Cold Crashing/Dry Hopping in Keg

[KobiGirreven]

So i have an odd setup. I have four 3 gallon kegs, and a mini-fridge that, currently, can only hold one keg and my tank. So...

This is my first experience with kegging, and i want to get my beer as clear as i can, and i need to dry hop this IPA (5 gallon batch) with 1 ounce of Citra.

What i was considering was:

Transfer 2.5 gallons to each keg. Let one keg sit, while i "cold crash" one in the mini-fridge. After a couple of days, i could maybe transfer the crashed keg to a clean keg, and dry hop at room temp for 5-7 days. Then, add gelatin and put in my mini-fridge for serving.

Repeat process for the other keg.

My mini-fridge won't hold my primary fermentor, and i would like to cold crash in kegs so i can avoid all of the "fermentor suck" issues.

So i was wondering if anybody had ideas on a better process, from their experience.

Summary: 3 gallon kegs, small minifridge(holds one keg), need to clarify and dry hop.

Thanks for your input!

 

[sumbrewindude]

I use 3gal kegs and have started dryhopping in the kegs for my really hopped beers. Works well, you can use sanitized nylons with a weight in it, or like this time around I'm trying one of those stainless steel carboy dry hoppers with 1oz directly in the keg. I had to trim down one end, but it now fits at an angle in the keg with no problems.

Re clarity, I let my beers sit 21 days, never had an issue with clarity - pouring from the keg they're usually crystal clear unless I'm using a low flocculating yeast.

 

[peterj]

If I were you I would just dry hop in the primary then transfer to the kegs. Then chill and add gelatin one at a time I guess. Let them carb up and then pull off all of the gelatin and sediment in the first pint or so.

 

[KobiGirreven]

I use 3gal kegs and have started dryhopping in the kegs for my really hopped beers. Works well, you can use sanitized nylons with a weight in it, or like this time around I'm trying one of those stainless steel carboy dry hoppers with 1oz directly in the keg. I had to trim down one end, but it now fits at an angle in the keg with no problems.

Re clarity, I let my beers sit 21 days, never had an issue with clarity - pouring from the keg they're usually crystal clear unless I'm using a low flocculating yeast.

So do you mean that you let them sit for 21 days in a keg at serving temp, or in a carboy/room temp keg?

If I were you I would just dry hop in the primary then transfer to the kegs. Then chill and add gelatin one at a time I guess. Let them carb up and then pull off all of the gelatin and sediment in the first pint or so.

I am not very knowledgeable with IPAs. Would i not lose aroma if i were to wait a month after dry hopping, to drink my second 3 gallon keg? I was thinking i would wait to dry hop in the keg right before serving so that the aroma would be present.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

 

[sumbrewindude]

They sit 21 days in the carboy - that's from the day I pitch to the day I rack out. I put the hops in the keg (in something that will keep them from floating around and getting in my poppets), rack in, pressurize, and let sit for another week hanging near the keezer while I drink something else. Then I put it into the keezer and pressurize up.

Dryhopping works best at room temps, not at serving temps. It also needs some time to work into the beer.

If you want to do what I think you want to do - dryhop immediately at time of serving, you may want to consider building a Randall to push the beer through before it's served.

 

[peterj]

I am not very knowledgeable with IPAs. Would i not lose aroma if i were to wait a month after dry hopping, to drink my second 3 gallon keg? I was thinking i would wait to dry hop in the keg right before serving so that the aroma would be present.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Oh right, I guess you would lose some of the dry hop flavor and aroma from the second keg. You could just add some more dry hops to the second keg a few days before serving. Like sumbrewindude suggested, you could use whole hops and put them in a bag so they don't clog the dip tube or poppet. Tie some dental floss or something to the bag so you can pull them out before you chill it.

 

[KobiGirreven]

They sit 21 days in the carboy - that's from the day I pitch to the day I rack out. I put the hops in the keg (in something that will keep them from floating around and getting in my poppets), rack in, pressurize, and let sit for another week hanging near the keezer while I drink something else. Then I put it into the keezer and pressurize up.

Dryhopping works best at room temps, not at serving temps. It also needs some time to work into the beer.

If you want to do what I think you want to do - dryhop immediately at time of serving, you may want to consider building a Randall to push the beer through before it's served.

I think i will do this for my first time, except i will not put the dry hops into the second keg until about a week before pop it in the fridge.

I'll skip cold crashing this time, just use gelatin, and see how it goes.

Thanks for the input.