Dry Hopping

[Vismich]

I'm making a batch of IPA and decided I want to throw hops in my fermenter a few days before I bottle.

I have never done this, but I was wondering what I do to the hops (pellets) to "disinfection" them. Dip them in wisky? Boil them for a few minuets, etc...

 

[Lechien]

Just put them in, no sanitizing neccesary.

 

[Vismich]

They don't carry bacteria?

 

[DGibb]

I can't say for sure, but aren't hops a natural antiseptic?

 

[Jakemo]

I can't say for sure, but aren't hops a natural antiseptic?

Yes. No sanitizing necessary. Just put em in.

For reference, please refer to the circumstances of the origin of the style of IPA.

 

[solbes]

No worries on hops infecting a batch of beer.

In fact that was one of the original reasons for it's basis in beer. To control the spread of Bubonic Plague.

 

[sudsmcgee]

Throwing them is fine, but you want to leave them for more than a few days to really do anything. 7-10 days is a good range.

 

[BeerBalls]

Agreed - I have dry hopped half a dozen batches and thrown the hop pellets right in and have never had an infected batch.

 

[glmccready]

Nice to know! I knew the history of IPA but my next batch is my first dry hopped and i was wondering the EXACT same thing.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Throwing them is fine, but you want to leave them for more than a few days to really do anything. 7-10 days is a good range.

I respectively semi disagree... I think dry hopping comes down to personal taste. I never dry hop paste the 5 day mark because I feel I get grassy taste in my beer, but if you enjoy 7-10 days then thats fine too.

 

[Brewchitect]

You'll obviously want to wash your hands before mushing hops in your fermenter. But I think by the time you are ready to dry-hop there is plenty of alcohol in the beer to kill off anything that may be on the hops. Sometimes I spill or drop some hops on the ground when putting them in, I throw those out.....

 

[user 84304]

Sometimes I spill or drop some hops on the ground when putting them in, I throw those out.....

DROP HOPS ON THE GROUND???? OMG NOOOOO LUPULIN ABUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahh, now I feel better, sorry for the yelling.

 

[sudsmcgee]

Meh, I've dropped hops and still used them as dry hops. My beer was fine. Between the alcohol and the hops themselves, you'd practically have to wipe yourself with them before they'd mess up your beer.

 

[Vismich]

Let me ask this.... Do I need a Muslim bag, or just toss them in loose?

 

[sudsmcgee]

Either way will work. I just toss them in loose.

 

[daksin]

Let me ask this.... Do I need a Muslim bag, or just toss them in loose?

I prefer Jewish or Christian bags, myself.

 

[LVBen]

Let me ask this.... Do I need a Muslim bag, or just toss them in loose?

Personal preference. I've always just tossed them in, but I end up with a lot of hop particulate floating around when I try to keg it, so I might try using a Mormon or Pagan bag a few times.

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

Hops are antibacterial, You have to remember that you fermented and made alcohol. If a germ touches the brew it will die due to the alcohol. Just toss them carefree. I dry hop and never had a "infection". Toss them in and reseal your airlock. I would put them in a nylon sack to try and contain any random floating hop particles from getting into your bottling vessel.

 

[sudsmcgee]

I use my muslin bag to cover the auto siphon intake and filter out hope particles.

 

[BradleyBrew]

1 gallon paint strainer bags work awesome... it might be a tad bit overkill on materials but you don't have to worry about the hops clumping and nylon sanitizes easy in boiling water

 

[BeerChef17]

I use my muslin bag to cover the auto siphon intake and filter out hope particles.

What have I not thought of that...I will def be using this technique very soon

 

[user 84304]

If you use a bag, the bag itself needs to be sanitized, fyi