like the added mouthfeel from the yeast that you can't seem to get with carapils or maltodextrine or whatnot..

Thanks everyone

 

[ETCS]

If you want to cut the dip tube, you really don't need any special equipment a 10 dollar pipe cutter will cut it just fine. You can get them on Amazon or any big box home improvement store store.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NY6QUG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[PJM]

Do you cold crash before you keg? That's how I normally avoid clogging the dip tube.

 

[beinert]

I dry hop with pellets dumped straight into the primary, rack at room temp into the keg, then into the kegerator to chill and carb. Depending on how cloudy the beer was going into the keg, the first pint or two might be pretty chunky, but nothing that would plug the pick up tube.


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[govner1]

I have kegged a solid 18 beers, but the last couple I have gone for the more unfiltered style with huge dry hops (although in bags). Either way, I am getting the problem of stuck kegs now. I can't gelatin it out because there is already too much sludge and that would defeat the unfiltered purpose.



I read to cut an inch or so off the drip tube, but I don't really have that kind of equipment. I guess I could bring it somewhere... Either way, what have you cool cats done to avoid or fix this problem? Because I don't want to go back to dry hopping 5 gallon batches with less than 6 ounces of hops. And I rather like the added mouthfeel from the yeast that you can't seem to get with carapils or maltodextrine or whatnot..



Thanks everyone

I keg condition ally beers so the yeast sediment can be a problem. I used a simple tubing cutter to shorten my dip tubes about an inch and added a dip tube filter (from LHBS) to further prevent crud from getting into my liquid line. Works great.
I've also put the Clear Draught beer system into a couple of kegs (http://www.clearbeerdraughtsystem.com).
These are really great and your beer is clear from the first pour to the last.


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[Demus]

Just pull an ounce or so every day or two so the build up isn't too much...


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[Smellyglove]

IMHO my take on kegging is that you keg a finished product. If it just needs some conditioning then fine, but dry hopping/clearing/left on oak etc I feel that's done before kegging. If it takes up a fermentation place for a week to much I'd go find a free/cheap fridge somewhere, or extend the brewing cycle with one week (the first option is my solution as I get brewing abstinences if not making a beer every week).

 

[Braufessor]

I think you sort of have 1 of 2 options.

1.) If you are going to transfer all that debris into your keg, then as mentioned, you probably need to cut your dip tube to leave behind the sediment that is falling to the bottom.
***I thought I saw mention of some sort of "floating" diptube that took beer off the top of the keg rather than the bottom??? Maybe at NHC??/

2.) If you want to draw clean beer off the bottom of keg and not cut dip tube, you need to transfer cleaner beer into the keg. Cold crash the fermenter for a couple days and transfer very carefully - not trying to get every drop into keg, not bumping or swirling up debris in fermenter. You could even cold crash for two days and then add gelatin to fermenter on the third day and then take out of the cold and transfer to keg on 4th day.

The bottom line is, if you transfer a bunch of hops into your keg, and draw from the bottom...... you are going to end up with hops in your diptube and posts.

 

[theheadonthedoor]

Curse I figured that would be the outcome. So nobody gets highly dry hoppped, unfiltered kegged beer?

And I guess it doesn't matter because I just cut the tubes. I'll leave one keg with the full drip tube, for my filtered beers.

Thanks everyone. I wish I could share a beer with you.

 

[Braufessor]

Curse I figured that would be the outcome. So nobody gets highly dry hoppped, unfiltered kegged beer?

I do...... I am getting ready to keg a citra IPA today that used 12 ounces of hops for 5 gallons, including 4 oz. of dry hop. Primary fermenter only. Going straight into keg. Also going to dry hop a heady topper clone in a couple days with 6 ounces..... on top of the 12 ounces in the boil.

These beers are "unfiltered" and primary fermenter only- but I take a bit of care to let the hop debris settle out. They still end up somewhat cloudy - but big hunks of pellet hops floating in your beer is not really what "unfiltered" is. It is not yeast that is plugging things up - it is hops. You need to find a way to let them settle. Even moving your fermenter up onto counter a day or two before transferring helps allow things to settle and remain undisturbed during transfer.

 

[QuercusMax]

Even moving your fermenter up onto counter a day or two before transferring helps allow things to settle and remain undisturbed during transfer.

This is a fantastic idea. I have a spare dresser in my basement that's about waist-high. I've started moving my fermenters up there a few days before racking to kegs and I've been getting much clearer transfers since the sediment isn't disturbed at all.

I recently kegged up an IPA which had 3oz dry hops in the primary (in a hop bag) and dry hopped it with another 3oz in the keg (also in a hop bag), and had no problems with any kind of junk coming up. It's cloudy as heck, but it pours like a dream.

 

[PJM]

+1 to Braufessor

I don't filter any of my beers and have dry hopped with as much as 8 ounces in a 5 gallon batch and had no problems with a clogged dip tube. This is due mostly to cold crashing and being careful when I rack to the keg.

In any event, it sounds like you may have remedied your issue so good luck.

Cheers !!