Just ordered keg equipment...dry hop in keg or not

[brewprint]

I just ordered a dual pin lock keg system from Adventures in Homebrewing last night. It was around $200 and has 2 used kegs.

I plan to pick up a CO2 tank at the refill place and just do the exchange for the $20 each. I believe a tank is $80 to start.

My plan is to brew my first recipe from scratch...an IPA of course this weekend. I was going to dry hop just in the primary after 12 days or so for about a week.

I keep reading about people dry hopping in the keg.

My question is; when dry hopping in a keg, would I just transfer the beer into the keg like I would with a secondary. Throw the dry hops in the keg and let it sit for a week. Then cold crash the keg for a day, then put the CO2 on?

I'm just looking for the most efficient way of doing this dry hopping thing in kegs.

 

[NathPowe]

I always dry hop in my kegs. I put the hops in a paint strainer bag, tie it off and hang it from the keg handle with some unflavored dental floss, and then rack the beer into the keg from the fermenter. I generally leave my dry hops in for 4 days. After that, I pull them out, seal up the keg, purge with CO2 and put it into the kegerator to chill/carb.

Pretty straight forward process (for me at least) and I enjoy the results a great deal.

Cheers.

 

[kombat]

I would not wait that long to flush the keg with CO2 - I'd do it immediately. Add your dry hops (whether in a bag or just sprinkled in), seal the keg, and immediately purge with CO2. No sense leaving it exposed to air unnecessarily. This is one of the main benefits of kegging - take advantage of it!

 

[NathPowe]

I would not wait that long to flush the keg with CO2 - I'd do it immediately. Add your dry hops (whether in a bag or just sprinkled in), seal the keg, and immediately purge with CO2. No sense leaving it exposed to air unnecessarily. This is one of the main benefits of kegging - take advantage of it!

Yeah I forgot to add those steps in my previous post. I purge the keg several times. Once before I start filling the keg, once after filling/adding dry hops, and once after taking the dry hops out/before putting it in the kegerator.

Good catch kombat.

Cheers.

 

[brewprint]

I would not wait that long to flush the keg with CO2 - I'd do it immediately. Add your dry hops (whether in a bag or just sprinkled in), seal the keg, and immediately purge with CO2. No sense leaving it exposed to air unnecessarily. This is one of the main benefits of kegging - take advantage of it!

Okay let me get this straight.

I have never really looked in a keg nor taken it apart to see what's going on...so please bear with me.

I would put the hops in a bag. Then tie the bag to a handle on the keg. Is that on the lid on the inside?

Then I would purge the keg with CO2. What does that mean? Does that mean that I turn on the CO2 with the hops in the keg? Then after 4-7 days take the bag out, then turn the pressure back on. Then put it in the fridge to cool?

Or should it be cooled for a day before the bag even goes into the keg?

Trying to get each single step.

 

[broadbill]

Okay let me get this straight.

I have never really looked in a keg nor taken it apart to see what's going on...so please bear with me.

I would put the hops in a bag. Then tie the bag to a handle on the keg. Is that on the lid on the inside?

Then I would purge the keg with CO2. What does that mean? Does that mean that I turn on the CO2 with the hops in the keg? Then after 4-7 days take the bag out, then turn the pressure back on. Then put it in the fridge to cool?

Or should it be cooled for a day before the bag even goes into the keg?

Trying to get each single step.

What you are trying to do is suspend the hop bag somewhere in the middle of the keg, so that it is submerged in the beer when full. To do this you tie off the bag on the handle on the outside of the keg. The string will run through the hole in the top but the lid will still be able to seal to the top just fine.

People typically purge their keg of air but running CO2 into an empty, closed keg. Turn on the CO2 until it stops running (you can hear it flow) then pull the pressure release valve to purge the air. Repeat 2-3 x times and most of the gas in the keg should be CO2 (or close enough). Does not hurt to do it again after you rack the beer into the keg.

To get the bag out, turn off the CO2 at the tank (regulator) purge the line/keg with the pressure release valve, open the lid, pull your bag o hops, and put the lid back on and turn the pressure back on.

Lastly, be sure to pressure check your system to find/fix any leaks...otherwise you will wake up to an empty CO2 tank the next day!

Hope this helps.

 

[brewprint]

People typically purge their keg of air but running CO2 into an empty, closed keg. Turn on the CO2 until it stops running (you can hear it flow) then pull the pressure release valve to purge the air. Repeat 2-3 x times and most of the gas in the keg should be CO2 (or close enough). Does not hurt to do it again after you rack the beer into the keg.

Here's what I don't quite understand. The empty keg gets purged of air. Then the beer is racked into the empty keg?

Then you open the lid and place the hop bag there?

I'm lost. Sorry

 

[broadbill]

Here's what I don't quite understand. The empty keg gets purged of air. Then the beer is racked into the empty keg?

Then you open the lid and place the hop bag there?

I'm lost. Sorry

You can sanitize keg, purge, add hop bag, rack beer, close up and pressurize, purging again if you want.

or you can sanitize keg, add hop bag, rack beer, close up, pressurize and purge at the same time.

Depends how anal retentive you want to be. I usually purge after I have racked my beer into empty keg.

 

[ultra_cas]

A quick note since you're not familiar with the keg system yet: you can purge the keg once it's filled and sealed, without opening it, via the pressure release valve. Also, when you open to remote the suspended hop bag, little to no oxygen will get in there since CO2 is heavier than air. Once you re-seal after removing the hops, just purge a couple times once the pressure has been re-added, to get rid of any O2 that did get in.

Once you get the keg(s) and everything, it'll probably make more sense, and people can walk you through it then once you've seen it and understand it a little better.

 

[brewprint]

A quick note since you're not familiar with the keg system yet: you can purge the keg once it's filled and sealed, without opening it, via the pressure release valve. Also, when you open to remote the suspended hop bag, little to no oxygen will get in there since CO2 is heavier than air. Once you re-seal after removing the hops, just purge a couple times once the pressure has been re-added, to get rid of any O2 that did get in.

Once you get the keg(s) and everything, it'll probably make more sense, and people can walk you through it then once you've seen it and understand it a little better.

Okay thanks guys.

Does that seem like a good price on the 2 kegs being pin lock?

http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Pin-Lock-Keg-System-w-Picnic-Faucets-2-USED-Kegs-5_p_1621.html

 

[Stealthcruiser]

"Pin locks"........Probably have no PRV, ( pressure relief valve), in the lid.

You will probably have to depress the poppet valve, on the "in" or "gas in" port, to do your purging.

With the gas hose off, you will see it in the middle of the gas hose post.

Since it's your first, go ahead and leave the beer line off whilst screwing with it, and carbonating, etc, and attach it later down the line.

 

[brewprint]

Now I understand what you guys were talking about. The co2 stays in the keg after it's depressurized. Thanks.

I cannot wait to get beer racked in here. I want to wait a couple weeks before I rack just let the yeast get rid of any off flavors.

Then my plan is to put it at the appropriate pressure and leave it for another couple weeks. It seems the school of thought is the beer is better off not being 'quickly' carbonated?

 

[acidrain]

Okay thanks guys.

Does that seem like a good price on the 2 kegs being pin lock?

http://www.homebrewing.org/5-Gallon-Pin-Lock-Keg-System-w-Picnic-Faucets-2-USED-Kegs-5_p_1621.html

It's an OK price considering you got the regulator and everything.
But this is a killer price: http://toledo.craigslist.org/for/4732610712.html
$25 a pop for used Corny's is really good. They are running $50-$60 ea in the Seattle area.

 

[brewprint]

It's an OK price considering you got the regulator and everything.
But this is a killer price: http://toledo.craigslist.org/for/4732610712.html
$25 a pop for used Corny's is really good. They are running $50-$60 ea in the Seattle area.

I looked at that before I purchased. It's not much cheaper than AHB. I know that the kegs I bought work and that the seals are good. They also gave me new seals. Their used kegs alone are only $35 and I believe that they come with an extra set of seals. I plan to order one more keg and the hoses that I need.

Thanks for the post though.

Seattle prices must be so high because those idiots in the government over there increased the minimum wage to $15 per hour. That is a joke.