Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: "Wet Hopping"  (Read 3587 times)

Offline alfredo

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Beer brings people together
"Wet Hopping"
« on: March 01, 2014, 11:02:53 am »
Hi
I am a newbie and I am considering a “dry hopping”, but I have some concerns about using hop bags (sanitization) or just dropping the pellets  in a secondary (or primary).
What do you thing about the following method to add hop aroma to the beer:
1.   Boil water in a Erlenmeyer flask (resulting ~ 200 ml)
2.   Chill it (68-80 F) , maybe adding a little bit of alcohol (pure or vodka)
3.   Drop your favorite hop pellets in it
4.   Cover the opening with a sanitized foil and let it settle for a few days
5.   Pour the liquid (living most of the sediment or precipitate behind) in the bottling bucket, with the inverted sugar used for carbonation, or in the primary fermenter for a couple days when most of the fermentation is over, like a “Dry”  Hopping”.
Thank you

Offline fmader

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1675
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2014, 11:07:22 am »
Ummm sounds complicated. Save yourself the time and just toss your hops into the fermenter after the primary fermentation and the yeast has dropped out. No fears of contamination.
Frank

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2014, 11:10:47 am »
Hi
I am a newbie and I am considering a “dry hopping”, but I have some concerns about using hop bags (sanitization) or just dropping the pellets  in a secondary (or primary).
What do you thing about the following method to add hop aroma to the beer:
1.   Boil water in a Erlenmeyer flask (resulting ~ 200 ml)
2.   Chill it (68-80 F) , maybe adding a little bit of alcohol (pure or vodka)
3.   Drop your favorite hop pellets in it
4.   Cover the opening with a sanitized foil and let it settle for a few days
5.   Pour the liquid (living most of the sediment or precipitate behind) in the bottling bucket, with the inverted sugar used for carbonation, or in the primary fermenter for a couple days when most of the fermentation is over, like a “Dry”  Hopping”.
Thank you

Unnecessary, complicated and poor results.  Brewers have been using hop bags or just putting the dry hops in the beer for hundreds of years.  Don't overthink it.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2014, 11:20:00 am »
When I dry hop in the keg I first put the muslin hop socks in the rice cooker and steam "autoclave" them for about 30 minutes. Might not be necessary but it makes me feel better. Never  know where a hop sock has been.
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline Alewyfe

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 493
  • Fighting for Truth, Justice & Home Brew
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2014, 11:44:49 am »
My hop bags are utterly disgusting looking. Many, many batches of beer under their drawstrings. I toss 'em in a bowl of Star San for a few minutes, wring 'em out then add the hops, a weight and toss 'em into the fermenter or keg, where ever I want the hops. Seriously.....never a problem.  I even (shame on me) neglected to clean them immediately after use one time and they molded. Scraped the mold off, washed and bleached the bags and I continue to use them.

I would never worry about contamination of a beer just through adding hops...remember, when dry hopping there's alcohol in there already and the hops are recognized as having antibacterial properties.
Diane
Roseburg, Oregon
Member: Umpqua Valley Brewers Guild
             Cascade Brewers Society
             AHA

"Have no fear of perfection...you'll never reach it" ~Salvador Dali

"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up? Definitely optional!"

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2014, 12:14:31 pm »
I use muslin bags for dry hops and just toss 'em after I use them. 
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2014, 12:18:49 pm »
I use muslin bags for dry hops and just toss 'em after I use them.

same here
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified

Offline Alewyfe

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 493
  • Fighting for Truth, Justice & Home Brew
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2014, 12:30:57 pm »
I use muslin bags for dry hops and just toss 'em after I use them. 

OK, we're even. You win pragmatic and I win cheap. xxx
Diane
Roseburg, Oregon
Member: Umpqua Valley Brewers Guild
             Cascade Brewers Society
             AHA

"Have no fear of perfection...you'll never reach it" ~Salvador Dali

"Growing old is mandatory. Growing up? Definitely optional!"

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11320
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2014, 12:47:48 pm »
I just dump pellets right in. No need for hop sock. But when I used to use hop socks, I boiled them first. But the hops - those are naturally antiseptic. I don't think anyone is losing batches of beer due to contamination from dry hopping. So RAHAHB!

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27070
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2014, 01:21:17 pm »
I use muslin bags for dry hops and just toss 'em after I use them. 

OK, we're even. You win pragmatic and I win cheap. xxx

I'm still fairly cheap.  IIRC, the bags are about 35 cents each.  You're environmentally correct, though!  :)
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline dcb

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 134
  • Num, me vexo?
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2014, 09:27:51 pm »
Save yourself the time and just toss your hops into the fermenter after the primary fermentation and the yeast has dropped out. No fears of contamination.

Just to be clear:  you dump them right in the bucket?   I've worked out that the mantra around here is to skip the secondary except for adding fruit and (I thought) dry hopping.  This thread sounds more like "chuck 'em in the bucket" to me.

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2014, 09:51:01 pm »
If you want to keep the yeast, rack to secondary then add the dry hops. If you don't care to keep the yeast, throw em' in when the beer is done and the yeast drops. I do both pretty evenly.

Offline fmader

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1675
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2014, 11:26:59 pm »
If you want to keep the yeast, rack to secondary then add the dry hops. If you don't care to keep the yeast, throw em' in when the beer is done and the yeast drops. I do both pretty evenly.
^^^^This is the ticket. I personally rack my IPAs into a secondary onto the dry hops. Many do it this way and many dry hop in the primary upon completion of fermentation. This has been debated a zillion times on this forum. I reuse my yeast so I move the beer, if I didn't, I'd probably dry hop in the primary. Whether you bag your hops or not, I think it's really personal preference. You will figure out what works the best for you... I don't think making a hop/vodka concoction will be it for ya though  :P
Frank

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2014, 05:24:25 am »
I dry hop with sanitized stainless steel tea balls - the kind used to brew loose tea with.  Just remember hat the pellet hops expand greatly - I don't put a full ounce of pellets in the ball and have used up to 4 balls in a real hoppy dry hopped IPA.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline alfredo

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 4
  • Beer brings people together
Re: "Wet Hopping"
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2014, 08:40:12 am »
Thanks for the feedback, guys!