Another keg-hopping question...

[NHMikeT]

First thread started here -
I'm dry-hopping my house IPA in the keg for the first time and decided to try 4-5 days at room temp (about 65 degF) then put in the kegerator. I'm just wondering if I should start carbonating at room temp as well? If I'm targeting 2.3 vols CO2 that would be starting the gas at about 22psi then dropping the pressure to 11-12 psi after placing in kegerator.

My guess is either way works, but just looking for some outside opinions here. So seal and start dry-hopping without CO2, or start both at same time?

If it matters I'm using 2oz Centennial/1oz Citra leaf hops in the stainless brewing cylinder.

Cheers!

 

[stpug]

I like to get some carbonation in my kegs at room temp primarily to ensure the keg stays sealed. I usually accomplish this by hitting with 25-30 psi for 1-2 days at room temp. Being room temp, it doesn't get too much carbonation into solution after only 1-2 days but it does get enough to reduce the carbing time in the fridge a little AND ensure my lids don't break their seal during the wait. In other words, I'm all for you starting to carb at room temp.

 

[NHMikeT]

Alright, thanks for the data point! I'll probably do something similar

 

[day_trippr]

For a different data point...I dry hop before kegging then often dry hop in the keg, especially on my ipas. I chill and fully carb first then stuff in whole cone hops in a muslin bag and leave it until the keg kicks...

Cheers!

 

[logdrum]

For a different data point...I dry hop before kegging then often dry hop in the keg, especially on my ipas. I chill and fully carb first then stuff in whole cone hops in a muslin bag and leave it until the keg kicks...

Cheers!

aren't you concerned about introducing O2?

 

[day_trippr]

Nope. Short of finding a way to nitro or CO2 flush the cones it's a classic RDWHAHB thing.

But, fwiw, this has never introduced an oxidative character in all the years I've been doing this. May be due to a combination of cold and short life span (we do enjoy our IPAs )

Cheers!

 

[NHMikeT]

day-trippr - what about foaming? I've read that adding dry hops to already-carbed beer will create a lot of foaming. I added just over 2oz of whole hops into the stainless dry-hopper (this thing: http://stainlessbrewing.3dcartstores.com/Dry-Hopper-with-twist-cap_p_155.html) and sealed the keg up under 22psi. I'm going to let it sit 3 days without gas, the put in the kegerator at serving pressure.

I was hoping the stainless cylinder would fit more hops, but I felt like if it were packed any tighter the ones in the center wouldn't get saturated.

 

[day_trippr]

If the keg is well chilled (say mid 30s) you can do a lot to it without it 'sploding in your face. When I keg hop I always use cones in a sanitized muslin bag and have not had any problems dunking the bag in a cold keg. And that's with barely a quart or so of head space, too. It's just not a problem.

Now I wouldn't even try this with a warm-carbed keg. You just know that would really piss off the beer gods and they'd bring down their wrath...

Cheers!

 

[stpug]

If the keg is well chilled (say mid 30s) you can do a lot to it without it 'sploding in your face. When I keg hop I always use cones in a sanitized muslin bag and have not had any problems dunking the bag in a cold keg. And that's with barely a quart or so of head space, too. It's just not a problem.

Now I wouldn't even try this with a warm-carbed keg. You just know that would really piss off the beer gods and they're bring down their wrath...

Cheers!

^^That, right there!

 

[NHMikeT]

HAHA, sweet. Thanks for the tip. Good to know in case I want to put another charge of hops half-way through the keg.

 

[ColeR]

aren't you concerned about introducing O2?

what you do is put you hops for dry hopping in to a bag that you have soaked in a starsan solution, in the keg first, then you fill the keg with Co2, the Co2 displaces the oxygen within the hops, then fill keg with yummy beer.