Dry Hopping & Sanitization Question

All,
I have one batch under my belt with good success. I dry hopped this batch using a suggestion from a forum member. I placed the hops in a grain bag and weighed it down with 5 sanitized marbles. Worked great! (The bag actualy floated to the top when I bottled a week later)

QUESTION: I sanitized the grain bag in Idofor and rinsed it with city tap water prior to dropping it in the batch. Is this required? Can I just sanitize the marbles and go with it? I am concerned that leftover idofor will ruin the batch. What is the preferred method of dry hopping?

Fermenting: Northern Brewers Chinook IPA

Thanks again.....

 

Im about 90% sure that Idofor is a no rinse cleaner so you dont need to run tap water after using it.

 

I put marbles in a bag, dunk in sanitizer for a minute or two and then fill with hops and go for it.

 

Idophor contains Iodine== Poisonous
Using 1/4 oz in 2.5 gal. of water, you can soak items for 2 minutes and then let air dry, according to the bottle. I wouldn't use it if it didn't dry first to evaporate the iodine.

If you rinsed you should be good to go but I would use starsan in the future for hop bags and weights. It is a food grade acid used in the beverage industry.

 

When diluted with water as per the directions, there is no need to rinse the Idophor. I never rinse and have had no issues with taste, smell or killing yeast. Heres a pretty good test done by Robert Arguello of Bay Area Mashers. http://www.bayareamashers.org/content/maindocs/iodophor.htm
If it makes you feel better to rinse after using by all means that's fine too.

 

Why all the extra steps? I just drop my hops right into the carboy "no bags no marbles" a week before I plan to keg or bottle. By the end of a week the hops settle down to the bottom and I rack. I use a racking cane with a tip and have been very happy with the results.

 

Thanks. I was wondering if the hops would settle out. I to have a racking cane with a tip. It would certainly be easier. Was just concerned about the hops floating about in the batch.

Talking about extra steps, I don't bother with secondary fermentation. I am assuming the non-bagging method is still ok????

 

Yea per this forum I also stopped racking to secondary. I normally just leave in primary for on average 3-4 weeks longer for some brews though. Then if I am dry hopping I just give everything a quick spray with Star san pop the top and drop my hops right in. After a week they settle down to the bottom and everything is good to go.

 

My IPA's use 3oz's of pellets for dry hopping. I don't use any bags, just rack on top of the hops. For a 7 day dry hop schedule, I go 5 days at 65F and then cold crash for the last 48 hours (35F). Hops always sink and the beer is crystal clear. You also don't have to secondary, this works fine doing a primary only.

 

I just soak my hop bag in a small sauce pan containing a small amount of boiling water. Just a min or so. Then add pellets,tie & drop it in. No worries.

 

1) Iodine is neccesary for human life. Ever heard of a Goiter?.

2) Since when does iodine evaporate that fast? If you are counting on the iodine evaporating you had better start sanitizing the day before.

 

Not an expert, I just read the bottle...

 

How do you "cold crash"?????

 

Getting the beer down to just above freezing technically. I just put the bottles in the fridge after conditioning at 70F.