Fast Ferment - Dry hopping and when to reapply Teflon tape

[bscarl88]

Got the Fast Ferment Conical Fermenter, but I have a couple questions on it.

-Dry hopping
I would like to dry hop as part of our recipe, but I don't want to open the top of the fermenter since we only have 4.5/7.9 gallons in with a large C02 blanket. I was wondering, can I just add the pellet hops to the collection ball after I rerack all the trub? Or will it get covered by more trub when I release the valve? Wondering the best way without opening the top.

-Teflon tape
Do I have to reapply this after every use? every X batches? or every X weeks?

Thanks!

 

[Jhu1321]

1. How would the hops come into contact with the wort if they are in the collection ball?

2. Once should do it unless you notice leaking.

 

[bscarl88]

1 - I was assuming once I opened up the valve, the next round of liquid would come into the ball and flush the hops back into the wort, or next round of trub would completely cover it. Trying to figure out which of those two would happen

 

[pshankstar]

I've brewed a few batches and fermented in my FastFerment over the last year and always add the hops to a hop bag with a weight that is suspended through the airlock. Never had any issues with O2. Just have everything ready, open the lid, place the sack in and close it up.

I think the hops would mainly stay in the collection ball and get clogged when the expand in the narrow neck. I personally like to keep the dry hops in my Wilser hop sock/bag to keep the hop debris out of my finished product. I don't think I can fit a sack and all the hops into the collection ball very easy, especially after they expand.

Just my thoughts. Give it a shot and report back your findings.

Edit - Teflon tape, I reapply it when needed. If it appears to leak when I am sanitizing the FF. Or it looks in rough shape after a good cleaning. So usually after a few batches it gets replaced... I hope that helps.

 

[bscarl88]

Thanks! How do you have them suspended in the air lock? All I have is the standard mesh cheesecloths now. Do you think it's a bad idea to add them directly through the top? I'm hoping they all sink and become part of the trub

 

[spitfire5054]

I too have considered how to Dry Hop in my Fastfermenter 30L methods:-

• With coated magnets holding up 1,2,3 hop bags letting go at various times
• Suspend the Hop Bag from a thin SS wire held up by the Bubbler/grommet
friction ( or other friction methods ) and at the appropriate time slowly
push down on the SS wire, this method you can pull the bag out of the wort

Not sure what method to employ yet all equip is new so still pondering, which
I seem to do a lot of lately

To digress ( another ponder ) is it possible or even practical - safe even - to
ferment under a low pressure say 5psi or lower - anyone tried it with the
FastFermenter ...joe