Dry hop in keg or fermentor

[Mther]

Hi guys

The black IPA is ready after 3 weeks fermenting and I was wondering... should I dry hop in the keg using a muslin bag or pop the hops in the fermentor for 5 6 days and then keg with no hops? What is your opinion?

Thanks

[Belter]

There are many options but I usually dry hop after a week and 4days. The last three days in the primary I dry hop and crash cool on the last day.

I usually use muslin weighed down with some sanitised glass or stainless fitting or something. I tied a not with cotton and leave the cotton outside the fermenter. I have dry hopped loose and it hasn't caused much of a problem. Bit more of an issue with pellets. If you aren't reusing the yeast then loose a fine. You may find with muslin that the hops are dry in the middle when you take them out.

A lot of people dry hop a keg with a stainless tea ball. Otherwise you need some kind of hop filter.

Out of curiosity Why did you ferment for 3 weeks?

[Mther]

Thanks for your reply mate.

Many people suggest to let the fermentation take place for a couple of weeks. This is the first time I am doing it for that long, not sure what the results will be, time will show.

I think I should add the hops into the fermentor loose, for 5 days and then keg, cos if I add them in keg I will get some grassy notes after a couple of weeks. What do you think?

Cheers

[NobbyIPA]

So when fermentation ends i
leave another 3 days to rest
then put into secondary with

whatever hops set to 14C
leave for a week or more
then bottle
this improves hop utilisation
well thats what brew dog's do

[Mther]

Perfect! Thanks Nobby!

I would love to make something similar to brewdogs hehe

Cheers

[Mther]

Belter, I made a mistake, the beer was fermenting for 17 days not 3 weeks. I just transferred it into secondary and added the hops as well. I will let you know how it goes

Thanks.

[Belter]

Two weeks is usually long enough. I don't usually bother with a secondary. Seems to be an American thing. I also dry hop within those two weeks. Usually three days before kegging. A lot of people dry hop for five days or even months but in the book 'for the love of hops' they seem to suggest that 3days is all you need. I think Orlando says something similar. Depends on temperature though. The lower the temp the slower the diffusion.

[6470zzy]

Hi guys

The black IPA is ready after 3 weeks fermenting and I was wondering... should I dry hop in the keg using a muslin bag or pop the hops in the fermentor for 5 6 days and then keg with no hops? What is your opinion?

Thanks

If you really like hops.................. do both

[Mther]

Thank you guys.

The temperature is around 16-17C, it is a bit lower than usual. I will go for 5 days. I like using the secondary to minimise the sediment but some people suggest not doing it since you have the risk of introducing oxygen in the beer. I just try to expose as less area as possible.

Thanks again.

[GavH]

Just bottled THE clearest ever brew after leaving it for 4 weeks in the FV. Dry hopped for the final week. I really wouldn't worry about any need to get a brew out of the FV too soon - quite the reverse actually. I think the longer you can leave it the better, although mindful that at some point autolysis of the yeast will be the 'too long' demarcation line. Three to four weeks will be my norm from now on with the dry hopping taking place in the final week I think. I bottle/keg straight from the FV incidentally.

[orlando]

A lot of people dry hop a keg with a stainless tea ball. Otherwise you need some kind of hop filter.

Or you could adopt this system.









Pellets in the fermentor aren't necessarily a problem if you chill down for a couple of days to close to 5c as they will drop out and mix with the trub, useless though if you want to reclaim the yeast by rinsing.

[Mther]

I had a wee taste of the black IPA tonight. The hop aroma is not there, I dry hopped for 5 days with 70gr or smth of amarillo. The aroma from the dark grains is evident tho which gives a coffee chocolatey aroma. There is a bitter taste, so it is by accident a good result. More hops next time and also to adopt orlandos system for kegging. I have a ss rice ball instead of the bag u have orlando, so I hope this wont cause any problem in keg under pressure....

[orlando]

More hops next time and also to adopt orlandos system for kegging. I have a ss rice ball instead of the bag u have orlando, so I hope this wont cause any problem in keg under pressure....

I wouldn't of thought so, my concern would be when moving the keg the tea ball will disturb any sediment, more than a light bag which is more likely to float with enough hops in it.

[Mther]

The ball will certainly float, well it does when I use it in the fermenter so I have to add weight to submerge it. So if it floats you think it would be ok ? Thanks

[orlando]

The ball will certainly float, well it does when I use it in the fermenter so I have to add weight to submerge it. So if it floats you think it would be ok ? Thanks

Yes, I've noticed that myself but have wondered if that is because of CO2 production buoying the hops as well, probably not as I have done it at the end of fermentation and it has floated, albeit submerged.