I also throw in a few stainless steel nuts and bolts to get the hop filter to sink when using whole cone hops.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip! - John

I like to dry hop with whole leaf. Unfortunately, the small keg spider will only hold 1 - 1 1/2 oz whole leaf, and then floats like a boat. Definitely works great for pellets, though! I've also used it for fruit additions. Puree the frozen fruit in a blender and pour it right on into the spider. No worrying about seeds or pulp.

@andrewlutton4684

5 жыл бұрын

Nice idea for the fruit.

@jesseh9600

5 жыл бұрын

I've used it with whole leaf hops and managed to shove 3 oz of hops into it, you just gotta keep compacting them down as you're adding them.

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

I use a false bottom in my kettle when I am using whole hops. I'd switch to whole hops all the time if I could get the variety and freshness stability like I get with pellets. Cheers! -Mike

I have something similar to the middle thing, i use during the boil. My volume is barely below the edge of it, its more suited to batches smaller than 5 gal, but it works. And then larger grain bags for BIAB and that's it. Hence my issues with having to decide between loose hops vs convenience. I really worried about the sanitary and surface area issues of using a big bag to dry hop so i just tossed pellets in and cut the dip tube on my keg to deal with the resulting plug ups, as i explained. The plus, i can now use the small mesh bag with no worries! Definitely going to get one of the smaller solutions you show here. No more plug ups like my recent NEIPA! Thanks for this vid, really timely and helpful, maybe i was one of the inspiring comments haha. Cheers.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Cheers man! Thanks for the input! -Mike

Thanks guys, was helpful.

@BrewDudes

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the support! -Mike

We use the basket for the kettle as well and have also wondered if it has affected our hop usage. We have tried many methods for capturing debris and this seems to work best. We have a mesh filter on the out of our kettle and if we don't use the basket that filter gets completely clogged when draining. We use a pump and plate chiller so we are also trying to keep debris out. Also tried a false bottom in the kettle but debris seemed to find its way right around that.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Maybe try the recirc of hot wort into the basket. I have a pretty simple view of it. If I felt like I had poor utilization but the basket was necessary for the use of the chiller... I'd just add more hops. Eventually I'd know that I need X% more hops than a recipe calls for to get the same utilization as free form hops. I have a false bottom in my kettle too, but its in there for when I use whole hops. I just don't take it out ever. It catches some debris but not much. Its not designed for that obviously. -Mike

I have the exact same hop spider. It's a pain to get max utilization when I'm using more than 250 grams of hops (~9oz). I'm doing 100 lt batches (~26 US gallons) and 1-1.2 lbs. is the most hops I've used in the spider. It required stirring and lifting/draining it every 5 minutes to come close to the IBU profile I usually get without using it. Adding more hops will not help with utilization as many suggest, in fact, it will make things worse. Best solution is to stir frequently (lift and drain a bit if using a lot of hops). My mistake was that I ordered the 300 micron one instead of the 400. It's still a great investment when doing big batches with a plate chiller. EDIT: I have tried to recapture the free-floating hops with the pump at the end of the boil. It didn't work as I hoped. Eventually the hop spider began clogging because of the outside suction, then it started to overflow. The plate chiller can stand up to 100-150 grams of hops in the wort without any severe clogging, anything above it will clog it, even with proper whirpooling (but that's for my big batches).

@BrewDudes

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Alan - appreciate the insight!

I find leaf hops are best in the dry hop/keg hopping inside the stainless steel keg hopper because some particles of hops pass through the 300 micron mesh and leave a bit grassy taste. Also why not tie the hop spider to the desired hight in the boil with simple cotton string, you can even sanitise the string but it shouldn't come in contact with the beer.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the input. I looked at a hop spider but my kettle was too tall to make it practical. I also find it easier to clean the all stainless mesh basket thing. I never enjoyed cleaning the bags. Cheers! -Mike

Great video! Always wondered how to minimize plant matter going into wort. Been on the Hazy wagon trying to nail down a 8% balanced Hazy and the cylinder in the keg look like the best idea. Yeast recommendation for 8% Hazy???

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

I like the cylinder. I would recommend using two if you want to go more than 4oz of dry hop. Or be very diligent inverting and rolling the keg occasionally. I have seen some dry pockets of hops come out of the cylinder in the past when I don't work to get it to mix well. Cheers! -Mike

I have one of those smaller filters that I have never used. I read somewhere that a guy has one he put into a keg with the dip tube in the filter and leaves the hops in the keg, outside of the filter. I want to try doing it both ways.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Give it a try! - John

I bought the smaller hop spider (?) off eBay for $20 Cdn. Use it in the boil cause when I drop in the immersion cooler it fits down the centre. I've also used it to dry hop.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Sounds like there are cheaper options out there. AKA Mike got hosed. - John

Hey who is the other bearded guy? Hahah! Great vids!

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Just another dude! CHEERS! -Mike

I think the big hop spider has that metal thing the whole way is so that one can use it as a handle. Say at the end of the boil, you can use it to lift the hop spider out of the kettle.

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

That makes sense. Although I don't really pull it out until I'm done. Thanks for the comment. Cheers! -Mike

Great info! You should see my bag lol Cheers

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Ha - you're talking about your hops bag, right? - John

@oldschoolman1444

4 жыл бұрын

Ha Ha, nobody wants to see your bag! =)

Does this replace dry hopping in the fermentor or is it in addition too the fermenter dry hopping?

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

I dry hop in the fermentor too. I am still experimenting with which I like best or whether a combo of the two works. I think it depends on the hop and the style of beer. -Mike

For what length of time do the hops remain in the kegs? In the vid, it's mentioned that it's there till kicking, without referencing whether it's days or weeks.

@BrewDudes

2 жыл бұрын

Well at my house that can be a very long time. I don't have time I wait before I start drinking it if that makes more sense. The point is that, in this video, I don't remove the dry hops from the keg once they are in. Some people like that some don't. I am still on the fence with it. Since this video first presented, I've really been doing 3-4 heave dry hoppping in the fermentor and not adding any to the keg. I am trying to really avoid that extra vegetal hop bite by having the hops in contact with the beer too long. Its an evolutionay process for me. Hope that helps. Cheers! -Mike

Thanks

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Any reason you can't use the smaller screen in your boil ? I was going to pick up one for that rather than the larger one with brackets.

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

Most definitely could use it. As long as there is plenty room for the hops to swim around utilization shouldn't suffer. A larger screen helps control for that. Cheers! -Mike

You can get the hop screens (drop in keg one) for $10-15 at walmart online.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip - John

@tman9338

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!! I usually cook 15 to 20 gal batches and this looks like a great idea

@tman9338

4 жыл бұрын

Mike D link or description? Looking for 3 and $40 bucks each sounds pricey

Nice guys! Do you believe the low temperature I suppose you keep the keg reduces the overall oil extraction? I'm trying to compare the intensity of the aroma if DH right after fermentation (20 ~ 25°C) versus at low temperature in the keg...

@andrewlutton4684

5 жыл бұрын

Would love to know what you find out.

@jesseh9600

5 жыл бұрын

I usually cold crash the beer then keg it with hop cylinder filled with dry hops and then let it come back up to room temp. and stay there for at least 2 days with c02 pressure on it, then crash it back down while continuing to carbonate. Has been working out nicely for me, but i've never tried just straight up cold extraction, I imagine it would be a slower process to extract those aromas you're looking for.

@MarcoAlexandreGarcia

5 жыл бұрын

@@jesseh9600 that makes total sense, specially because if oil extraction happens under CO2 pressure it seems to me that nothing would be loosen, but of course one must be extremely careful to avoid oxigen, since oxidation happens much faster at higher temperatures

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

I'm sure the extraction is less at cooler temps. There is also a lot of "research" and debate over making different DH charges at different temps for different effects. That said, DH'ing in the keg like this seems to work for me. Could it be better maybe, but I have also discovered that if I want more hop character I just use more hops. Pretty straightforward thinking there. I'll have to leave the keg at room temp for a couple days next time I dry hop before I put the keg in the fridge and see. -Mike

@MarcoAlexandreGarcia

5 жыл бұрын

@@BrewDudes tks Mike, I'll keep following you guys to check the results ;-)

Any concern about oxygen when you hop drop? Was wondering if you can place it in a purged co2 keg then fill...

@jesseh9600

5 жыл бұрын

Thought, i would share my method real quick. I picked it up from watching Mike Tonsmeire's youtube video. But I fill the hop cylinder then drop it into a sanitized keg, cap it, then purge / bleed off 5 full times to eliminate oxygen as much as possible. Then i do a closed transfer from Speidel carboy through the dip tube of the keg while leaving the pressure relief valve open to allow a nice flow. While doing this i'll also put a slow flow of c02 through the top of the carboy just for extra precaution. I've noticed a definite improvement in the aroma of my hoppy stuff since employing this method. Cheers!

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

For delicate super hopped beers like NEIPA (or just any IPA) I do the same thing... push out a keg full of sanitizer with CO2. I accept I little displacement of CO2 for air when I use this hop cylinder thing. But I then purge/burp the keg with CO2 couple more times. I add the cylinder though after I have put the beer in. That way as I slowly lower the cylinder in there is less Air than if I opened the purged keg, dropped in the cylinder with hops and air in it, burped then transferred in the beer. Does that make sense? CHEERS! -Mike

Are you worried about the bottom mesh of the screen you use when boiling will burn when you put it on the bottom of your kettle? I purchased one but my brew kettle is too short so I can’t hang it on the side. I figured the bottom mesh would burn if I put it on the bottom of my kettle during the boil. Thanks!

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Are you referring to Mike's stainless screen or John's hop bag? The stainless screen should be fine on the bottom of the kettle and the hops dance around enough that they don't really sit on the bottom. I've used it for many batches and I don't have a burning problem. I believe John has said he hasn't had a problem with that sack in the boil either. Hope that helps. -Mike

@artvandelay660

5 жыл бұрын

Brew Dudes Thanks for the reply, that helps a lot! I was referring to your stainless screen. I’ll put it on the bottom of my kettle the next time I brew.

If you're a patient person , you can order a keg hop filter from China for about 10£ . Another thing, you can drill a hole in your filter lid for your dip/out tube to go in too, then you can just have your hops free in the keg. works great an I find i get better utilisation ...

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

What about dry hopping in a carboy? Hop bag will get stuck...and I bottle condition. Suggestions?

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

You can use a hop bag tied to non-waxed dental floss in a carboy. Remove it once you are done bottling. - John

@penguin12902

4 жыл бұрын

@@BrewDudes How do you get it back out? Won't the hop bag swell up bigger than the neck of the carboy? I was worried I'd never get it back out without tearing it...

@BrewDudes

4 жыл бұрын

@@penguin12902 If you get a fine mesh bag made of nylon, it should not tear. After dry hopping, the hop pellets are mushy and you should be able to pull the bag out. - John

@penguin12902

4 жыл бұрын

@@BrewDudes Awesome, thanks! I'll try that on the IPA i have going now...dry hopping it Saturday with come citra!

You say you dry hopped in the keg but didn't remove the hop filter or the hop sack until it was kicked. How long are we talking about here? Can I leave the hops in too long? I may not be drinking as aggressively as you are ;) REPLY

@copsarebastards

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah i would be interested to hear this too. My neipa i killed in less than a week but my other beers chill for maybe a month or a lil less.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

My last batch of NEIPA didn't last long. 5-10 days. One could wonder whether I got much hop character out of my DH in that batch with it being processed and drank so quickly. I had a small amber beer that I DH'ed this way and it sat for several weeks (4-6 weeks) as I drank it slowly. I was concerned it would get grassy, but strangely enough it didn't. (2oz of pellets in that example). As you can see in some other comments grassy/vegetal is a concern, but maybe because I am doing it cold the whole time that effect is minimized. I think some experiments are needed to weed it out. And by experiments I just mean I'll have to brew more beers and just keep dry hopping until I have enough experience with it to really know something definitive. Cheers! -Mike

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

I left my hop bag in the keg with 2 ounces of hop pellets for over a month. No ill effects. - John

@MrThesem

5 жыл бұрын

@@BrewDudes Thanks guys. Your experience seems to match Marshall's experiment over at Brulosophy. Seems dry hopping in a cold keg is the ticket. brulosophy.com/2016/06/27/warm-dry-hop-vs-cold-keg-hop-exbeeriment-results/

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

Yep - Glad our findings matched Marshall's. - John

Its like I giant tea infuser.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

That's right! - John

You can grab a hop filter for kegs for $25 online www.homebrewing.org/Sale-Items_c_21.html Also, do you find that dryhopping in the keg gives too much of a floral/melon flavor. This has been my experience, although I’ve only used whole cone citra or amarillo.

@BrewDudes

5 жыл бұрын

I don't understand too much hop flavor? Seriously, I don't think I get too much character whenI leave the hops in like this. Maybe its the cold temps... -Mike