can i dry hop in primary?

MiniMoose · Post by **MiniMoose** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 4:59 pm

i dont have a secondary and wanted to try dry hopping(with pellets). can i put hops in the primary when i am filling it up with wort and water? will the pellets disintegrate and sink into the trub and not come through when i bottle? Is it an effective method of infusing hop aroma?

Cheers

Danis · Post by **Danis** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 5:03 pm

There's no problem with dry hopping into the primary. Don't worry, the pellets won't end up in your beer. However, I'd recommend not putting the hops in at the start of fermentation, as the CO2 can drive off the hop aroma that you're trying to achieve. Wait till the primary fermentation is slowing down, and then dispense with the hops.

Danzar · Post by **Danzar** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 7:02 pm

One thing to add - while Danis is right in that you shouldn't end up with hop residue in your beer, it can clog up your sediment reducer and in turn, your tap. So, when you bottle, you may find little or no flow from the tap.

I suggest you dry hop using one of those hop bags you can get from the HBS. Just boil the bag first (to kill any germs), pop your pellets in, tie with string and away you go.

Probably should boil the string too.

scanman · Post by **scanman** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 7:28 pm

Don't think I have ever drie hopped any other way but in the primary so far....

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Oct 22, 2007 9:14 pm

Yeah, you shouldn't have any real issue, but consider adding more hops than generally suggested in recipes, as the aroma is often lost during a vigourous primary.

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 6:46 pm

I dry hop in primary often. Though I always wait for the fermentation to taper off. I usually dry hop on day 7 or so and bottle 7 days later. I don't use a tea bag/sock but I strain through panty hose when bulk priming.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 8:49 pm

Do you take them off before you use them to strain?

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 8:50 pm

mobydick wrote:I dry hop in primary often. Though I always wait for the fermentation to taper off. I usually dry hop on day 7 or so and bottle 7 days later. I don't use a tea bag/sock but I strain through panty hose when bulk priming.

That's not a bad idea, hope your girl was not wearing them at the time

....oh and you sterilised the pantyhose of course

I don't mind the odd floatie in my beer

kidding.

Definitely do the pantyhose when bulk priming, that really is a great idea

or if you have a secondary fermenter to begin with, rack it and dry hop.

Cheers

Boonie

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 8:55 pm

Too slow Boonie

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 8:59 pm

Chris wrote:Too slow Boonie

And I used 2 fingers to type as well

Actually, nobody has ever told me I am too slow....

just ask my wife

mobydick · Post by **mobydick** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 10:33 pm

It's always a strain through my wifes panty hose - but yes of course I sterilize first - I'm not depraved you know

I haven't found a significant difference with racking off my beers, so I don't bother anymore. What I usually do is leave it in primary for 2 weeks, then dry hop for another 7 days, and then bulk prime (through the panty hose) and find there is very little hops in the toes of the panty hose when done. So I'm not even sure the hose is necessary. Except for my last brew, when there seemed to be quite a bit of suspended hop bits. Maybe due to a higher gravity (or thickness) allowing the chunky bits to float. It did have 500g of Crystal and 225g torrified wheat, so a bit thick maybe. Man, I hat drinking my mistakes

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 10:59 pm

Boonie wrote:Actually, nobody has ever told me I am too slow.... just ask my wife

Does she say you're too quick?

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 6:50 am

All my beers are dry hopped in primary (I never secondary). No need for a hop bag, just throw in loose & DON'T steep in water.
As some have mentioned, add the hops once primary fermentation subsides. I lift the temp of all my brews a few degrees to finish once the final gravity drops below 1020 (ales 21c lagers 18c) & this is the stage I dry hop. 3 to 7 days warm & then crash chill to 0c for 2 to 3 days before filtering/kegging.

Cheers Ross

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 8:07 am

KEG wrote:
Boonie wrote:Actually, nobody has ever told me I am too slow.... just ask my wife
Does she say you're too quick?

Saw that one coming!

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 8:09 am

So much for subtlety KEG.

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 8:30 am

where's your sense of adventure

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 8:59 am

Oh don't you start too.

Boonie · Post by **Boonie** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 12:13 pm

Kevnlis wrote:
KEG wrote:
Boonie wrote:Actually, nobody has ever told me I am too slow.... just ask my wife
Does she say you're too quick?

Saw that one coming!

My comment was tongue in cheek

Left it dangling out there, so to speak, just to get the bite......geez, that sounds rude too

where's your sense of adventure

Oh don't you start too

Gold

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 3:20 pm

nice to have some friendly banter going on

ryan · Post by **ryan** » Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 5:56 pm

so you don`t like my banter?