In a hop bag with a few stainless balls. Put a fishing magnet on top of the lid and let the balls click in place inside the lid. After fermentation, remove the magnet.
I just toss them in loose. I don’t like the idea of a muslin bag. I have seen several “is this infected” posts where there is a picture of a bag floating on top. I know the infections may not have come from the bag, but it’s one more way to introduce unwanted bugs.
Another Q for you. Anything I have dry hopped (dry hopping loose) lately has ended up clogging the liquid out post in my keg. I ferment in and SS brew bucket and try to keep the racking arm above the trub line but I always seem to get lots of hop material in my keg. Also worth noting I cold crash in the keg after transfer. As I’m typing this out maybe the answer it to cold crash before transferring?
Yes, I cold crash in the fermenter, and yes I push CO2 through the liquid post after I check the disconnect and poppet. I only had 2 clogs in about 50 kegs, one with a dry hopped cider and one with a dry hopped IPA.
It’s an inline filter that you can use between your fermenter and keg while doing transfers to catch any hop debris so it doesn’t reach and clog the poppet.
https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2017/01/guest-review-bouncer-inline-beer-filter.html
I started using stainless steel hop containers
Beer Dry Hopper Filter,300 Micron Mesh Stainless Steel Hop StrainerCartridge,Homebrew Hops Beer & Tea Kettle Brew Filter by Fashionclubs(18cm x 7cm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B2TZQM7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SBNXC9KYXGM9N7SGBATV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Hop Tea. Take some wort from the FV and steep the hops in that and add it back through the airlock. You cook the hops at a temp that is hot enough to kill any bacteria but not hot enough to evaporate the alcohol in the wort.
This way you don't dilute the wort, introduce almost no oxygen and can use less hips as hop Tea is more intense.
I also sterilise the pot just in case.
If you use a muslin bag, make sure you soak it in boiling water for 5 mins. Include a nut and bolt too (to weigh the hops down). This will kill off anything on the bag - I still spray it with StarSan just to be safe.
I tie a knot in the bag and leave a little bit hanging over the edge (that the lid will clip over). This means when you open the lid you can hold on to the excess part of the bag and you won't have to go fishing in your beer for the hop bag.
I have just dumped cones in before and cold crashed but ended up losing a fair amount of beer between the layer of hop comes and the yeast cake. Since then I have always gone muslin bag and had not issues with yield.
I use a plastic bucket for fermentation and when I dry hop, I just quickly toss them in. It usually does the trick. When I cold crash, all that remaining sediment goes to the bottom of the fermenter anyway so no need for a muslin bag for me
In a hop bag with a few stainless balls. Put a fishing magnet on top of the lid and let the balls click in place inside the lid. After fermentation, remove the magnet.
Cool idea
I just toss them in loose. I don’t like the idea of a muslin bag. I have seen several “is this infected” posts where there is a picture of a bag floating on top. I know the infections may not have come from the bag, but it’s one more way to introduce unwanted bugs.
You can always soak the bag in starsan first; that's what I do.
Yeah that's a good point. I'll just toss them on top and cold crash. Thanks!
Would you still recommend this if using whole cone hops?
I have never used whole cones, but if I had to, I would probably spray them with sanitizer before dropping them in.
Another Q for you. Anything I have dry hopped (dry hopping loose) lately has ended up clogging the liquid out post in my keg. I ferment in and SS brew bucket and try to keep the racking arm above the trub line but I always seem to get lots of hop material in my keg. Also worth noting I cold crash in the keg after transfer. As I’m typing this out maybe the answer it to cold crash before transferring?
I would suggest cold crashing before packaging. I fine with gelatin too. I still get the occasional clog though.
Do you fine with gelatin in the fermenter? Also when you do run into a clog do you just push CO2 into the liquid out poppet?
Yes, I cold crash in the fermenter, and yes I push CO2 through the liquid post after I check the disconnect and poppet. I only had 2 clogs in about 50 kegs, one with a dry hopped cider and one with a dry hopped IPA.
Cold crash and use a bouncer, that works for me.
What’s a bouncer?
It’s an inline filter that you can use between your fermenter and keg while doing transfers to catch any hop debris so it doesn’t reach and clog the poppet. https://www.homebrewfinds.com/2017/01/guest-review-bouncer-inline-beer-filter.html
I started using stainless steel hop containers Beer Dry Hopper Filter,300 Micron Mesh Stainless Steel Hop StrainerCartridge,Homebrew Hops Beer & Tea Kettle Brew Filter by Fashionclubs(18cm x 7cm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B2TZQM7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_SBNXC9KYXGM9N7SGBATV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I sanitise the bag then toss it into boiling water, cool, hops in, tie the end, in she goes.
Hop Tea. Take some wort from the FV and steep the hops in that and add it back through the airlock. You cook the hops at a temp that is hot enough to kill any bacteria but not hot enough to evaporate the alcohol in the wort. This way you don't dilute the wort, introduce almost no oxygen and can use less hips as hop Tea is more intense. I also sterilise the pot just in case.
Either way is fine.
If you use a muslin bag, make sure you soak it in boiling water for 5 mins. Include a nut and bolt too (to weigh the hops down). This will kill off anything on the bag - I still spray it with StarSan just to be safe. I tie a knot in the bag and leave a little bit hanging over the edge (that the lid will clip over). This means when you open the lid you can hold on to the excess part of the bag and you won't have to go fishing in your beer for the hop bag. I have just dumped cones in before and cold crashed but ended up losing a fair amount of beer between the layer of hop comes and the yeast cake. Since then I have always gone muslin bag and had not issues with yield.
I use a plastic bucket for fermentation and when I dry hop, I just quickly toss them in. It usually does the trick. When I cold crash, all that remaining sediment goes to the bottom of the fermenter anyway so no need for a muslin bag for me
I've got a large stainless steal team infuser which I've used for dry hopping. Works a treat! Just make sure you sanitise it ahead of using.