Dry hopping in a glass carboy.

[bull8042]

Sorry if I am asking a question that has been addressed previously, but I got tired searching the nearly endless posts without finding an answer.
I am currently dry hopping in my secondary glass carboy using a 6" x 8" hop bag and whole leaf hops. I placed a 1/2" SS coupling in the bag to help keep it submerged and 1.5oz of hops. I tied a small nylon string around the top of the bag then ran the other end through a small hole I drilled in the bottom of the airlock.
Getting the bag into the neck of the carboy took a little finesse, but overall went in OK. A while later, I looked to make sure all was well and noticed the hops had swollen the bag nearly full. I am now thinking I did a no-no! After secondary is complete, I can siphon as normal to my bottling bucket, no prob. But getting the hops and bag out without damaging the bag is going to a bear to say the least!
How are the rest of you guys dry hopping in glass carboys, or am I the only dufus trying to do this? I bottle right now, so dry hopping in a fat-mouthed corney is not one of my options.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Just throw the hops up in there. When syphoning off, wrap a hop bag around the bottom of your racking cane so as to avoid syphoning the hops (thanks Biermuncher). If I had the link on hand I would supply it.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Found it. Hope this helps.

 

[Brewmando]

Actually the bag is easier to get out than it is to get it in. It gets a bit slimey and that aids in it sliding out. I too no longer use a bag though after discovering I get a more robust hop flavor without them. I just chuck them right in. When I rack to the bottling bucket I sanitize a cutting of bag material in boiling water, sanitize a rubberband and place that over the end of my siphon. To get the hops out I use my garden hose to blast the material free of the carboy. If something does remain behind I fill the carboy with a bleach water solution and let soak.

 

[bull8042]

COOL! Thanks guys. I knew there must be a better way that someone had already come up with. I was wondering about the hop flavor coming out from the bag also, so I got an unasked question answered. Now THAT'S help. HBT RULES!

 

[foppa78]

Muslin bags are cheap and great for dry hopping. I throw them away each time so I dont care if I damage them when trying to take them out.

 

[roosmur]

I just dry hopped Stygian goldings hops (leaf) into a glass carboy directly, and I can't get it to sink. It is just sitting on the top. Will it eventually waterlog and sink?

 

[smalltimebrewer]

I just dry hopped Stygian goldings hops (leaf) into a glass carboy directly, and I can't get it to sink. It is just sitting on the top. Will it eventually waterlog and sink?

You can always drop a couple of (sanitized) marbles in your bag to take the the whole hops to the bottom. I've also tied a length of (sanitized) low test fishing line to the top of the bag, leaving the loose end outside the carboy and held in place by the stopper. Makes for easier removal when the time comes.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[jeff13]

I just throw the hops in the carboy. Bags are a pain. Put the carboy in the fridge overnight and the hops all fall to the bottom. Makes siphoning a breeze with out some kind of filter

 

[Calichusetts]

I prefer bagging. Marbles are great for sinking and for creating space to ensure the beer flows through it. The bags are cheap though. I use it to clean the krausen off the neck by swirling and tip it over the sink. A few times I am lucky enough to to get the knot to come out and I can untie it. I don't make much effort, if I can't, I just pull up whatever shows and cut it open, instantly out.

Swelling is normal too. I tried the bag over the siphon method and got a clog and tons of bubbles, lots of people have success just putting them in though

 

[Yooper]

I just dry hopped Stygian goldings hops (leaf) into a glass carboy directly, and I can't get it to sink. It is just sitting on the top. Will it eventually waterlog and sink?

No, it won't sink. But that's a good thing, as it makes it easier to siphon it out!

The dryhops don't need to sink to permeate the beer.

I used a bag in a carboy, once. Once, because I had to cut the bag to get them out!

 

[Natdavis777]

I have been using corny kegs to dry hop in for the past 2 years. I figured it was a heck of a lot easier to get the hop bags in and out of than the small opening of a carboy, and easier to move around. Using SS tea balls, I can dry hop for however long, pull the tea balls, and force carb. Therefore, I minimize my oxidation potential and can dry hop with ease...

 

[Nuggethead]

For racking off of dry hops in a carboy, I have been using this on a stainless racking cane for several years and it works great.

http://moreflavor-pavinthewaysoftw.netdna-ssl.com/product_image/morebeer/500x500/9501.jpg

 

[Spookgolds]

I always rack to a bucket when dry hopping. Always worked we'll for me.