No oxygen dry hopping

[SEndorf]

While playing with my grandson and his construction toys, I was thinking a metal fabricator could easily make a shovel bucket arm to fill with hops for dry hopping.

A hollow tube projecting out of a bung would be the release mechanism and double as a blow off tube. Hops are added to the closed shovel bucket at the beginning of fermentation, but remain out of the wort until time to release and dry hop.

When time to dry hop, press down the release on top which opens the shovel bucket and drops the hops into the wort. You've just dry hopped without opening your fermenter! What do you engineers think?

 

[mongoose33]

You could even just have a cup that inverts.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Erector sets....dating myself.

I'd do it if I had Grandkids

Of course that would lead into FG sampling, "does this taste good to you" long talks on the porch, restricted visitation and possible jail time

 

[MaxStout]

Suspend a bag inside using monofiliment passed through a small hole in the cap with the other end taped down to hold in place. A little keg lube to seal around the hole and keep out air. When it's time to dry hop, snip the line and let it drop. Tape over the hole.

 

[SEndorf]

Dang it Max.. That's too easy and doesn't require you to buy anything. How am I gonna get royalty checks now??

 

[MaxStout]

I've never done that, BTW. Just thought it up after reading your post. But now I might have to try it with my Brew Buckets.

But your steamshovel bucket idea sounds intriguing. Maybe control it with two thin rods pushed through a 2-hole stopper. One push, one pull. Or a concentric device--a thin rod inside of a short length of 1/4" metal tubing passed through a stopper.

I do like the idea of some kind of LODO dry hop release device. I hate to pull the cover off my fermenter to drop in hops.

 

[SEndorf]

I'm not much for fabricating, but I have a couple of friends with that mentality and the tool playroom to boot. I'll see what they can do. Shouldn't be that hard.

 

[MaxStout]

You could even just have a cup that inverts.

The Dry Hop Dumptruck...

 

[murphyslaw]

Someone in another thread had the idea of putting hops in a bag, tying floss or fishing line, and threading it through the prv. Start with the line pulled out so the hops are suspended in the headspace. Then pull the prv and let more line through so the hops drop halfway down the keg.

Very similar to what max did, but with kegs.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Wait........this is a real idea...I thought it was a joke.....good luck with your crane dropping hops.

Overthinking has reached an all time high

 

[mongoose33]

Wait........this is a real idea...I thought it was a joke.....good luck with your crane dropping hops.

Overthinking has reached an all time high

Not everyone is satisfied with "good enough," Johnny. If it's too much for you, this thinking thing, just....ignore it.

 

[mongoose33]

OK, now I am hoping I'm on to something.

Magnets. Suspend the hops above the wort level with magnets and then pull the magnets when it's time to drop them in. I'd want some sort of coated steel thing the magnet could work on, then release.

If you haven't seen the very strong, and I mean VERY strong neodymium magnets....well, look 'em up. They're VERY strong. Strong enough to stick an adjustable wrench to the side of a stainless Spike kettle.

Here's the magnet holding up the wrench; there are all sorts of different strengths and form factors for this.

Proof of concept:

There are all sorts of these types of magnets for sale online.

I can see whomping up a sort of trap-door thing you'd attach to a lid, or the side. Magnets on the device would pair with magnets on the outside, and it would not go ANYWHERE. Then in the middle there'd be a release mechanism held closed by a magnet on the outside which, when removed, would release the trap door dumping the hops inside.

I want half the profits.

 

[SanPancho]

Bags suck. Free range hops baby.

@SEndorf instead of a claw bucket you should devise something like these
https://www.amazon.com/Collapsible-...ocphy=9031945&hvtargid=pla-500632205204&psc=1

It needs a hole in its bottom that will fit a blowoff tube tightly. Because its flexible you can psh it down the carboy neck until it passes the shoulder and then expands back into bowl shape. (Like a toggle bolt) Dump your hops down and into the cup. Slide the carboy stopper down the blowoff tube until its seated and carboy sealed.

When its time to drop hops, you just pull up on blowoff tube until the tube pulls out of the cup, and the cup and the hops drop into beer. Pure silicone means you can boil to sanitize and its fine to leave in the beer.

The End.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I've seen folks use hop socks with a bit of metal inside held up with a magnet.

An open container could work too I guess.

 

[Bilsch]

I would suggest using a teflon coated magnetic stir bar for your inner magnet to be sure nothing can react with your beer.

 

[mongoose33]

I would suggest using a teflon coated magnetic stir bar for your inner magnet to be sure nothing can react with your beer.

That would be perfect. They come in different sizes.

 

[SanPancho]

OK, now I am hoping I'm on to something.

Magnets. Suspend the hops above the wort level with magnets and then pull the magnets when it's time to drop them in. I'd want some sort of coated steel thing the magnet could work on, then release.

If you haven't seen the very strong, and I mean VERY strong neodymium magnets....well, look 'em up. They're VERY strong. Strong enough to stick an adjustable wrench to the side of a stainless Spike kettle.

Here's the magnet holding up the wrench; there are all sorts of different strengths and form factors for this.

Proof of concept:

View attachment 616628

There are all sorts of these types of magnets for sale online.

I can see whomping up a sort of trap-door thing you'd attach to a lid, or the side. Magnets on the device would pair with magnets on the outside, and it would not go ANYWHERE. Then in the middle there'd be a release mechanism held closed by a magnet on the outside which, when removed, would release the trap door dumping the hops inside.

I want half the profits.

I need one of those magnets, mine aren’t strong enough. Was trying to get my floating dip tube to be hung at top of carboy during ferment, then when crashed and ready to transfer i pull the magnet and the ball float drops down. Shazam. No more clogs in my cheapo floating diptube.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Not everyone is satisfied with "good enough," Johnny. If it's too much for you, this thinking thing, just....ignore it.

It's beyond ridiculous

 

[SEndorf]

I think we're getting somewhere. And yes Johnny, I'm serious. Dry hopping seems to be the final frontier of LODO and oxygen free transfer. I would like to ultimately NOT have my beer see any atmosphere between pitching yeast, to the tap filling the glass.
I think my initial idea is needlessly complex. Mongoose and SanPancho are on the right track with magnets and a simple pivoting cup.

 

[mongoose33]

Assume a sort of silicone cup or some such with a hinge on the bottom affixed to the side of a fermenter. Inside are the hops for dry hopping. Pull the top magnet, the cup flops open dumping the hops into the beer. Could also work on a lid.

No laughing at my artistic ability, please.

 

[mongoose33]

I think we're getting somewhere. And yes Johnny, I'm serious. Dry hopping seems to be the final frontier of LODO and oxygen free transfer. I would like to ultimately NOT have my beer see any atmosphere between pitching yeast, to the tap filling the glass.
I think my initial idea is needlessly complex. Mongoose and SanPancho are on the right track with magnets and a simple pivoting cup.

Yeah, but it was your idea that got me thinking. If I don't see your idea, I'm not out in my garage taking a picture of a magnet holding up an adjustable wrench. What I was thinking was about how to attach/suspend the device you were proposing.

The flopping-open cup thing is a variation on what you originally posted.

 

[mongoose33]

It's beyond ridiculous

Again, ignore the thread. No reason for you to be contributing anything to a thread discussing something "beyond ridiculous."

 

[mongoose33]

I need one of those magnets, mine aren’t strong enough. Was trying to get my floating dip tube to be hung at top of carboy during ferment, then when crashed and ready to transfer i pull the magnet and the ball float drops down. Shazam. No more clogs in my cheapo floating diptube.

If the floating dip tube is made of stainless steel, it's almost certainly not going to be held up by a magnet. Maybe you could epoxy a stir bar to it for the magnet to act upon?

 

[Bilsch]

What about a simple small hop bag weighted with the internal magnet. Stick it inside the top of whatever vessel, held in place with the strong outer magnet until it's time for the plop.

 

[mongoose33]

What about a simple small hop bag weighted with the internal magnet. Stick it inside the top of whatever vessel, held in place with the strong outer magnet until it's time for the plop.

Yeah, that's why I like the stir-bar idea you had. That would work, and work well. If I don't invent a cup thingamabob I'm likely to do this. My only concern about putting a bag of hops inside (but not in the wort) at the outset is how much of the hop aroma will be dissipated by the CO2 produced.

 

[SEndorf]

Assume a sort of silicone cup or some such with a hinge on the bottom affixed to the side of a fermenter. Inside are the hops for dry hopping. Pull the top magnet, the cup flops open dumping the hops into the beer. Could also work on a lid.

No laughing at my artistic ability, please.View attachment 616631

No laughing here. There are certainly magnets available that can handle this. The hop holding "cup" would need a reasonable metal surface on each end (I'm thinking circular). Rather than a pivoting device, just pull both magnets and let the entire thing plop into the wort.
I don't think hop aroma is affected until they get moisture, but I could be wrong.

 

[Murphys_Law]

Assume a sort of silicone cup or some such with a hinge on the bottom affixed to the side of a fermenter. Inside are the hops for dry hopping. Pull the top magnet, the cup flops open dumping the hops into the beer. Could also work on a lid.

No laughing at my artistic ability, please.View attachment 616631

Why are you dry hopping a pepperoni pizza? [emoji1]

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Again, ignore the thread. No reason for you to be contributing anything to a thread discussing something "beyond ridiculous."

The OP put up a picture of an Erector Set crane for dry hopping and mentioned his Grandkids....I honestly thought it was a joke hence post #3......Geez...lighten up its Saturday night

 

[day_trippr]

Y'all ain't trying hard enough if you haven't come up with a way to control your O2-free hop dropper with an Arduino...

 

[MaxStout]

Assume a sort of silicone cup or some such with a hinge on the bottom affixed to the side of a fermenter. Inside are the hops for dry hopping. Pull the top magnet, the cup flops open dumping the hops into the beer. Could also work on a lid.

No laughing at my artistic ability, please.View attachment 616631

I like the concept! Occam's Razor--the simplest solution is usually the best.

You wouldn't even need the hinge part. Just make a cup-like enclosure out of something neutral and sanitizable, like the silicone you mentioned or some other smooth plastic. You'd have to trim curves into the edges of the cup a bit to get it to conform to the curvature of the inside of the fermenter. It wouldn't necessarily need to seal up against the side, just limit the gap such that it doesn't allow hops to fall through prematurely. The cup enclosure would have some kind of flange or two tabs on opposing sides that can allow the enclosure to be held against the wall using magnets. Very much like your sketch above, just no hinge component. Stir bar magnets on the inside, rare earth magnets on the outside. Sanitize, fill with hops and attach. When it's time to dry-hop, remove the rare earth magnets and let the whole thing--cup, stir bars and hops--drop into the beer.

 

[mongoose33]

I like the concept! Occam's Razor--the simplest solution is usually the best.

You wouldn't even need the hinge part. Just make a cup-like enclosure out of something neutral and sanitizable, like the silicone you mentioned or some other smooth plastic. You'd have to trim curves into the edges of the cup a bit to get it to conform to the curvature of the inside of the fermenter. It wouldn't necessarily need to seal up against the side, just limit the gap such that it doesn't allow hops to fall through prematurely. The cup enclosure would have some kind of flange or two tabs on opposing sides that can allow the enclosure to be held against the wall using magnets. Very much like your sketch above, just no hinge component. Stir bar magnets on the inside, rare earth magnets on the outside. Sanitize, fill with hops and attach. When it's time to dry-hop, remove the rare earth magnets and let the whole thing--cup, stir bars and hops--drop into the beer.

The only reason I put the hinge on there--and maybe there's another way--is that it would just be my luck that the cup would end up floating on the beer with hops still sitting in it.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

How about a little hop cooling system to keep them fresh until it’s time for the addition? (Love the creativity)

 

[MaxStout]

The only reason I put the hinge on there--and maybe there's another way--is that it would just be my luck that the cup would end up floating on the beer with hops still sitting in it.

Good point. Make the cup out of ss mesh. Then it will sink.

 

[murphyslaw]

Assume a sort of silicone cup or some such with a hinge on the bottom affixed to the side of a fermenter. Inside are the hops for dry hopping. Pull the top magnet, the cup flops open dumping the hops into the beer. Could also work on a lid.

No laughing at my artistic ability, please.View attachment 616631

What if it was a hop bag, with the opening on the bottom? Remove the bottom magnet, bag opens, hops fall out.

 

[bruce_the_loon]

What if it was a hop bag, with the opening on the bottom? Remove the bottom magnet, bag opens, hops fall out.

Add some slightly springy plastic to the hem of the hop bag to push it wide open once the magnet has been removed. Like those metal springs on some pouches or purses that keep the opening closed unless you pull the edges apart, but installed backwards so the forces go out.

 

[SanPancho]

If the floating dip tube is made of stainless steel, it's almost certainly not going to be held up by a magnet. Maybe you could epoxy a stir bar to it for the magnet to act upon?

Its lightly magnetic, not sure what series of ss it is but it definitely stuck to magnet, but not enough to lift and hold. That’s why i figured i needed stronger magnet.

Im a bit leery of using epoxy in beer, even food grade. Something like a magnetic-stainless key ring would be perfect, as it would connect the ball to the tubing sleeve instead of the thin crappy wire ring they supply. Or a ss washer or nut or something i could hang offv it.

But i still think i need better magnet.

 

[kh54s10]

Connectivity!! You need to be able to add the hops by using the app on your phone. Or by telling Alexa "deploy the dry hops"!!!

 

[mongoose33]

I'm planning to brew next weekend; wasn't planning on an IPA, but maybe i need to do one.

Nah, I can experiment. I'll see if some of this works and maybe even video it.

I even have a few open bags of hops I can use to see how the real thing works.

 

[SanPancho]

No laughing here. There are certainly magnets available that can handle this. The hop holding "cup" would need a reasonable metal surface on each end (I'm thinking circular). Rather than a pivoting device, just pull both magnets and let the entire thing plop into the wort.
I don't think hop aroma is affected until they get moisture, but I could be wrong.

If you want the most commercial success, id think its better to avoid the sidewall design. No way to do that in the most common fermenter- the narrow neck carboy. But the flexible cup i referred to will work not only with narrow necks but wide mouths, buckets, anvils, fermonsters, etc etc.

If you design for sidewall but cant get your hand inside the vessel, how you gonna put it in place? Expanding cup works everywhere. And it seems easier to fill, just drop the hops in.

Im also thinking maybe dont attach it to the blowoff but instead use a fine ss wire you can secure above the stopper. Then let it drop inside, similar to the fishing line /bag combo noted above.

And no, co2 will not blow off the aromatics, at least not with pellets. Ive used fermentation gas to purge hop charges before dry hopping. Never saw any problems. But i only use pellets. Cant speak to cones.

 

[mongoose33]

If you want the most commercial success, id think its better to avoid the sidewall design. No way to do that in the most common fermenter- the narrow neck carboy. But the flexible cup i referred to will work not only with narrow necks but wide mouths, buckets, anvils, fermonsters, etc etc.

If you design for sidewall but cant get your hand inside the vessel, how you gonna put it in place? Expanding cup works everywhere. And it seems easier to fill, just drop the hops in.

Im also thinking maybe dont attach it to the blowoff but instead use a fine ss wire you can secure above the stopper. Then let it drop inside, similar to the fishing line /bag combo noted above.

And no, co2 will not blow off the aromatics, at least not with pellets. Ive used fermentation gas to purge hop charges before dry hopping. Never saw any problems. But i only use pellets. Cant speak to cones.

For a fleeting moment I thought about trying to do this for others, not sure I'm motivated enough.

You point out an interesting thing--there are all sorts of applications. The narrow-neck carboy probably is the hardest, but any other type of plastic wide-mouth fermenter, or SS conical-type fermenter would probably be a decent candidate.

And there needs to be enough headspace. One complication is if there's too much krausen...if it comes in contact with the hops or mechanism or whatever, would it become gummed up and now work properly?

That's an argument for using a hop sock with enough weight in it to pull it loose from the side or lid when the external magnets are removed.

I wouldn't have a problem with any of this in my Spike CF10 when doing a 5-gallon batch, but I might with a 10-gallon batch.