Dry Hopping versus Hop Tea

[permo]

I am growing tired of dealing with pellet hops in my fermenter as a result of dry hopping. I LOVE to dry hop most of my ales and I am starting to look at other alternatives outside of traditional dry hopping, hop balls, bags or containment systems.

I don't think a hop back or hop rocket allows enough time to emulate an authentic dry hop, but I am wondering if a hop tea or hops soaked in vodka might actually do the trick. Here are two things I am thinking about.


1. Low temperature hop tea/steap. I would first boil the water and then add to a sterilized french press filled with my hops once it cooled to around 170 degrees. I would then let the hops steep for an hour or two until they reached ambient temp. Drain this liquid and add to keg.

2. I would soak the hops in 1/2 cup vodka and 1/2 cup water that has been boiled and cooled and then let that steep for 2-4 days, french press the liquid out and then add that. My thinking with this, is that that alcohol will act as a solvent....



opinions?

 

[lakedawgs]

I have not tried method 1 or 2, but always have good luck just putting pellets in to a 1 gallon paint strainer bag and suspending with dental floss about 1/2 way down the fermenter. I do this all the time with good results. When I'm done I throw away the hops and wash the bag.

 

[ozzy1038]

I have dryhopped and done hop tea. I think they are similar in results. My fear with the alcohol idea is that some chlorophyl would be extracted.

 

[Beerbeque]

I got tired of the hassle of both dry hopping and hop tea so now I just toss in a lot of post boil leaf hops (hopbursting) to get lots of hop flavor. Much easier. Try it.

 

[andye]

I'd just dry-hop with whole hops in a strainer bag. Sanitize the bag, don't worry about the hops.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]opinions?

So, you think all that is actually easier than just dry hopping?

Interesting...

Cheers!

 

[permo]

So, you think all that is actually easier than just dry hopping?

Interesting...

Cheers!

I am thinking it might possibly be less wastefull. 5-10 ounces of pelletized dry hops wastes an awefull lot of beer in my fermenter.

 

[aomagman78]

5-10oz of dry hops? My goodness! In 5 gallons? Isn't that overkill?

 

[permo]

5-10oz of dry hops? My goodness! In 5 gallons? Isn't that overkill?

Nah, my batches are 10 gallons. I find that the trademark of some the best IPA's out there is a massive dry hop. I recently did a 10 gallon double IPA that used a total of 35 ounces of hops. It's heavenly.

 

[aggieactuary]

Did you ever try option 2 with the vodka?

 

[permo]

I did not. I am finding that hop tea works great in this capicity. Hop tea added to the keg at racking time.

 

[laserghost]

how many ounces are you using for the tea vs the dry hop?

 

[MrIPA]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/big-hop-flavor-1-3-hops-55721/

Found this last night. He claims hop tea is the way to go