I'll Never Not Use Hop Bags Again

did you dry hop it? Where did all this hop matter come from?
I've dry hopped plenty of times, free floating, and by the time it got through the bottling bucket there was no problems.
I suppose it's too late, but if in the future you notice the problem, gently stir in the bucket, (or carboy, whatever) and let sit for a while to get all the matter to the center. then siphon from the edges.
THat said, I've had issues getting the beer out of the fermenter before, and really haven't noticed any issues with oxidation. As long as it wasn't splashing around too badly, you should be OK.

 

You are preaching to the choir...hate that when that happens (stuck siphons)...try putting some spigots on your fermenters : )

 

You can also put the hop bag around the base of the siphon, which prevents hops from getting into it.

 

Try Wyeast 1968 some time.

 

I was drinking the first pint of a mild from the keg after having some temporary crowns put on at the dentist. I looked in my glass and swore I saw a tooth/crown floating in it... turns out it was a piece of brick hard 1968 cake.

 

I was thinking the same thing today after bottling an IPA. Clogged a bunch and a good amount ended up getting in the last six bottles. Ahh well, I was planning on drinking it fairly quickly anyhow, and the six ounces of dry hops that were giving me so much trouble should cover up any oxidation for as long as it takes me to kill it.

 

You know what I hate, double negatives in post titles. It makes me never not sometimes not want to read the post.

Just kidding OP. I'm going to guess, although I can feel your pain, you'll be fine the beers A-ok.

 

Lots of great ideas in this thread, but I have gone to the hop bag side of things. I use a bit more in the bag to account for the lower utilization.

 

Commando on all my dry hop additions, as long as I cold crash and use a nylon paint strainer bag over the end of the auto siphon, beer runs clear and steady.

 

I've dry hopped a few beers and haven't had any problems with hops just flocking to the bottom of the fermenter. I use pellets exclusively for ~10-14 days. Maybe my time is coming.

 

Cold crashing is usually above freezing for a longer period of time (7+ days). You might see some benefit from a day or two on the porch. I dunno. If I think my siphon is going to get clogged, I personally use a paint straining bag and I pull it out a day or two before I'm going to rack. This saves lots of headaches when using fruit.

 

I was trying to show somebody how to rack and bottle a beer on which we had used whole leaf hops. As I had previously used whole hops only occasionally and sparingly, I ended up doing nothing right that evening.

I feel your pain for the unexpected result. In the end, though, I don't expect it will be as bad as you fear.

 

I only use hop bags during the boil, and free float my dry hops. I have a large nylon grain bag that I close pin to the lid of my keg and put the end of the racking tube in the bottom of the bag. End result, no hop residue in the keg. It will also work in the bottling bucket. Rinse out bag, good to use next time.

I also sanitize the bag inside the keg. When I dump out the sanitizer, I grab the bag before it comes out to reduce the chance of any infections.

Hope this helps.

 

If it is the largest issue, then the solution should be obvious! Of course, real men don't use an autosiphon, but for the rest of us it is one of the best tools of the trade.

 

I brewed with 3oz of pellet hops yesterday and could see all the hop residuals in the wort after my boil. I didn't want to put it in the fermentor so I sanitized a small pitcher and funnel with a strainer. I ran all the wort through the funnel and got rid of just an unbelievable amount of hop junk. I hate all the excess handling/extra steps, but I'm hoping by being extra careful with the sanitizer and transfering that my beer will end up clearer and praying that its bug-free. I so badly need a brew kettle with a spigot, and a conical fermentor.