Dry Hopping Hops Won't Sink

[mikecshultz]

So, I added two ounces of hops to my 5 gallon IPA in secondary last Friday. They are still just floating on top. Is this normal? How long will it take for them to sink? I am hoping to bottle this Friday, but I don't want to until they sink. Any help would b appreciated.

 

[Mobeers]

Imnot the expert here but I dry hopped my ipa that is now in the keg with some cascade pellets and the hops were absorbed and the aroma that it gave the beer was great. Weather correct or not I wouldn't worry about it, it should work fine.

 

[m_c_zero]

The pellets don't generally sink. It's nothing to worry about though, the flavor still gets pulled through the beer.

 

[ZombieBrew83]

You'll be OK if the sock is floating near the top. The hop oils will still diffuse throughout your fermenter over the next few days. In the future you can use a sanitized stainless steel bolt to weight down your hop socks. I've done this on all but my first IPA and i think it makes a small improvement. This could just be my imagination. However, I feel better knowing that the beer is making better contact with all the hop material.

This is what I use:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ess+steel+eye+bolt&storeId=10051#.UIavRcXA-So

 

[jperry]

I used 6 oz's of loose pellets in a 3gal batch and most of the pellets sank, after a cold crash for two days. Only a small amount was left on the top. I just racked under the floating hop matter and it stuck to the side of the carboy. I bottled and only had one bottle with hops in it.

 

[mikecshultz]

The pellets don't generally sink. It's nothing to worry about though, the flavor still gets pulled through the beer.

So, just rack with the hops floating on top?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[AnchorBock]

Are you using leaf hops or pellets? Pellets slowly sink down, especially if you cold crash which I would recommend before kegging/bottling (3 days is what I usually do).

 

[AnchorBock]

So, just rack with the hops floating on top?

Thanks for all the help.

Yea if they don't all sink just carefully rack below the hop layer.

 

[Beer-lord]

I know a guy that uses a santized marble or two to sink the hop bags.
I never do as the hops fall apart and what is needed is given. Sometimes I just go commando but lately I've dry hopped 2 or more ounces so to keep things neat, I bag em and chuck them in and I've been fine.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I know a guy that uses a santized marble or two to sink the hop bags.
I never do as the hops fall apart and what is needed is given. Sometimes I just go commando but lately I've dry hopped 2 or more ounces so to keep things neat, I bag em and chuck them in and I've been fine.

This, i went to the dollar store and found some of those 'decorative' marbles you put in vases, a big bag for $1...sanitize them and throw them in the bag.

I normally wouldnt bother, but im dry hopping with 2oz of whole leaf hops, and literally like 3/4ths of the bag was floating out of the beer. So added 10 of them or so and now its still floating, but just barely at the surface.

 

[tre9er]

Most guys want the hops to float until it's time to rack. Otherwise they get absorbed into the cake and don't release as much aroma (so I've been told). Once you cold-crash it for a good 3+ days they oughtta sink, though.