Hop additions: Methods

1. During: I use hop pellets and have both just thrown them in but also used paint strainer bags with SS nuts to hold the bag down, a different bag for each addition

2. Never tried but I do the same thing with my chiller

3. Never tried during active fermentation but I ferment in a bucket so I've dry hopped in it after active fermentation is over in a pain strainer bag again with SS nut

4. I've done this with a beer or two same thing with bags... I typically dry hop in my fermenter though

 

1. Boil hops always just thrown them in. Feel like it is best to get them mixed in and just account for a little more loss when transfering.
2. I have an IC as well if I want to WP two options, throw my hops in when I cut the temp and let stir with the IC to mix them up. Not a whirlpool more a hop steep but does the same thing. Then once I am done cooling pull the IC and stir for WP for 20 min than transfer.
Or will run the IC for 1 minute or so to get down to 180. fill a 5 gallon bucket with water from the out side of the IC and add some starsan. Now you can put the IC in the star san until the WP is done and add it back to cool.

3. I use sanke kegs for fermentation and fine these SS tubes to work well for dry hop.
http://shop.greatfermentations.com/...NhMsWKaUxNB2grFX-QIOA_8w5fMQWoe_bNxoC4aPw_wcB
4. have a bigger version of the above to add to a corney.

 

1. No filter. I'm tempted to start using whole cone. Pellets break down in the boil pretty much immediately. Whole cone seems to break down more slowly.
2. No filter. I steep, and I've started waiting until the temp is below 180 with the past couple brews.
3. Yes. No filter. I add them on pitch, and during active.
4. I don't use kegs.

 

I just dry hopped in the keg using this "clear beer draught system" for the first time, and so far I'm very happy with it. The idea is to draw the beer from the top of the keg after the hops/yeast, etc drop to the bottom. I added 5 oz of loose pellet hops to the keg before racking and kept the beer at room temp for several days before chilling and carbing. Reasonably clear and zero particulates on the first draft. So far, so good...

 

1. During the boil - Pellets and I go commando.
2. FO/Whirlpooling - Commando again, but I don't use a wort chiller.
3. Active fermentation hops - I've only done this once, and commando. I hop in primary after active fermentation commando as well. No problems if you are patient and cold crash.
4. Keg - in cheesecloth suspended from string

 

Commando. Always.

 

For #3 - how long did your fermentation go? I do everything the same as you, but for fermentation hopping I put the hops in a bag so that I can remove them after ~5 days. I was afraid if I put them early and wasn't able to remove them, they would sit there for 10+ days and give some off flavors.

Did you experience any off flavors? Cheers

 

No off flavors. It was a NEIPA, with primary fermentation hops added on day 3 and regular dry hops on day 10. Kegged directly from primary on day 21 approximately. Not a good beer, imo, but I think that was related to the water treatment, not hop usage. I actually really liked the aroma.

 

I just did a NEIPA that sat on hops for 11 days total before bottling. No off flavors.

Why wait so long to keg?

 

Depends on your system...my techniques depend on the beer in question and which system I'm brewing on...sometimes bags and other times commando depending on mostly whether I'm using pumps or not...dryhopping in kegs...always fine mesh nylon bags free floating

 

Pumps love hop pellets.

 

I normally wait 2 to 3 weeks to keg. With so much hop particulate in this beer I thought the extra week would help.

 

Without using a bag in the boil how do people get around clogged dip tubes in their kettle? My first all grain in my new kettle saw it clog fast, granted there were coffee grounds in the boil too. Just looking for ways to prevent it from clogging.

 

I whirlpool with a pump , it leaves a tight trub cone in the center of my kettle. @GreenKrusty101 that's how I learned pumps and pellets don't mix so well...

 

Ditch the dip tube 1/2" barb shouldn't clog

 

Hmmm not all of us have kettles that have dip tubes I pour my kettle into my fermenters just fine and I get all that oxygen from agitating it!

 

Whirlpool it. Let that set.
Expect some loss as well.

 

I add all my dry hops commando... Usually in the 6-8oz range for my IPA's, as much as 10-12oz for DIPA's. I just cold crash and transfer to keg via spigot on my fermentation bucket. Easy enough, no issue at all. All the hops and whatnot drop below the level of my spigot so I pickup very little debris.

As far as absorption loss, I account for it. You figure 0.10gal per 1oz of hops. So I typically brew so I have 5.5-5.75 gallon into my fermenter and net a full keg.