Best way to dry hop in keg

[dershbrew]

I am fermenting my first apa currently and am considering dry hopping in the keg. Should I use the keg essentially as a secondary (basement temp and I manually release gas daily) or should I throw the keg in my fridge while dry hopping?

 

[khillian]

Hey,

With a low gravity apa I prefer to dry hop in the keg. I usually wait to around day 10 ( check gravity ), rack to the keg, purge the air out, pressurize to 30psi, and leave at room temperature for 3-6 days.

I use pellet hops (2-3oz) in a mesh bag suspended through the lid rubber seal with some dental floss. For whole leaf I throw them in loose with a sure screen filter on the dip tube which works great.

After (3-6) days I leave the hops in and move the keg into my keezer and start to carbonate.

 

[Ramitt]

You don't get grassy or vegetable flavors leaving the hops in keg? I am a bit paranoid after leaving mosaic in primary 2 weeks an the beer having weird grass salad off flavors.

 

[khillian]

Hey Rammit,

I do not get any grassy flavors, as cold temps slow down extraction. I also when suspending the mesh bags place the bag in the top of the keg ie top 1/3 space, so as pints are removed the hops will be off the beer after a week in my house.

With whole leaf and the sure screen I have had beers for about 3 weeks in the keezer and observed no grassy flavors with 2oz.

 

[austinb]

I usually tie the drawstring on a mesh bag around the dip tube. I leave the hops in there and it has been in there up to a month or so before I finished the keg with no grassy flavors.

 

[Ramitt]

I also when suspending the mesh bags place the bag in the top of the keg ie top 1/3 space, so as pints are removed the hops will be off the beer after a week in my house.

.

Great idea. not sure why I didn't consider that.

 

[Weezy]

I dry hop while its force carbing in the fridge.

I use 3" tea balls strung together, and suspend from lid via dental floss.

 

[antitelephonica]

I put 2-4oz of whole hops in a hops bag tied to the end of a 2' ss spoon. Otherwise, i found no amount of weight would hold the bag to the bottom of the keg.

 

[austinb]

I use 3" tea balls strung together, and suspend from lid via dental floss.

Just for anyone about to try the dental floss trick keep in mind you should use unflavored dental floss unless you want mint flavored beer.

 

[Callacave]

I use a sure screen. Fits right over the dip tube. It's only good for leaf hops. Pellets will plug it.

For pellets I have a dry hop tube that has a mesh screen. Works awesome.

I just leave the hops in the chilled keg till it's kicked. No grassy flavors.

 

[one-L]

1 gallon paint strainer bag soaked in sanitizer, drop in hops, tie knot at top, drop in bottom of keg and rack beer on top. Put in fridge and hook up to gas. Fish out when the keg kicks, wash, rinse, repeat. Have done 10-15 batches like this now with no issues. About 2 weeks at cold temps to get the most out of the dry hop.

 

[Yooper]

I put 2-4oz of whole hops in a hops bag tied to the end of a 2' ss spoon. Otherwise, i found no amount of weight would hold the bag to the bottom of the keg.

But they don't have to go to the bottom of the keg- it's ok if they float. They'll still get wetted with the beer and the beer will be fine.

 

[winvarin]

Just for anyone about to try the dental floss trick keep in mind you should use unflavored dental floss unless you want mint flavored beer.

Go to <insert name of you favorite faceless mega department store here> and buy a spool of the cheapest, smallest test fishing line they have. Same result, no wax or flavors to worry about.

 

[austinb]

Go to <insert name of you favorite faceless mega department store here> and buy a spool of the cheapest, smallest test fishing line they have. Same result, no wax or flavors to worry about.

I was wondering about fishing line and if there was a reason people used floss instead... I guess because they have it on hand and may not have fishing line.