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Dry hopping?
Hi,
I'm on about my 7th homebrew Kit now and although I've loved every one I've started to notice a trend, most of the brews I've done aren't hoppy enough for my taste. I've heard about dry hopping but a bit scetchy on the details. On another thread it suggests adding the hops after primary fermentation, When is this? I leave my kits in the FV for about 10 days and then syfon off into pressure barrel, would it be ok to add the hops to the FV after 5 days then leave it for another 5 before syfoning off into pressure barrel? I'm not to keen on putting the hops into the actual presure barrel.
Does the hops need to be steralised with boiling water or can it just be thrown in straight form the pack?
also could you give suggestions on which hops to buy for say,
1) citrusy taste
2) Fruity taste
3) just a general bitter taste
Conditioning - Woodfords Great eastern ale, Parsnip wine, Rhubarb wine.
Brewing - nothing at the minute
Planing - Coopers ginger beer, 5L turbo peach thanks to bmsleight, maybe beetroot wine if there enough spare on the alotment,

Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Member
In one of Wheelers books he says to improve a kit add about 15 grams of aroma type hops for the last few minutes of the boil & then let the wort stand for 15 to 30 minutes or so.
Take a look at the BRUPAKS GUIDE TO HOPS
Fermenting:
Maturing/Conditioning:
Drinking: Pseudo-Lager, Oatmeal stout & Shop bought stuff
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Um, I believe that dry hopping will give you aroma only. If you're after flavour you do what Hamish suggests or maybe steep some hops in hot water (around 70 degrees C) for about 10-15 minutes to make a hop tea then add it to the kit beer before pitching the yeast (minus the hops).
Or maybe just throw your hops in the can(s) when you fill it (them) with boiling water to get the rest of the concentrate out. Pour this in you FV through a strainer (sanitised).
Fermenting:
Condtioning: Twibute Clone
Drinking: 100% wheat, Fixby Gold
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks guys,
yes simon it was more flavour that I was after, the hops tea idea sounds good, could I just put the hops in a muslin cloth (tea bag style) and steep it in hot water for 15 minutes?
any suggestions on what type of hops to buy?
Conditioning - Woodfords Great eastern ale, Parsnip wine, Rhubarb wine.
Brewing - nothing at the minute
Planing - Coopers ginger beer, 5L turbo peach thanks to bmsleight, maybe beetroot wine if there enough spare on the alotment,
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi C2
you will get (some) flavour from dry hopping (as well as smell). Take a look at that hop guide above, I'd suggest something like fuggles, williamette, bramling cross etc. Go for low alpha.
When I dry hop, I use muslin bag - boil it for 5 mins to sterilize it, add your hops straight from the packet, tie the muslin and bung it in the secondary right after racking from the primary. You can sterilize some marbles (or some such thing), put them in the bag too and it will weigh it down. If you do this, tie some (sterilized) string to the bag too so you can lift it out and to keep it a little way off the bottom of the FV.
Good luck, get some lovely smells and subtle flavours!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
just seen this, thought you may find it useful. I'm certainly going to try soaking aroma and 'dry' hops next brew!
click me
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Very interesting stuff. I was told by one of the main chaps at Hop Merchant Charles Faram not to store hops in the freezer for that very reason and the best place to store them was in the fridge.
I going to employ Grahams technique for soaking the aroma hops prior to adding to the kettle as that does make sense and he certainly know's his stuff.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Yes, he does indeed and I'll definitely try soaking the aroma hops first .. should be interesting as I'm planning on 50g or aroma next brew!
I've thought about putting the hops in the 'fridge but I can usually only brew once a month and I don't know how long they will last in the 'fridge...? I have hops in the freezer that have been in there over a year ... I'm hoping that they'll last even longer!
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
cheers guys this gives me lots to think about over the next few days.
Conditioning - Woodfords Great eastern ale, Parsnip wine, Rhubarb wine.
Brewing - nothing at the minute
Planing - Coopers ginger beer, 5L turbo peach thanks to bmsleight, maybe beetroot wine if there enough spare on the alotment,
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