Dry NEIPA - - How to inject lactose into keg without opening?

[Jayjay1976]

I brewed and kegged my first NEIPA, its just now carbonated and ready to taste. It has just the right hop intensity but because I fermented with Omega's tropical IPA, a diastaticus strain that attenuates to ~90%, the finished beer is very dry without any apparent sweetness to balance the hop bitterness. I should have thought of this before kegging it but here we are.

Now I'm trying to think up a way to introduce some boiled lactose into the keg without opening it up to reduce the chance of oxidation. It looks like I'll need 5-6 oz. of lactose boiled in enough water to dissolve it.

So far my plan is to package the boiled, cooled lactose solution in a 1 liter PET bottle, squeeze to eliminate any head space, and then thoroughly carbonate it to ~40-50 PSI with a carb cap. Then I would connect the pressurized sugar bottle to the keg's liquid post using a jumper, then while holding the bottle upside down above the keg, pull the PRV to relieve gas pressure to initiate transfer. To help it finish I could shake the PET bottle to propel the sugar solution into the keg. Has anyone done this before? Is there a simpler way to go about it? Am I going to end up covered in lactose?

 

[Dgallo]

I brewed and kegged my first NEIPA, its just now carbonated and ready to taste. It has just the right hop intensity but because I fermented with Omega's tropical IPA, a diastaticus strain that attenuates to ~90%, the finished beer is very dry without any apparent sweetness to balance the hop bitterness. I should have thought of this before kegging it but here we are.

Now I'm trying to think up a way to introduce some boiled lactose into the keg without opening it up to reduce the chance of oxidation. It looks like I'll need 5-6 oz. of lactose boiled in enough water to dissolve it.

So far my plan is to package the boiled, cooled lactose solution in a 1 liter PET bottle, squeeze to eliminate any head space, and then thoroughly carbonate it to ~40-50 PSI with a carb cap. Then I would connect the pressurized sugar bottle to the keg's liquid post using a jumper, then while holding the bottle upside down above the keg, pull the PRV to relieve gas pressure to initiate transfer. To help it finish I could shake the PET bottle to propel the sugar solution into the keg. Has anyone done this before? Is there a simpler way to go about it? Am I going to end up covered in lactose?

Do have any of those nipped pet bottles they use for condiments or desert decorating. If so you can kinda do what your proposing but just not pressurize it. Fill it fully with the lactose solution. Connect a very short piece of hose to the barb on the bottle and a ball lock fitting connect to your co2 post pull the prv and it should flow right in

 

[Jayjay1976]

Do have any of those nipped pet bottles they use for condiments or desert decorating. If so you can kinda do what your proposing but just not pressurize it. Fill it fully with the lactose solution. Connect a very short piece of hose to the barb on the bottle and a ball lock fitting connect to your co2 post pull the prv and it should flow right in

Hey that sounds easier, and I already have some of those squeeze bottles with the long nozzle. I guess I was wondering what will fill the space in the bottle as the lactose solution flows out, carbonating it seemed to be a convenient answer. Thanks!

 

[couchsending]

You can also do the same through the PRV. Attach some gas, turn it on slightly, unscrew the PRV, insert the bottle into the small hole and give a good squeeze. Purge headspace as many times as necessary and you should be good to go. I’ve done this with a sugar solution before.

 

[jekeane]

So far my plan is to package the boiled, cooled lactose solution in a 1 liter PET bottle, squeeze to eliminate any head space, and then thoroughly carbonate it to ~40-50 PSI with a carb cap. Then I would connect the pressurized sugar bottle to the keg's liquid post using a jumper, then while holding the bottle upside down above the keg, pull the PRV to relieve gas pressure to initiate transfer. To help it finish I could shake the PET bottle to propel the sugar solution into the keg. Has anyone done this before? Is there a simpler way to go about it? Am I going to end up covered in lactose?

This is how I inject anything into a keg, usually gelatin. It works well and is easy. make sure you have the available space for the liquid your injecting. otherwise it can be a mess if you need to pull the prv to get everything in the bottle. Generally I found that if the bottle is a 20-25 psi and the keg was mostly depressurized I didnt have to pull the prv. I just flipped the bottle and connected it.

 

[fun4stuff]

Have you guys done this to add “hop tea” as an alternative way of dry hopping?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I don't think I'd inject through the liquid Post. If you do that, you need something to follow it up or a good chunk will just stay in the dip tube and come out with the first pour. I'd use either the gas post or the relief valve.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I don't think I'd inject through the liquid Post. If you do that, you need something to follow it up or a good chunk will just stay in the dip tube and come out with the first pour. I'd use either the gas post or the relief valve.

Good point, I'll use the gas post. The PRV is also a great option, super easy to just unscrew it and add something with a funnel or squeeze bottle. If this weren't a NEIPA I would just do that.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Have you guys done this to add “hop tea” as an alternative way of dry hopping?

This is a good question since keg hopping usually involves pellets or cones in a bag or stainless basket. Would cold- or warm-steeping hops in plain water extract enough of the desirable compounds to effectively hop a kegged beer without all of the hop trub? I might be tempted to put the hops in a strainer bag into a larger jar, fill with the target beer using a growler filler, and then after a period of time reintroduce the hopped beer to the keg in order to avoid the dilution of using plain water.

 

[couchsending]

The extraction of hops in water is very different than the extraction you get from hops in wort or beer. Due to not only the alcohol but also the pH. Personally I wouldn’t bother with hop tea.

If you want to add “hoppiness” to a beer add some wort or gyle from your next beer to naturally carbonate it.

 

[fun4stuff]

This is a good question since keg hopping usually involves pellets or cones in a bag or stainless basket. Would cold- or warm-steeping hops in plain water extract enough of the desirable compounds to effectively hop a kegged beer without all of the hop trub? I might be tempted to put the hops in a strainer bag into a larger jar, fill with the target beer using a growler filler, and then after a period of time reintroduce the hopped beer to the keg in order to avoid the dilution of using plain water.

This is what I was thinking. Since switching to closed transfers, I’ve been dry hoping in primary near high krausen so air exposure isn’t of concern.... but a lot of IPA recipes call for additional dry hops. I may be able to add more hop flavor by letting hops steep in some of the beer in a 1-2L container that has been purged of air. Then add that back to keg using method above. Not sure how it only being 1-2L would affect hop flavor extraction.