Dry Hop Technique

[jlietzow]

I'm a new brewer and just ordered my first recipe kit that calls for dry hopping. Any recommendations on whether to drop the hops loose into the carboy or use a mesh bag? My recipe only calls for 2 ounces of hops so I'm inclined just to drop them in and let them work.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Renegade Brewer]

Drop them right in and let them ride. If you want to run to your local homebrew shop and grab a hop bag there is nothing wrong with using one, but you’ll be equally fine just tossing them straight in. Hop bags make cleanup a little easier.

Some argue hop bags drop your utilization a bit, but I’ve never noticed a difference big enough to argue against the practice. I have a few customers who opt to up their dry hop addition by a couple percent when using hop bags to offset any degradation in hip utilization.

Welcome to the hobby.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I use a bag yo keep them out of the yeast I reuse. But either way works fine. I don't use a carboy but pulling a bag of hop out of the top could take some work. Although 2 oz doesn't swell up to much...pretty much do whatever works for you

 

[applescrap]

Haha, Ive always advocated for throwing them in, the full monty and all, naked. It makes sense, seems intuitive, they float around free like Willy, and more flavors are introduced. I made this argument with someone way more knowledgeable here on the forum, and he disagreed. When, I looked it up, I found little if none to support that it mattered. Since dry-hopped charges can reach 6 or 8 oz for some ipas, it has been my experience that using a bag in almost all cases will make dealing with dry hops easier. They get stuck in carboys if not careful and can be difficult to rack off. If you throw them in w out a bag then bag the siphon tip and that worked well for me last ipa I made. Imo the bag is a viable if not better option.