Type of metal for sinking dry hops in secondary

[2BeerOrNot2Beer]

I'm putting hops in a hop bag and sinking them to the bottom of the fermenter, but I don't know which type of steel to use. I typically hear stainless, but would alloy steel work? Like a socket from my craftsman socket wrench set? What quality does stainless have that makes it ok for sitting in your beer?

Thanks all.

 

[CrystallineEntity]

You could use marbles. Just make sure you wash all of the lead off first.

 

[n240sxguy]

Sockets will rust. Use stainless or a handful of marbles.

 

[Randy_Bugger]

Use a 304 stainless steel object. Preferably solid. Copper works fine too.

Hops would get stuck inside your chrome plated socket which would reduce the effectiveness of your dry hop and it will corrode from the acidity of the beer. Not really a good tool for the job.

 

[2BeerOrNot2Beer]

Is Sinking even necessary? wouldn't the hop oils distribute homogeneously throughout the beer over a week if I just throw the hops in as free hops (no hop bag)?

 

[Randy_Bugger]

Bags aren't necessary. You can just toss the hops in and let them settle.

 

[LLBeanJ]

+1 for marbles.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I have some of these in my brew kit. 3/4" diameter.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-stainless-steel-balls/=o7gh9w

 

[MaddBaggins]

Bags aren't necessary. You can just toss the hops in and let them settle.

I always bag my hops, mostly because I always use whole cone when available. They don't sink and can make racking a real pain when the loose leaves clog up the cane.

 

[Calichusetts]

Like many have said...50 marbles for 50 cents is as good as it gets. I've only used 5 over and over again over the past two years.

 

[MaxStout]

Go to the hardware store and buy a few of the biggest SS nuts you can find. I put in four 5/8" SS nuts and the bag sinks like a rock.

 

[Brewsncrabs]

A shot glass works just fine and I think we all have them!

 

[reed1911]

I've always used a magnet, it lets me hold them to the bottom with a magnet on the outside, I can move the bag around every day to swirl the bag without introducing o2, and it makes it easy to get back to the top to remove.

 

[stpug]

I believe you WOULD NOT want to use copper as any carbonic acid found in the beer after fermentation can cause leaching/oxidation from the copper which can pose a health risk.

Stainless is fine
Glass marbles are fine (I use glass "gems" from the craft store; i.e. flattened marbles)