Dry Hopping - what do you use

[ECH]

Got one of these at Xmas last year.

http://arborfab.com/store/brewing-filters/glass-carboy-dry-hopper/

Works well, very well, however it only holds about 2.5oz of hops (provided you tap down the hop pellets to compact them a bit). While dry hopping my Amber Rye IPA, I filled it full of Mosaic (plan was 2oz of Mosaic and 1oz of Zythos for 7 days), since it would only hold about 2.5oz, I filled it completely with Mosaic, figuring I would fish it out to empty and put some Zythos in it.

That proved to be futile as there is no fishing it out without 1. either making a mess, or 2. screwing up the beer.

And since my wife has said no to any more equipment purchases until Xmas (unless it is an emergency), then I will have to wait to get more of these at Xmas.

So...what do you use to dry hop your beers in a carboy? I had some left over steeping bags from beer kits that specialty grain went in, I just soaked them down with sanitizer, added the hops, rolled and squeezed through the top of the carboy. Figured since I couldn't get the tube out, that I could add more hops than what the tube held, so another 2oz of Zythos, and 1.5oz of Mosaic (approx.), and will leave it for another week.

Anything else one can use to make it easier to insert dry hops? Don't want to just drop them in for obvious reasons.

I suppose many of you with kegs don't have this problem as it is a much bigger opening in a keg to drop a steeping bag full of hops into the beer, but us mere mortals that still bottle don't have much choice!!

[jamie_savoie]

If it's an apa, ipa or any really hoppy beer I just add the pellets to the beer without any bag.  After a week, I cold crash it and rack

If it's something with only 1 or 2 oz of DH I do it in the keg in a piece of stocking from the dollarstore with some marble in it to make it sink, and tied with a dental floss around the handle

[robcoombs]

I dry hop heavily for all my IPA's or anything hoppy really. I'm just getting into kegging but I always just sanitized a funnel and added directly to carboy. They generally all drop out within a week or so. Transfer carefully before bottling and any small amount of hops that get through will fall when the bottle cold crashes in teh fridge. I've hopped as much as 8oz in a 5 gal batch and I never get hops when pouring into my glass. Maybe I'm just lazy but I don't see the payoff using a bag, just extra work IMO, and obviously it has its limitations.

[Roger]

I do the same as @jamie_savoie and @robcoombs I tried using all kinds of devices to keep them out but to be honest most were a waste of time they almost always just drop to the bottom anyways. I do sometimes put a little filter screen  on my racking cane but that's only when there's lots of hops.

[brew]

Yeah if I have a lot of hops in the primary I might rack to the keg through a paint strainer beg...

[DandyMason]

If you can cold crash, I find that more than enough to drop out dryhops before kegging.

[HappyHax0r]

Of all the things I've had to worry about with beer, having the hops drop out isn't one.

The easiest way I've found to go about it is to add your hops to your carboy, resan the stopper and airlock and re-seal it. Then wait for a bit.

As you get close to the end of your dry hopping schedule I find that keeping it cold (cold crashing is something I always do with all my beers even when not dry hopping as it helps clarify them), and giving it a slight shake every now and again helps with having any hop matter sink to the bottom of your beer, especially if dry hopping using pellets.

Once the top is relatively hop free simply rack it carefully keeping the trub on the bottom and any mild hop scum on the top. (IE don't rack that slight scum if there's any on the top).

Generally my beers come out close to crystal clear, and if i'm dry hopping they have a nice hop presence.

No gimmicks, no gear. The best thing to clear a beer is time and temperature, the only tool you need is a calendar.

[HappyHax0r]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/happyhax0r/shares/31UUg2

See here for a couple of clarity examples of what can be achieved simply by letting it sit.

[ECH]

Thanks!

No way to cold crash it unfortunately other than taking everything out of the fridge, and I think my better half would have something to say about that.

But cool, next time I won't bother with the bags if I am over the tube capacity. Tube does work well, and keeps the hops all neat and tidy, just only holds so much hops.

On a brighter note, my hop plants (2nd year) are loaded with flowers. Hope to have enough Chinook and Fuggles to use in a batch or 2 this year!

[blisster]

I've got the same dry hopper... I only use it for dry hopping directly in the keg now and don't bother using it in the carboys at all.. I found no benefit from using it if you are careful when racking the beer out.

How do you clean the hops out of it?  They are pain to clean when they get tight full.. Garden hose with full pressure seems to be the only way?

[ECH]

I've got the same dry hopper... I only use it for dry hopping directly in the keg now and don't bother using it in the carboys at all.. I found no benefit from using it if you are careful when racking the beer out.

How do you clean the hops out of it?  They are pain to clean when they get tight full.. Garden hose with full pressure seems to be the only way?

Yeah, can be a PITA to get out sometimes. Basically squeeze/gently beat the tar out of the sides of it to get the hops moving. Wife doesn't like me doing it in the kitchen garbage can, but the bonus is if your garbage is smelling particularly bad, the hops will cover the smell of the garbage.

I am sure the 2.5oz of pellets I put in it this time will be a pain to get out, as I had to tamp down on it, to get those hops to fit.

I guess the benefit would be that you don't have to worry about being careful with the carboy when moving it.

[robcoombs]

I've never used one of these strainers. But have you tried splitting a batch, one with the strainer, the other without. To see if you notice any difference between the two?

I wonder if the hops do as good a job if they're packed so tightly? Are you getting the most out of those dry hop additions?