14 replies to this topic

[chadm75]

For the first couple years I was brewing, I didn't dry hop a lot. When I did, I used leaf in a hop sack weighted with a marble or something. I got great results but I've read and talked to some folks to dry-hop with pellets and got to thinking about their processes. One of the reasons I dry-hopped with leaf was because the process was easy and I got virtually no hop "schputz" (hi Ken!) when I would rack into the keg. So I'm curious as to other's dry-hop with pellets techniques? Again, mine with leaf has been toss'm in a weighted hop sack for 7-10 days and then keg. Easy! Inspire me to try dry-hopping with pellets!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

For the first couple years I was brewing, I didn't dry hop a lot. When I did, I used leaf in a hop sack weighted with a marble or something. I got great results but I've read and talked to some folks to dry-hop with pellets and got to thinking about their processes. One of the reasons I dry-hopped with leaf was because the process was easy and I got virtually no hop "schputz" (hi Ken!) when I would rack into the keg. So I'm curious as to other's dry-hop with pellets techniques? Again, mine with leaf has been toss'm in a weighted hop sack for 7-10 days and then keg. Easy! Inspire me to try dry-hopping with pellets!

I've dry hopped 2 different ways:1. threw the pellets into secondary (no bag) and then when I siphoned out I put a sanitized bag over the end of my racking cane to avoid chunks.2. threw the pellets into a bag and into the kegI'm pretty happy with both methods but the nice thing about having them right in the keg is that you always have a good amount of aroma all the way through the keg (I ended up leaving the bag in the keg until it was killed).

[strangebrewer]

2. threw the pellets into a bag and into the kegI'm pretty happy with both methods but the nice thing about having them right in the keg is that you always have a good amount of aroma all the way through the keg (I ended up leaving the bag in the keg until it was killed).

I dry hopped this way with pellets on my most recent IPA. It did exactly as I'd hoped for providing dry hop aroma however I kept getting hop particulate matter in my pours. I don't mind a hazy IPA but the floaties detracted from the appearance IMO. I pulled the hop bag and a couple pours later I was clear.I love the in-the-keg method and have used it in the past with whole leaf without issues.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I dry hopped this way with pellets on my most recent IPA. It did exactly as I'd hoped for providing dry hop aroma however I kept getting hop particulate matter in my pours. I don't mind a hazy IPA but the floaties detracted from the appearance IMO. I pulled the hop bag and a couple pours later I was clear.I love the in-the-keg method and have used it in the past with whole leaf without issues.

what kind of bag were you using? I was using a fairly fine nylon bag. I can see if you used a muslin bag that could cause some chunks to escape (possibly).

[strangebrewer]

what kind of bag were you using? I was using a fairly fine nylon bag. I can see if you used a muslin bag that could cause some chunks to escape (possibly).

It was a fine nylon bag but maybe not fine enough.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I have been mostly dry hopping in the keg for a good long while too. I also toss them in a bag when I carb the keg and let em sittill the keg is kicked. I used paint strainer bags from Lowes Home Improvement. I have seen no ill effects from them either. Just another alternative to the muslin bag too.

[MakeMeHoppy]

I like to dry hop with pellets in the 2nd week of primary. I've read recently that dry hopping at fermentation temps helps extract more flavor and aroma. I then cold crash my carboy before transfer to keg and I've found the hop pellets settle nicely to the bottom and I have no problem leaving them behind. Pellet hop 'dust' can get through the small nylon hop bags so if you are 'keg hopping' I would recommend staying with leaf. I don't like to dry hop in the keg because I like to time my dry hopping and remove after about a week.

[Jimvy]

I used to use plugs and leaf exclusively, and mostly in the keg. This was great (and easy), but last year I got some bad leaf and jacked up about 30g of beer. After a little research, I moved to pellets....but I'm using conicals, so it's a little easier. Specifically, I throw pellets on after about a week of ferment, let sit for about 5-7 days at 65F, then cold crash for a week, dumping yeast/hops daily to clear.Overall, I really like it. It's a little more babysitting and it takes a little more pellet to get the same result, but it's more consistent and there's less hop matter to worry about.

[MtnBrewer]

I try not to use pellets for dry-hopping but when I do, I toss them in nekkid (unless I'm hopping in the keg of course). Hops wanna be free!

[djinkc]

I've had good luck in the keg with anklet nylons and pellets. You want to get the ones with no color. I give them a boil, dry and fill. Tie them off with unwaxed/unflavored dental floss - suspend them if you want or don't. The easiest way to suspend is just let the floss extend out from under the lid O-ring - sometimes that doesn't seal though. Someone else posted using a hose clamp (Dean Palmer?) to secure the floss to the underside of the PRV housing - that has worked at my place too. No doubt you lose a bit with them being confined, just add a little more. I've been lazy and need to start dry hopping again.

[BarelyBrews]

I usually use a hop bag in the secondary,in the keg i have been using a hop balls for pellets. Holds 1 oz,(max i think).No tying or floss used.I just drop it in before i rack to the keg.Around $4 at my LHBS.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I dry hopped with pellets on the DRIPA I am drinking. I bought a fine mesh bag from austin homebrew (dry hopping bag) and put it in the primary. Seemed to work fine. The beer has a metric ton of aroma.Cheers,Rich

[jayb151]

I never put pellets into a bag. For me it's just too much hassle. I just chuck them in; eventually they will sink to the bottom. For whole leaf I would use a bag just so it doesnt clog up the works!

[EWW]

I usually use a hop bag in the secondary,in the keg i have been using a hop balls for pellets. Holds 1 oz,(max i think).No tying or floss used.I just drop it in before i rack to the keg.Around $4 at my LHBS.

in my experience the latch on those balls can rust a bit (i.e. These are not 100% SS) ... I went back to panty hose. I don't boil, just soak in starsan add hops and toss it in the keg.

[DR0NE]

in my experience the latch on those balls can rust a bit (i.e. These are not 100% SS) ... I went back to panty hose. I don't boil, just soak in starsan add hops and toss it in the keg.

That happened to me and I started just putting floss through the spot where the latch was - you can tie it shut and then suspend it. So I was annoyed when I noticed it wasn't 100% stainless but it turned out to not really matter.