Best technique of dry hopping based on my setup

[philipsweden]

Hi all

Really appreciate all the fantastic advice and input given here.

We are about to brew our first IPA and have a few ideas how we best go about dry hopping this batch.

Right now I see that I have two options and I would like to get your input on what would work best.

Fermenting and conditioning in unitanks with a spunding device to capture co2 for carbonation .

Option 1:
After fermentation and spunding, slight decrease in temp, yeast dump then in-line in a hop sludge from a keg with co2.
Anyone regulary does this? Any issues getting the hop sludge into the fermentor from the keg?

Option 2:
End of fermentation but before spunding, drop in hop pellets from PRV on top, then spund, let the beer sit with hops, then cold crash and remove yeast and hops.
This method would allow the hops to sit with the yeast as well which is not optimal.

Would love to get a hopgun for this purpose but not there yet.

Any advice on this? Dry-hopping in a setting where we use a spunding device.

[TheCarolinian]

How about this:

At the end of primary fermentation, drop out yeast from the bottom of the cone (I'm assuming you have a conical fermenter). Put hops (preferably pellets) in a large nylon mash bag. Drop the bag in the through the top and suspend so that it is hanging in the beer. Be careful when you open this later, as the pressurization can cause an eruption! Does your conical have a hop port in the top? You can also just rack from the bottom into your brite tank, leaving the hob bag suspended in the fermenter, which you can then take out when you clean.

[J&B]

We use option # 2. Would like to try the first one but since we bung our fermenters and do not have carb stones in them the CO2 is just too precious. Get good aroma (about 1,5-2g/liter of beer of pellets if that seem reasonable to everyone, this is for our IPA).
Best regards,
Love Brande (also in Sweden)

[tomhennessy]

dry hop in fermenters

We chill beer to 62, drop yeast out of conical, add loose pellets into top and let sit for five days letting the temp warm back up to 70. Then crash and transfer. Our other method when we need the fermenter is to crash, drop yeast out and transfer to serving tank where we have pellets in loose nylon mesh bags attached to carb stone. It then floats in the middle of the beer while we serve.

[nohandslance]

Spunding Device

I would Recommend Hop oil and fabricate some sort of delivery valve into your Precarbed CV. I understand your need for the Natural Carbonation with the spunding device. I recommend Hop Oil.. Don't risk losing that natural Carbonation.

Lance
Rebel Malting Co.
Reno, Nevada USA

[theBrewMeister]

I understand that this thread is slightly old, however, for the benefit of future readers, I have some advice as we spund here.


First, I'm assuming that the OP uses hop pellets. We use pellets. WARNING! NEVER dry hop carbonated/spunded beer through the top of the FV! It WILL erupt! Think diet coke/mentos.

If you must spund the beer, then your best method of dry hopping, without a hop cannon, is to CIP/sanitise another FV, add your hops to that vessel, match the pressure of the receiving tank to that of the sending tank, then transfer your beer into the new tank. Easy.

[Yanknonion]

why the warmup?

We chill beer to 62, drop yeast out of conical, add loose pellets into top and let sit for five days letting the temp warm back up to 70. Then crash and transfer. Our other method when we need the fermenter is to crash, drop yeast out and transfer to serving tank where we have pellets in loose nylon mesh bags attached to carb stone. It then floats in the middle of the beer while we serve.

Hi Tom,
Why the warmup to 70 after adding hops?

[tomhennessy]

Dry Hopping

Hi Tom,
Why the warmup to 70 after adding hops?

I have heard you get a better hop aroma. A new method I am about to try after hanging out with brewer friends at our cask ale festival in Ridgway is when the beer is about 2 degree plato from terminal gravity to add the hops to the fermenter and close it up and let it build pressure. Don't let it go past 9 psi. You also are wasting the yeast, but I have an IPA we are brewing this week so I'll give it a try.

[mpilchuk]

Thanks

I understand that this thread is slightly old, however, for the benefit of future readers, I have some advice as we spund here.


First, I'm assuming that the OP uses hop pellets. We use pellets. WARNING! NEVER dry hop carbonated/spunded beer through the top of the FV! It WILL erupt! Think diet coke/mentos.

If you must spund the beer, then your best method of dry hopping, without a hop cannon, is to CIP/sanitise another FV, add your hops to that vessel, match the pressure of the receiving tank to that of the sending tank, then transfer your beer into the new tank. Easy.

Thanks Joe. Your post did what you said. I have just started spunding and am about to dry hop for the first time in a UniTank. So thanks for the great warning.

God I love this board.

Say Hi to my buddy James Groves at Achill Island Brewery if you get that way.

Mitch Pilchuk
Smoketown Brewing Station
Brunswick, MD 21716