Removing "dry hopping" tube or bag from keg--float?

[mongoose33]

I have a dry-hop tube bought from Nor-Cal that is a tube consisting of a fine mesh screen topped and bottomed by caps. Nice piece of equipment for holding hops in a keg.

However, I want to be able to remove that tube after a period in time; the top has a ring on it to which I could attach some sanitized dental floss, but I have no connection on the keg lid for attachment. Given that others who have tried to run the floss past the lid and o-ring often have trouble getting a seal that will hold pressure, I want to tie that floss to a float, and then fish that out w/ a sanitized hook, then pull out the dry hop tube.

If you have seen Deadliest Catch, you know what I'm trying to do--use a hook to snag the line, then pull it out.

So--what do I use as a float? I thought about using corks (I have some) but I'm not sure they'll sanitize properly. I also thought about using real bobbers for fishing, same deal--though that might not be a terrible idea. Obviously this will work w/ nibs or hops or whatever in a muslin bag, and if one finally reached the flavor profile they were shooting for, one could easily pull the bag.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Maybe you could use one of those key chain floats that boaters use. Not sure how "beer safe" they are, though.

If you have keg lids with the built-in pressure relief valve, you can clamp a stainless steel hose clamp around the cylindrical valve housing on the underside of the lid and tie your dental floss to that. I've never done it, but I've seen it mentioned here a number of times and seems to me like it should work okay.

 

[raysmithtx]

I think dental floss will float. Tie on end to the tube and let the remaining string float to the top. I haven't done it, jut thought it might work.

 

[rudylyon57]

Some folks run the dental floss through the lid. Apparently its so thin that the seal is NOT compromised. Test with some soapy water for leaks, maybe in a spare corny. Another option is to wrap some stainless wire tightly around the base of the relief valve and form a hook. Use the same wire to connect to the hop bag-strainer. I saw this one in Zymurgy or BYO a few months back.

 

[Dolomieu]

Another approach would be to push your beer from one keg to another keg. I do this when I do a coffee porter and use the porter to cold brew the coffee. I would do this for hops too, but I usually just leave them in the keg until it kicks.

You can pull the dental floss through the lid seal, it works just fine.