Adding dried hops to your beer kit is a great way to easily customise the flavours and aromas.
The quantity and length of time differs for various hops styles, but the below gives our general recommendations.
There are two methods that we would recommend using:
Dry Hopping with beer kits
Place around 30g of dried hops into a sterilised muslin bag or similar and add to the beer mix in the primary fermenting vessel. They should be added after the initial vigorous fermentation has settled down, usually after a couple of days. The bag of dried hops can then be left in the mix for 3-5 days, depending on the intensity required. Avoid leaving the hops in for too long as some types of hops can create unpleasant flavours if left for an excessive amount of time.
Hop Tea with beer kits
Another method is to make a Hop Tea to add to your beer mix. To do this there a few different variations which all do the job.
Making a Hop Tea using the can supplied with the beer kit
Simply empty the cans of malt extract to the beer mix as normal. Then boil a kettle and fill the empty can, which will have some liquid malt left in it. Add around 30g of your chosen hops to a muslin bag and place in the boiling water. Leave for 10-15mins and remove the hop bag. Pour the infused water into the fermenting vessel and carry on as normal. The metal can will get extremely hot so care is required.
Making a Hop Tea using a pan
As above, place the hops in a muslin bag and boil in a clean pan for 10-15mins. Add the infused water to your fermenting vessel.
link to our vac packed hops:
http://www.home-brew-online.com/ingredients-c45/hops-c226
Comments
Bitter: Goldings, Progress
Barley Wine: Goldings, Hallertau, Progress
Lager: Saaz, Hallertau, Progress
Pale Ale: Goldings, Hallertau
Mild: Fuggles, Northern Brewer, Progress
Brown Ale: Northern Brewer, Fuggles
Stout: Northern Brewer, Fuggles
http://kotmf.com/beer/2012/list-of-common-hops/
I've found it a god send !
Neil.
With many kits you get a little pouch of dry hops that you just tip in the FV a day or two before.
The reason I ask is because I am concious that if you are dry hopping a day or two before the end of the primary fermentation, depending on the kit, you may have a thick layer of sediment on the top or bottom and adding a tea bag style pouch may either disturb the sediment or sink to the bottom in to the sediment and fully release in to the brew. Of course I may be completely wrong on this.
http://www.home-brew-online.com/ingredients-c45/beer-making-c181/hops-t257
The hops will sometimes float and others can sink, but as long as they are in the liquid they will infuse their flavour. The hops can be added loose or some people add them in a little muslin bag to try and contain them and minimise the amount they then clog the syphon when transferred over into a barrel/bottles
1. When adding the hops, do you just add the water after the hops have been boiled in for 10 mins, or do you add the water and the hops?
2. Are you muslin bags a once use only?
Thank you.