Dry hopping in the keg

[Puddlethumper]

I have an IPA that came out OK but would like to give it a little more hop presence. I've heard of adding hops in the keg but haven't had any experience with this technique. If you've had success with this I'd appreciate any suggestions on the amount of hops you use and how you add them.

I'd like to add some Citra to this batch as I think it would benefit.

Thanks and cheers!

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Leaf, in a bag, SS washers or marble for weight...dental floss to keep it sinking too far, optional.

Boil the muslin bag and washer (cleaning the washers before hand with denatured alcohol or lighter fluid is a good idea). Fill the bag with 1-3 OZ of leaf hops (1 is an easy fit the wet bag, 2 a challenge, 3 involves special techniques). Drop the washers on top. Tie the bag including noting the optional unwaxed dental floss (12" so 8" after tying).

Drop the bag ina depressurized keg and leave about 1" of floss exposed outside the lid seal. Let sit for 3-5 days and return to the serving temp and serving pressure.

This method allows the dry hop aroma to not dissipate over up to two weeks of serving.

 

[Ryush806]

I use this screen when I oak or dry hop in the keg. Just chunk them in there and the screen will keep them out of the dip tube.

http://www.kegworks.com/homebrew-hops-screen

 

[m00ps]

I dry hop in kegs with a muslin bag and some unscented dental floss to suspend it in the middle of the keg. I alwats use whole leaf hops for keg hopping because Ive heard of people get vegetal grassy flavors from leaving in the hops the whole time. But Ive left a keg with keg hops for 4 months at room temp and it was great! no off flavors at all

 

[Puddlethumper]

Thanks guys. I'm seeing a common thread here, I think: Whole leaf hops, in a bag or other device to keep them out of the beer. Then hold at room temperature for a few days before chilling and serving. Do I have that right?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Thanks guys. I'm seeing a common thread here, I think: Whole leaf hops, in a bag or other device to keep them out of the beer. Then hold at room temperature for a few days before chilling and serving. Do I have that right?

for the most part...weighting the bag help if it is even moderately full.

 

[Natdavis777]

Leaf, in a bag, SS washers or marble for weight...dental floss to keep it sinking too far, optional.

Boil the muslin bag and washer (cleaning the washers before hand with denatured alcohol or lighter fluid is a good idea). Fill the bag with 1-3 OZ of leaf hops (1 is an easy fit the wet bag, 2 a challenge, 3 involves special techniques). Drop the washers on top. Tie the bag including noting the optional unwaxed dental floss (12" so 8" after tying).

Drop the bag ina depressurized keg and leave about 1" of floss exposed outside the lid seal. Let sit for 3-5 days and return to the serving temp and serving pressure.

This method allows the dry hop aroma to not dissipate over up to two weeks of serving.

This is a solid method. Ive done this (with pellets though) on several kegs with great results. I typically use panty hose though, as I used to it for hop containment in the boil before my hop spider, so I had plenty on hand.

 

[ong]

Thanks guys. I'm seeing a common thread here, I think: Whole leaf hops, in a bag or other device to keep them out of the beer. Then hold at room temperature for a few days before chilling and serving. Do I have that right?

I've always done pellets, since that's what I have on hand. It does cloud the beer for awhile, but they'll drop out in a week or so.

 

[Puddlethumper]

I've always done pellets, since that's what I have on hand. It does cloud the beer for awhile, but they'll drop out in a week or so.

Thanks guys. I'm going to have to order the hops anyway so if whole leaf works better that's what I'll do. Good to know that pellet can work though.

In your experience is an ounce enough? Too much? Is quantity all that critical?

Go Ducks!

 

[Natdavis777]

Thanks guys. I'm going to have to order the hops anyway so if whole leaf works better that's what I'll do. Good to know that pellet can work though.

In your experience is an ounce enough? Too much? Is quantity all that critical?

Go Ducks!

For an IPA, Id def give it around 3oz of dryhops. Make sure you dry hop around room temp, as warmer temps help extract the hop oil.

 

[PlexVector]

Thanks guys. I'm seeing a common thread here, I think: Whole leaf hops, in a bag or other device to keep them out of the beer. Then hold at room temperature for a few days before chilling and serving. Do I have that right?

Actually, "...device to keep..." the hops in the beer. But I think that is what you meant anyway, but needed to make sure that was clear for future reference.

 

[Puddlethumper]

Actually, "...device to keep..." the hops in the beer. But I think that is what you meant anyway, but needed to make sure that was clear for future reference.

LOL, yeah. Can't see how they'd do much good hanging above the beer in the keg. I think we all understand we're trying to reduce or eliminate hop debris in the beer.

Cheers.

 

[PlexVector]

LOL, yeah. Can't see how they'd do much good hanging above the beer in the keg. I think we all understand we're trying to reduce or eliminate hop debris in the beer.

Cheers.

Yep, but beginners may get hung up on the verbage sometimes. I know I did. and still do...

 

[alexc2013]

I had 10 gallons of a Munich Helles and got sick and tired of how boring it was by the time the second keg was going on tap.

I took a larger paint strainer bag (http://amzn.to/1F80apS - i use same in hop spider during boil) and a plastic zip tie, dunked both in star san. Then insert the bag into the filled keg, leaving some hanging out around the rim. Fill with 2oz of leaf hops (i used Citra), zip tie the bag close, drop in, and carb. I lef the hops/bag in the keg until the keg kicked with no ill effects. There was consistently a nice Citra hop aroma from start to finish. Didn't both using weight or dental floss.

When cleaning keg, just reach in grab the bag, and squeeze through the lid opening. Any more than 2oz of hops would be difficult to pull out. Using pellet hops in the keg IMHO adds way too much gritty grass flavor and will clog your posts/poppets.

 

[Puddlethumper]

I lef the hops/bag in the keg until the keg kicked with no ill effects. There was consistently a nice Citra hop aroma from start to finish. Didn't both using weight or dental floss.

When cleaning keg, just reach in grab the bag, and squeeze through the lid opening. Any more than 2oz of hops would be difficult to pull out. Using pellet hops in the keg IMHO adds way too much gritty grass flavor and will clog your posts/poppets.

Sounds like an elegantly simple solution. Thanks.

 

[yukonhijack]

Are you folks dry hopping in the keg in addition to dry hopping in the primary or secondary?

 

[m00ps]

yeah. All my IPAs get dry hopped about a week before kegging and dry hopped in the keg. I only use 1oz usualyl for keg hops because it can get potent

 

[Weezy]

I use pellet hops in 3" tea balls (in 2.5 gallon kegs I can fish them out with extra long tongs).

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I use pellet hops in 3" tea balls (in 2.5 gallon kegs I can fish them out with extra long tongs).

Tea balls are actually perfect for dry hopping in a keg. The only time I've had issues was when I had to remove the keg from my keezer and was a little too rough with the keg. The clasp on the tea ball is kinda shoddy, and it opened while sloshing around in the keg. An ounce of whole hops free in a keg will ruin your day.

Tea balls are my preferred method. Small paint strainer bags with zip ties are my second option.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Are you folks dry hopping in the keg in addition to dry hopping in the primary or secondary?

No and yes.

I drop my dry hops in the keg warm about 5 days before carbing. Then I toss it in the kegerator and leave the dry hops in until the keg until it kicks.

 

[Broham1]

No and yes.



I drop my dry hops in the keg warm about 5 days before carbing. Then I toss it in the kegerator and leave the dry hops in until the keg until it kicks.

So sensible! I'm going to try this with my next IPA.

 

[Puddlethumper]

. Fill with 2oz of leaf hops (i used Citra), zip tie the bag close, drop in, and carb. I lef the hops/bag in the keg until the keg kicked with no ill effects.

This seemed like a very simple and sensible approach. I pulled the keg from the keezer and dropped a weighted hop bag with 2 oz. whole-leaf Citra into it. Am letting it set in my garage so it will be warm. Plan to put it back into the keezer after 2-3 days, chill, carb up (again) and see how it tastes. Will leave the bag in there until the keg kicks.

 

[Puddlethumper]

I am very pleased to report success with this method. After 2 days at room temp the keg went back into the keezer. Pulled my first pint a short time ago. Wonderful Citra aroma and flavor! This beer went from ho-hum bland to excellent in 3 days flat.

Thanks all for the good advice. I appreciate your time and help.

Cheers!

 

[Supertrapped]

I dry hop with pellets using a bag. I just soak the bag in Star San solution for a minute before I toss in the keg or fermenter.

 

[yukonhijack]

Alright, now you have done it! I am going to try dry hopping my Stone Ruination clone when it is ready to go into the keg. Hopefully it will help my beers step up a bit

 

[Puddlethumper]

Alright, now you have done it! I am going to try dry hopping my Stone Ruination clone when it is ready to go into the keg. Hopefully it will help my beers step up a bit

LOL, not sure I'd recommend this for every beer I've made. For my money this is a great rescue move to take an otherwise ho-hum beer and waking it up a bit. I think I'd try the beer first to see if it needs any help. I like the old adage that "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

Cheers!

 

[yukonhijack]

Do you guys carb up the keg with the dry hops in the keg? I presume so to prevent O2 oxidation.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Do you guys carb up the keg with the dry hops in the keg? I presume so to prevent O2 oxidation.

Purge, yes. Slap 25-30 PSI on it warm, yes. "carb up" not initially. See my earlier post.

 

[Weezy]

Carbing during dry hop or not is fine. It doesn't matter. People commonly do both at the same time because it saves time.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I don't carb during dry hop, but mostly because I take my hops out after 5-7 days instead of leaving them in the keg and I dry hop at room temp. Trying to pull out a bag of hops from warm, carbonated beer would be involve a lot of extra cleaning...