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Dry hopping and sanitizing.

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  • 03-11-2013 3:18pm
    #1
    dylbert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭


    I started a John Bull IPA kit last night, it's fermenting away nicely now at 20°c.
    I'm thinking of experimenting with dry hopping. The plan is to wait for fermentation to stop, rack half the brew to secondary, add hops and leave for a week before bottling, gonna use 20g of Cascade in a muslin bag.
    Does this seem like a good plan, is it better to use pellets or leaf, whats the best way to store the leftover hops?

    I have another question about sanitizing. I usually use the bleach and vinegar method, fill up my fermenter and soak all the equipment I need for brewing oor bottling, if I just need to sanitize one piece of equipment what should I use?

    Cheers


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    #2
    BeerNut
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,848 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    dylbert wrote: »
    Does this seem like a good plan
    It does.
    dylbert wrote: »
    is it better to use pellets or leaf
    Leaf is easier to manage, I find.
    dylbert wrote: »
    whats the best way to store the leftover hops?
    Seal them and freeze them.
    dylbert wrote: »
    if I just need to sanitize one piece of equipment what should I use?
    The same. For small bits I use 7L of water in a stockpot with 10mls each of bleach and vinegar.

    My beer blog | The Twitter | My other beer blog



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    #3
    Turpentine
    Registered Users Posts: 702 ✭✭✭Turpentine


    BeerNut wrote: »
    dylbert wrote: »
    is it better to use pellets or leaf

    Leaf is easier to manage, I find.

    Leaf hops suck up a lot of the beer though.

    Surely if you're syphoning off, or even just pouring from fermenter spigot, pellet hops shouldn't pose much more of a foe, but at the same time leaving you with a bit more beer?

    Please enlighten BeerNut, I myself have just dry-hopped with pellets for the first time, and you've given me the heebeejeebees. Anything I should be looking out for, or god forbid, worried about?


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    #4
    oblivious
    Registered Users Posts: 4,381 ✭✭✭oblivious


    Turpentine wrote: »
    I myself have just dry-hopped with pellets for the first time, and you've given me the heebeejeebees. Anything I should be looking out for, or god forbid, worried about?

    A they are pelletised and they can turn to mush when they absorb beer. They should generally sink to the bottom of the fermenter, just try to avoid the sludge when racking you beer


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    #5
    BaZmO*
    Registered Users Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    dylbert wrote: »
    I have another question about sanitizing. I usually use the bleach and vinegar method, fill up my fermenter and soak all the equipment I need for brewing oor bottling, if I just need to sanitize one piece of equipment what should I use?

    Cheers
    BeerNut wrote: »
    The same. For small bits I use 7L of water in a stockpot with 10mls each of bleach and vinegar.


    If it's only a small piece of equipment just stick it in some boiling water and you'll be grand.


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    #6
    BeerNut
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,848 Mod ✭✭✭✭BeerNut


    Turpentine wrote: »
    Please enlighten BeerNut, I myself have just dry-hopped with pellets for the first time, and you've given me the heebeejeebees.
    The important phrase in my post was "I find". If you find different, then go for it. There's no reason I know of not to dry hop with pellets.

    My beer blog | The Twitter | My other beer blog



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    #7
    dylbert
    Registered Users Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭dylbert


    I've decided to scrap the idea of dry hopping this kit, instead I'm gonna bottle it ASAP and try an extract next.

    I've been reading up on small batch extracts, I live in an apartment so I'll be doing the boil on my hob, I don't have a chiller so I'll do that in the sink with ice, planning on doing either 5lt or 10lt.

    Any recommendations for a good recipe to start out with, I'd like to try an American IPA or maybe a stout?

    Thanks, I'm sure i'll have loads more questions about this.


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