Dry hopping

[lazarus0530]

This is the first time I'm dry hopping. My lhbs told me to drop the hops in after about 3-4 days
Can I wait longer?
And how do I sanitize a cheese cloth?

 

[BryceL]

I would wait at least a week to add the dry hops, but just make sure that fermentation is complete before adding them. I usually let my ales go for 3 weeks in primary, so I just decide how long I want to dry hop and back track from there. I usually dry hop for 7-10 days so I put them in after about 2 weeks in the fermenter. I soak the hop sack in starsan before dropping it in.

 

[lazarus0530]

I would wait at least a week to add the dry hops, but just make sure that fermentation is complete before adding them. I usually let my ales go for 3 weeks in primary, so I just decide how long I want to dry hop and back track from there. I usually dry hop for 7-10 days so I put them in after about 2 weeks in the fermenter. I soak the hop sack in starsan before dropping it in.

That make cents!

 

[orcus332]

Yeah, +1 to what BryceL said. If you add them during fermentation, the aroma will be lost with the CO2 that is bubbling out.

 

[Jayhem]

Most homebrewers are not using hop bags, you don't need them. Instead just drop the hops in, leave for 7 days and when you bottle simply wrap a grain bag or cheese cloth around your siphon end so it won't suck up any hops or trub and you are good to go.

 

[unionrdr]

I wait till it hits FG to dry hop for a week. And the hop sacks def keep the mess contained so you don't need a filter over your siphon. No mess to worry about sucking up that way. It comes down to how you want to keep the mess out of the bottling bucket.

 

[lazarus0530]

Well I keg...someone mentioned putting them in the keg? Does that work?

 

[step]

Well I keg...someone mentioned putting them in the keg? Does that work?

My last dry hopping experience went such that I kegged, then added dry hops (in a bag), then purged the headspace and blasted with 30 psi and shook the heck out of it then left it for four days. Then I brought it back up to 25 psi and shook again (still at room temp), then put it in the keezer and left it at 12 psi with the bag of dry hops in the entire time (4 weeks of consumption) and thought it was one my better IPA experiences.

Just my 2¢

 

[lazarus0530]

My last dry hopping experience went such that I kegged, then added dry hops (in a bag), then purged the headspace and blasted with 30 psi and shook the heck out of it then left it for four days. Then I brought it back up to 25 psi and shook again (still at room temp), then put it in the keezer and left it at 12 psi with the bag of dry hops in the entire time (4 weeks of consumption) and thought it was one my better IPA experiences.

Just my 2¢

That's a whole lotta shaken going on! Mug ! Lol

 

[enkamania]

I've switched to dry hopping in a keg and it works great.

 

[lazarus0530]

I've switched to dry hopping in a keg and it works great.

Do you tie them up or anything?

 

[funkswing]

If you are putting the dry hops in the keg then wrap them up.

If in the fermenter might as well just throw them in naked. They will fall to the bottom after a week or so and you can rack off of them.

 

[thethirsty1]

I personally just put them in a muslim bag once they are saturated they fall to the bottom alot of people are tying them to the dip tube or weighing them down as far as I can tell it will all work I really like dry hopping in the keg the flavor is amazing ,have at it and good luck

 

[paparker21]

i've never had my whole leaf hops sink to the bottom without some pier-13 styled assistance.

 

[JohnnyShotgun]

My last dry hopping experience went such that I kegged, then added dry hops (in a bag), then purged the headspace and blasted with 30 psi and shook the heck out of it then left it for four days. Then I brought it back up to 25 psi and shook again (still at room temp), then put it in the keezer and left it at 12 psi with the bag of dry hops in the entire time (4 weeks of consumption) and thought it was one my better IPA experiences.

Just my 2¢

Thanks for the idea! I am gonna dry hop my 60 min IPA soon. Think I'm try it in the keg!

Now I just need to brew a Two Hearted clone....

 

[brewski08]

Thanks for the idea! I am gonna dry hop my 60 min IPA soon. Think I'm try it in the keg!

Now I just need to brew a Two Hearted clone....

for what it's worth, i recently dry hopped in my keg for the first time. at first, the aroma was so overpowering that i couldn't taste any of the malt. it tasted more like a hop-tea than beer.

however, after leaving it in the keg for awhile, the hop-tea perception has decreased significantly. i'm going to give it a couple of more days before i drink 'er.

good luck!

 

[funkswing]

You can always fish the dry hops out with a long metal/plastic sanitized spoon if you are worried about leaving them in the keg for too long. But you prolly shouldn't be saving hoppy beers for that long anyways!

 

[lazarus0530]

Thanks for the idea! I am gonna dry hop my 60 min IPA soon. Think I'm try it in the keg!

Now I just need to brew a Two Hearted clone....

I'm doing a 60 minute as well.

 

[lazarus0530]

for what it's worth, i recently dry hopped in my keg for the first time. at first, the aroma was so overpowering that i couldn't taste any of the malt. it tasted more like a hop-tea than beer.

however, after leaving it in the keg for awhile, the hop-tea perception has decreased significantly. i'm going to give it a couple of more days before i drink 'er.

good luck!

Oh oh! It was bad uh?

 

[paraordnance]

Dry hopping in keg works the best from my observations. Last night I kicked the keg that been dry hopped since Dec 15, 2011. I mean the hops still in keg and they still release fresh aroma right to the last drop. Amazing! As long as you keep your keg in freezer you can leave the hop bag until keg is empty.

 

[brewski08]

Oh oh! It was bad uh?

It was terrible at first; I even considered dumping it.

However, with the advice of this forum and my LHBS expert, I gave it a chance and let it sit. Now after a week, the hop aroma is really nice and the malt background has come through rather nicely.

I just wanted to let you know that in my experience, it tastes like tea at first. Don't freak out like I did. Give it a week for the hops to do their work.

Also, I would recommend double bagging it in the keg. I only used one nylon bag and I occasionally get tiny hop particles in my beer. Just a suggestion.

 

[lazarus0530]

It was terrible at first; I even considered dumping it.

However, with the advice of this forum and my LHBS expert, I gave it a chance and let it sit. Now after a week, the hop aroma is really nice and the malt background has come through rather nicely.

I just wanted to let you know that in my experience, it tastes like tea at first. Don't freak out like I did. Give it a week for the hops to do their work.

Also, I would recommend double bagging it in the keg. I only used one nylon bag and I occasionally get tiny hop particles in my beer. Just a suggestion.

Good to know! Thank you.