Wondering about dry hopping and fermenter geometry

[swlusk (Steve L)]

I was sitting here thinking about dry hopping my IPA next week and had a thought. I ferment in better bottles. I wonder if I could purge a secondary with CO2, transfer my IPA and add my dry hops; then set the fermenter on its side to increase the surface area? I’m sure it won’t leak as my better bottle bung fits tight and I have a 90 adaptor for that with some hose. I’m wondering if there would be a noticeable difference in hop flavor on its side as opposed to dry hopping the fermenter vertically.

Curious if anyone has tried this.

[klickitat_jim]

I’d think less surface space would be best with zero being optimum.

[erockrph]

If you can purge the fermenter, then rousing by bubbling CO2 through the beer will be even better than increasing the contact area.

[blatz]

@erockrph

If you can purge the fermenter, then rousing by bubbling CO2 through the beer will be even better than increasing the contact area.

can be done very effectively with a keg and a surescreen if you keg…

[swlusk (Steve L)]

unfortunately I don’t keg, wish I could. I was going on the impression that more surface area gave better hop utilization and better results during dry hopping, of course, I may have misunderstood. LOL

[erockrph]

@swlusk

unfortunately I don’t keg, wish I could. I was going on the impression that more surface area gave better hop utilization and better results during dry hopping, of course, I may have misunderstood. LOL

It could potentially make some difference, but it’s more of a function of both contact area and diffusion over time. So more surface area may lead to more contact area. But that increase is negligible compared to being able to rouse the hops and/or move the wort around. That will increase the diffusion part of the equation, which plays a much bigger effect.

If you have access to CO2, simply bubble it through the bottom of the fermenter intermittently to rouse the hops and get the wort moving a bit. That’s where I think you’d see the most improvement in hop oil extraction.

[swlusk (Steve L)]

@erockrph

@swlusk

unfortunately I don’t keg, wish I could. I was going on the impression that more surface area gave better hop utilization and better results during dry hopping, of course, I may have misunderstood. LOL

It could potentially make some difference, but it’s more of a function of both contact area and diffusion over time. So more surface area may lead to more contact area. But that increase is negligible compared to being able to rouse the hops and/or move the wort around. That will increase the diffusion part of the equation, which plays a much bigger effect.

If you have access to CO2, simply bubble it through the bottom of the fermenter intermittently to rouse the hops and get the wort moving a bit. That’s where I think you’d see the most improvement in hop oil extraction.

I aerate with pure O2 using  a .2 micron stone and SS wand. I wonder if I could use the same process but with CO2 instead of O2? I use small CO2 canisters, I imagine the gas is clean enough not to inject bad critters into the beer, with the alcohol content I imagine it’s safe enough. Do you think this would be a good technique?

[erockrph]

@swlusk

@erockrph

@swlusk

unfortunately I don’t keg, wish I could. I was going on the impression that more surface area gave better hop utilization and better results during dry hopping, of course, I may have misunderstood. LOL

It could potentially make some difference, but it’s more of a function of both contact area and diffusion over time. So more surface area may lead to more contact area. But that increase is negligible compared to being able to rouse the hops and/or move the wort around. That will increase the diffusion part of the equation, which plays a much bigger effect.

If you have access to CO2, simply bubble it through the bottom of the fermenter intermittently to rouse the hops and get the wort moving a bit. That’s where I think you’d see the most improvement in hop oil extraction.

I aerate with pure O2 using  a .2 micron stone and SS wand. I wonder if I could use the same process but with CO2 instead of O2? I use small CO2 canisters, I imagine the gas is clean enough not to inject bad critters into the beer, with the alcohol content I imagine it’s safe enough. Do you think this would be a good technique?

I’ve meant to try something similar myself, but I usually just add more hops instead  ;D

[hophead636]

I might have to play with this idea in a few weeks when I’m dry hopping my heady topper clone