(Last Updated On: September 21, 2018)

Dry Hopping has long been a way for brewers to add more hop aroma to their beers. But if you want your kegged homebrew beer to be bursting with hop aroma, I recommend Keg Hopping – Adding hops to the keg of finished beer!

In this article, I’m going to show you how to increase hop aroma through keg hopping: A great replacement for (or addition to) traditional dry hopping methods.

What is Keg Hopping

As I mentioned, traditional dry hopping is a method homebrewers have been employing for decades to impart an extra burst of hop aroma to their beers.

Adding a dry hop charge into a keg of homebrew has also been a somewhat common practice for a while, but it is not not nearly as widespread as traditional dry hopping.

Keg Hopping is a great way to impart more of that great hop aroma and flavor for the entire lifespan of the kegged beer. I like that.

Traditional Dry Hopping

Dry hopping originated as a way to increase hop flavor and aroma without increasing perceived bitterness.

This works because the Alpha Acids in hops become isomerized during the boil, which contributes to bitterness.

The longer the hops are exposed to temperatures above the isomerization point, the more bitterness is extracted.

In addition, the longer hops are boiled, the more compounds contributing to flavor and aroma are boiled off.

By adding hops to low temperature beer, we are able to preserve the precious volatile oils and compounds in the hops that contribute to flavor and aroma without adding significant perceivable bitterness.

Traditionally, an extra dose of hops is added to either the primary or secondary fermenter, AFTER the bulk of fermentation is complete.

The reason for waiting until fermentation is done is to help prevent CO2 outgassing from scrubbing away the delicious hop flavor and aroma the dry hop charge imparts to the beer.

Why Try Keg Hopping?

When it comes to modern IPAs and hop-forward styles, the trend is to maximize hop deliciousness without introducing too much bitterness.

Keg hopping is an excellent way to achieve this, and there are a number of methods homebrewers are using.

Advantages

Fresh hop flavor and aroma till the keg is kicked

till the keg is kicked Less aroma lost to CO2 outgassing vs traditional dry hopping in primary or secondary

to CO2 outgassing vs traditional dry hopping in primary or secondary More hoppiness . Hoppiness = happiness.

. Hoppiness = happiness. Multiple methods available

Drawbacks

Slight potential for increased risk of infection . While the hops themselves are generally safe to add to finished beer, if you are using a hop sack or other apparatus to contain the hops, they must be properly sanitized.

. While the hops themselves are generally safe to add to finished beer, if you are using a hop sack or other apparatus to contain the hops, they must be properly sanitized. Potential for oxidization . This is minimized if you add the keg hops at the time of packaging. If you have already packaged the beer and are adding keg hops later, make sure to properly purge the keg headspace with CO2 before closing it back up for good.

. This is minimized if you add the keg hops at the time of packaging. If you have already packaged the beer and are adding keg hops later, make sure to properly purge the keg headspace with CO2 before closing it back up for good. Potential for more haziness in the beer. For a style like NEIPA, no problem. But if you are a ‘clear beer freak’, the extra hop charge may induce some additional haziness.

How To Dry Hop In The Keg

Considerations

The key to successful keg hopping is to allow the hops as much surface area in contact with the beer as possible.

At the same time, simply adding the hops with no containment can lead to hop matter in the glass, clogged posts and faucets, etc.

The best bet is to contain the hops somehow, but allow the hops room to expand and let the kegged beer flow freely through the hops for maximum effect. I big densely packed ball of hops will not allow proper extraction.

Finally, since the hops tend to float, you need a way to make sure they are submerged in the beer, maximizing contact and flavor/aroma extraction.

Here are a few ways to get the most out of your keg hops. Each method has pros and cons, but they all have the potential to get your hop profile where you want it to be.

Using a Keg Hopper

A specialized form of hop spider, keg hopper devices are designed specifically to fit inside the corny kegs typically used by homebrewers. The design is simple but effective.

A stainless steel cylinder allows plenty of room for hops to expand as they become saturated, while many small perforations allow beer to fully penetrate the hop charge.

Inexpensive, easy to clean, an all around great option.

RECOMMENDED: Everything you need to know about hop spiders.

Using a “Tea Ball”

Have you ever seen those “ tea balls ” used for brewing tea? They are typically used to keep loose tea leaves contained while boiling tea, but the design is also a good option for dry hopping beer in a keg.

It can be hard to find a tea ball large enough to do the trick that will fit through the opening in your keg, so using two smaller tea balls can work well.

They can be a little tricky to use if your hops occupy more than a third or so of the volume of the tea ball, when dry.

Otherwise, the hops will absorb the beer and fill the entire volume of the tea ball, which can inhibit full penetration and extraction of the hops.

You can find actual ball-shaped designs that open like a clamshell, but I think the cylindrical design is a better option.

Using a Hop Bag

Another simple method involve using a nylon or muslin hop sack to contain your keg hop charge.

This method is super simple, but you will probably need to add something to the sack to keep it from floating at the top of the beer, where it is is harder for the full charge to be exposed to the beer. Ideally, you want the hops to be close to the dip tube, so that the hoppiest beer is getting pulled up while serving.

You can accomplish this by adding sanitized glass marbles, a shot glass (without any decals or paint on it of course) or other non-porous object to weigh down the hop sack.

Depending on the ‘stretchiness’ of the sack, and the size of the weave, you might want to double up on the sack to prevent hop matter from getting loose in the keg.

Some people choose to suspend the weighted hop sack in the keg using flat dental floss so the the sack doesn’t get jammed up against the bottom of the dip tube.

I’ve personally done this a number of times, and works great, though I do recommend using plenty of keg lube around the lid to prevent CO2 leaks.

Here’s a YouTube video (not mine) of a fellow suspending a hop sack in the keg using dental floss.

Using Loose Hops

Dry hopping in the keg can also be accomplished by simply adding loose hops to the keg.

This method allows great contact with the beer, as some hops will float, and some will sink.

that said, directly adding your dry hops to the keg is also by var the messiest method. Hop particulate will be rampant, and cleanup will be more of a chore.

The biggest risk with this method is the risk of clogging your serving system.

The dip tube, serving post, and faucet will all be susceptible to clogging, unless you employ a dip tube screen or other method to keep particulate matter from entering the dip tube.

Using Keg Hops AND Traditional Dry Hops

By combining both the traditional dry methods with keg hopping, you can add even more hop character to your beer than by using either method on its own.

This is becoming especially useful these days with the current trend of brewing IPAs and other hoppy styles with the intention of imparting extreme hop flavor and aroma, without nearly the level of bitterness commonly associated with these beers.

More and more often I find myself adding an extra ounce or two of pellet hops to the keg for that extra hoppy burst of aroma that comes from a freshly poured draft pint of IPA and other hop-forward styles.

Conclusion

Keg hopping is a great way to get the most out of a dry hop addition. This means more delicious, fresh hop flavor and aroma with every pour.

If you haven’t tried it yet, I recommend giving it a shot.

Found this content useful? Please use the share buttons below, or find out how you can support BrÜcrafter when you shop for homebrew gear and ingredients, at NO extra cost to you!

Related