First time dry hopping in keg. I added 3 oz of pellet hops in a nylon paint strainer bag to keg. The bag was tied to the lid. Left at room temperature for 5 days, and then refrigerated and carbed per the usual. I left the hops in the keg. Its only been refrigerated for 5 days, and I'm getting a fair bit of hop debris. Not as much as the initial pour of course, but still enough that bothers me. Is this the usual? Does it typically take a couple weeks to clear? Will I continue to get debris unless I remove hops? I've poured probably 4-5 pints. I know this one has been asked before, but still didn't see any solid answers. Any input from somebody that has more experience at this would be appreciated.
What kind of bag did you use? And are you sure the debris is from dry hopping? i.e. was there hop matter in your fermenter that could have been siphoned to your keg?
Give it a good shake, kick up as much as you can, pour it off, then let it settle down again. Sounds like your diptube is right at the bottom. If you have an extra keg you can always jump it to the new keg to get it off the debris. It should eventually clear on its own, but it might take a few more pours.
Paint strainer bag, purchased from hardware store. It's from the dry hops. I used a combination of hop spider and paint strainer bags during boil to minimize the amount of hops reaching fermentor.
I'm at a loss then. I use muslin bags in the keg, which I think should theoretically allow even more hop matter to escape than paint bags. But I haven't had any problems that way.
Usually takes ~5 pours and and 2 weeks for my paint strainer keg hopped beers to not have hop particles in them
I use 2-3 fine mesh hop bags (not paint strainers) in the keg and rarely get any hop dust in the beer. When there is some hop dust, it's gone after the first pour.
Shorten dip tube and 10 to 14 days in the fridge and I get clear pours on the 2nd or 3rd pint, I also use a ss mesh screen over the end of the dip tube. Don't use any bags just toss the hops in and carb.
I usually just throw my first 5 pours in the freezer for a few minutes before I drink them. Some of the hops floc to the bottom of the glass and I can enjoy all but the last oz or two. I don't feel bad about dumping the rest down the sink.
I dh in the keg with a nylon paint strainer bag all the time and always have hop debris for at least a week, sometimes two. The first pour is a mess, then little by little each pour becomes less effected. I find it's time dependent (not so much quantity poured), i.e. if you waited 10+ days the majority of the hop debris will have accumulated around the dip tube and will easily pour off. Ultimately my heavily dh'ed beers pour crystal clear. I consider the wait a part of conditioning/carbing and a necessary step. Normally I yank the bags after XX days, but have left them until the keg kicks . . . either way the beer clears with time. My diptubes are long (reach the bottom). Even after the beer starts to pour clear, hop debris remains on the bottom (out of reach of the pickup) . . . very obvious when keg is cleaned. Any movement on the keg will stir it all up and another week or so to settle.
Paint strainer bags are fine for the boil, but not ideal for dry hopping in a keg. Pony up for a very fine mesh nylon bag. I have a 1/2 dozen and no two are exactly alike...but I do know the smaller the mesh the better for dryhopping in the keg. ...unless you like Northeast IPAs : )
Good to know. Thanks everybody. It's starting to clear a little. I'll probably pick up fine mesh nylon bags for next time. Also, might considering cutting down my dip tube a little.
