15 replies to this topic

[ChefLamont]

A few days ago I went to dry hop my second keg of zombie dist clone. It has been in the keg for a little while under just enough pressure to keep the lid sealed. So I went to put the stainless dry hopper in the keg (love that thing) and WOOOOSH.  There was a beer volcano. No exaggeration, I lost about a gallon of beer in the eruption.  I was not happy and said a lot of bad words. 

 

What do yall do to prevent such things.  I know I could have vented the keg a bit before doing it, but I dont think that would have helped a lot.

[MakeMeHoppy]

right venting the keg just clears the head pressure, it would not stop the volcano. I would have suggested quicked putting the lid back on the keg if possible.

 

 

sorry for your loss!

[positiveContact]

I just put the hops in very carefully and I haven't had this issue.

 

sorry for your loss!

 

[neddles]

I would put the hops and hopper in the keg before transferring the beer to the keg next time. The other benefit from this is that you can purge both the keg and the hops themselves of O2 before moving the beer in there.

[ChefLamont]

Yea it was 3 oz of leaf hops in one of the things below.  Just getting the device in there and the hops wetted so simple displacement didnt force beer out took some time and that made the volcano gods angry.

 

[HVB]

off topic but I have started to use that device different than intended. I have made it so it surrounds the dip tube and add the hops to the keg.  Much more surface area contact.

 

I have never had a volcano like you did, I would not have been happy for sure.  What PSI do you think the beer was carbonated to at this point? 

[positiveContact]

off topic but I have started to use that device different than intended. I have made it so it surrounds the dip tube and add the hops to the keg.  Much more surface area contact.

 

I have never had a volcano like you did, I would not have been happy for sure.  What PSI do you think the beer was carbonated to at this point? 

 

how is that working?

[ChefLamont]

off topic but I have started to use that device different than intended. I have made it so it surrounds the dip tube and add the hops to the keg.  Much more surface area contact.

 

I have never had a volcano like you did, I would not have been happy for sure.  What PSI do you think the beer was carbonated to at this point? 

 

 

No idea. I probably purged it with ~10 psi and then hit it with the same.  So whatever it ended fermentation with plus a little.  In retrospect, I should have chilled it before dryhopping it.  That would have probably helped.  Basement is ~58-60 right now, but 30-something would have been a little better at keeping the CO2 in solution.

 

Interesting idea on the dip tube thing.  Also interested in how it is working.

[positiveContact]

No idea. I probably purged it with ~10 psi and then hit it with the same.  So whatever it ended fermentation with plus a little.  In retrospect, I should have chilled it before dryhopping it.  That would have probably helped.  Basement is ~58-60 right now, but 30-something would have been a little better at keeping the CO2 in solution.

 

Interesting idea on the dip tube thing.  Also interested in how it is working.

 

ah - that could be the difference.  I've always done this with beer that's already cold.

[HVB]

how is that working?

 

Interesting idea on the dip tube thing.  Also interested in how it is working.

 

Very good for me.  I have done it with pellets , 4-5 oz in the keg and did not have any "floaters" in the beer and the hop aroma was very good.  I am trying it with dry right now and will give a follow up on how that works but I can not imagine it will be much different.

 

Picture of the set up.

 

httpss://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vbdbEz99XoI/VORS8aBXloI/AAAAAAAAIN0/B5GQ3zzPErA/w487-h866-no/0217151849b.jpg

 

httpss://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Siro05emN-E/VMmxhekIymI/AAAAAAAAHzM/V8fz1ElkY3Q/w487-h866-no/0128151847a.jpg

[positiveContact]

where do you get the tea ball thing that goes on top?

[HVB]

where do you get the tea ball thing that goes on top?

The peoples republic of Walmart.  Fit perfect.

[positiveContact]

The peoples republic of Walmart.  Fit perfect.

 

cool, pretty cheap then?  how do you drill the hole without wrecking it?

[HVB]

cool, pretty cheap then?  how do you drill the hole without wrecking it?

2.48 + Tax - https://www.walmart....a-Ball/16565411

 

As for the hole, I started by just making a small slit in the mesh and pushed the dip tube through, made another slit on teh bottom where it wanted to come out and that is it.  I planned on using an o-ring to keep it in place but so far I have not needed it.  Maybe as I use it more I will need it.

[positiveContact]

2.48 + Tax - https://www.walmart....a-Ball/16565411

 

As for the hole, I started by just making a small slit in the mesh and pushed the dip tube through, made another slit on teh bottom where it wanted to come out and that is it.  I planned on using an o-ring to keep it in place but so far I have not needed it.  Maybe as I use it more I will need it.

 

ah - I thought you were only using half of the tea ball.  so you just have it resting in the top of the hop screen?

[HVB]

ah - I thought you were only using half of the tea ball.  so you just have it resting in the top of the hop screen?

yes, it fits right inside and makes a nice seal.