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Author Topic: How do YOU keg hop?  (Read 6713 times)

Offline pinnah

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How do YOU keg hop?
« on: March 15, 2011, 05:43:58 am »
The ability to drink beer that is actively soaking in hops
is probably the real reason why I finally got some kegs.

So, if you do this sort of thing at your house, could you share your technique for keg hopping?
Materials and methods would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Offline mainebrewer

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2011, 05:54:56 am »
I put the hops in a mesh bag, suspend it from the keg lid with some monofilement (sp?) fishing line so that it is a few inches from the bottom of the keg. I leave the hops in for the duration, some remove them after a couple of weeks.
I put a small hose clamp around the base of the pressure relief valve on the lid and tie the fishing line to the clamp.
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Offline tomsawyer

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2011, 06:20:17 am »
I do it with orange peel.  I put the peel in a hop sock and throw it in the keg.  It eventually sinks to the bottom but I haven't had any problems with drawing out beer.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline corkybstewart

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2011, 06:29:22 am »
I use pellet hops so I put them in a sanitized hop bag, throw the bag in the keg and seal it up.  It's amazing to taste the evolution of the beer over the life of the keg.  I've read that this makes the beer taste grassy after a while but I've never experienced that at all.
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Offline pyrite

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2011, 06:36:33 am »
I use pellet hops so I put them in a sanitized hop bag, throw the bag in the keg and seal it up.  It's amazing to taste the evolution of the beer over the life of the keg.  I've read that this makes the beer taste grassy after a while but I've never experienced that at all.

Using your method with the pellet hops, do you get hop resin when you pour a beer?  Only because I've been conditioning this beer for the past week and it's now bright and clear.
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Offline bluesman

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2011, 06:45:16 am »
More often than not, I use whole hops in a muslin bag. I dry hop after cold crashing and just drop them in. They usually sink to the bottom of the keg after a few days. I often times leave them in for the duration but have removed them after a week or two as well. I want to start using a piece of teflon tape tied to the bag for easy removal.
Ron Price

Offline hamiltont

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2011, 08:50:19 am »
I use a women's white knee high nylon. I sanitize the nylon with starsan, throw in the pellet hops, tie it off and into the keg. It gets removed when the keg blows.  No off flavors and no hops particles floating around in the pint. Easy Peasy IMO! Cheers!!!
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Offline denny

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2011, 09:18:06 am »
I usually use whole hops, but not always.  I put a muslin hop bag in a bowl of water in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to sanitize it.  I put the hops in the bag and tie the bag to the diptube with a length of monofilament.
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Offline dzlater

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2011, 10:10:40 am »
Just got done doing this. Used a
tea ball for the hops and dental floss to hang it.
Dan S. from NJ

Offline Beertracker

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2011, 11:34:30 am »
Let me preface that this style of giant tea ball is no longer available through Williams-Sonoma, but I use these in my kegs. Occasionally, you can find them on e-Bay.  They are made completely out of s/s (even the chain & hook) and hold between 1-1 1/2 ozs. of dried whole hops. I often use more than one suspended from my dip tube.  ;)

   
CHEERS! Jeff
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Offline calpyro

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2011, 09:54:58 pm »
The ability to drink beer that is actively soaking in hops
is probably the real reason why I finally got some kegs.

So, if you do this sort of thing at your house, could you share your technique for keg hopping?
Materials and methods would be great.

Thanks in advance.
I have tried all of the previously mentioned ideas: bags, balls etc. However, the Surescreen: http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/catalogsearch/result/?q=surescreen&x=22&y=8
Is by far the best tool for dry hopping in the keg. It is a stainless steel mesh tube that slides over the pickup tube of the Corney Keg and allows you to put the whole hops in the keg loose. This allows for 100% immediate contact between the hops and the beer.
I have an additional technique for using whole hops. I coarsely chop whole hops in a food processor to break up the cone structure of the hops. By doing so, I further improve the hop utilization, reduce the absorption of beer and the oxygen exposure to the beer.
Give it a try. It works great.
BTW, its is only $8

beveragebob

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2011, 03:04:50 am »
ditto to last post. I also leave the keg(s) at ambient house temp ~65-75F. I've found that the warmer temps release the aromatic compounds faster for the beer to absorb. Nothing scientific mind you, just an observation over the years.

Offline redbeerman

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2011, 05:41:44 am »
I use whole hops in a mesh bag, sanitized.  Throw them in during the kegging process and leave them for the duration.  I have not had any grassiness with American C type hops, but have had issues with Hallertau, both German and US and US Goldings.  EKGs work well for English styles with no grassiness.  Do not recommend Saaz for dry hop, they do not work well.
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Jim

Offline chumley

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2011, 09:14:48 am »
Another user of knee high panty hose.  I also throw in a few sanitized marbles in the sack to get better contact sinking in the beer.  I also leave 'em in until the end of the keg.....although sometimes when the beer seems to be losing the hop aroma, I will jumper cable it into a new keg with a fresh bag of hops.

I also use whole hops, or whole hops with pellets.

Offline pinnah

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Re: How do YOU keg hop?
« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2011, 01:02:52 pm »
Super responses, thanks everyone for the knowledge. 
Life is good.

Cheers to the keg hop! 8)