I've been reading "For the Love of Hops" and finally got to the dry hopping section. Everyone has their own practices that seem to work for them. I have not been getting the character that I want from dry hopping in the carboy. SN's Torpedo idea sounds great to me. So I'm thinking of hooking up a pump to my HopRocket and recirculating the beer out and back in the top of the keg until I get a good enough flavor and aroma profile. Has anyone else tried such a thing on the homebrew scale? I would imagine you could get a good dryhop character in a matter of hours this way. You're thoughts?
I have a Hop Rocket. I love the device for how well it distills hop flavor and aroma into a beer when placed in front of my plate chiller. I have considered way you are suggesting as well as as a Randall device. I figure the process is the same as filtering your beer. I also occasionally use a plate filter and will tell you that the most difficult part of the process is purging the system of air. A Hop Rocket based "torpedo" would be more like a cartridge filter except the medium is hops which holds a lot of air. You will need to purge the system of all air bubbles or you might seriously oxidize your beer. The first thing you'd need is the fittings to downsize the 1/2" mpt hop rocket input and output down to 3/16" tubing. I say go for it.
I figure I will have to spend a few hours at the beginning of the process purging the hop rocket and keg and recapping and purging. But if I can get the flavor I want in a day, it'll be worth it. I'm brewing on Monday and will try to keep this thread updated throughout the process on this one! Cheers!
I seem to be getting plenty of hop aroma/flavor by simply dryhopping in the keg for 3 days at room temp followed by coldhopping in the keg, and whirlpooling KO additions at 170*F. I am sure I will own a hop rocket some day, but envision using it for mostly other uses than dryhopping. I agree, For the Love of Hops was a great read
I forgot to mention that I would push from one keg to another using CO2 not recirculation using a pump. I understand why you might want to use a pump (continuous recirculation, doesn't consume CO2), but there are also some obvious land mines in a pump method.
I was thinking this while planning how I am going to hook everything up. Hopefully pushing it two or three times will get me there. The co2 may get consumed, but at $15-17 a refill, I think I can afford it. Do you think leaving the vent open during transfer will push any oxygen from the hops out with the first transfer. I figure I'll purge an empty keg through the hop rocket into the second keg with co2 to start. Seal everything up. Rack the beer into the first keg and purge the top again. Hook everything up. Open the vent in keg 2 and start to push the beer. Once transferred let it sit, then purge again and push back. Ect ect.
Your first suggested technique is close. Your going to be doing it as if you were filtering beer. The Hop Rocket is your "filter". Using two kegs... Keg 1 contains beer. Keg 2 filled completely with water (with appropriate amount of star san) Purge keg 2 Connect CO2 to keg 2 gas IN. Connect picnic/cobra tap to keg 2 OUT. Use CO2 to empty keg 2 of water through cobra tap. Once empty, keg 2 is purged. Purge Hop Rocket - You may think of a better way to purge the Hop Rocket, but the assembly will be as described Connect BOTH ends of hop rocket to Beer line and beer-out/Liquid ball lock connectors. Purge the hop rocket and tubing of all air using sanitized (previously boiled) water. It should be filled with water and produce no bubbles. Fill keg 2 using proper technique for filtering beer. Connect CO2 to keg 1 in the normal manner. Connect the OUT from keg 1 to the input side of the Hop Rocket assembly using the ball lock connector. Connect output ball lock connector of Hop Rocket assembly to OUT side of keg 2 (Yes, beer will be going into the keg through the OUT valve.) Connect a ball lock connector to the IN side of keg 2 with a few feet of gas line, and put the other end in a glass of water (it will bubble as the keg fills) Turn on CO2 and push beer from keg 1 to keg 2. Once the water (remember Hop Rocket contains water not beer) is no longer flowing out of the Hop Rocket, purge those few ounces of water from keg 2. After the purge, reconnect and let the beer flow into keg 2 Repeat by reversing connections.
