Asia Brewers Network

Avoid brewhouse blowouts with these simple tips

Fermentis

Okay, people. I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room. You know what I’m talking about. There’s at least one every other week going viral to the mainstream, multiple sad-face emojis included, along with comment after comment, most repeating the same sentiment in one way or another.

“Oh no! Such a shame!”

“It should be a crime to lose all that beer!”

All of these videoed incidents begin innocently enough. They each start the same. And they each end the same: all guilty parties expressing the same vague look of desperation, panic, sorrow, shock, and despair, while helplessly squirming, adrenaline on high – a frantic mess.

Yes, it’s the dreaded, yet for some unknown reason, funny, Dry Hop Geyser.

Personally, I can’t be bothered – it’s “Junior Varsity” bullshit. To me, all those scenes scream the same thing: carelessness, danger, ignorance, and negligence.

In this day and age, with the amounts we are using for dry hopping (or adding other adjuncts, for that matter), how has a little trick I learned over ten years ago, somehow become so completely forgotten, that these videos keep popping up on my algorithm?

Now breweries and their fermenting vessels come in all shapes and sizes. The larger ones develop their own SOPs and specialized equipment they have developed over time, so I will stick to the basics that any basic level brewery employee will understand.

We all know one of the main by-products of fermentation is CO2. Even if you are fermenting your beer with a blow off, there is still CO2 in solution of the actively fermenting beer. Now, with the brewery I work at there is a strange law I won’t go into (all breweries are a law unto themselves, and mine is no exception), so for the majority of my fermentation time I ferment my beer under pressure making the CO2 in solution almost package strength already giving quite a bit more of an opportunity for me to be the next viral sensation.

Hop Geyser asiabrewersnetwork.com

Release tank head pressure and a quick CO2 blast

So for safety reasons I always dry hop with two people.

While slowly releasing the head pressure of the tank I will prep everything needed for safe dry hopping. When the head pressure is zero, I will close the valve and do one quick blast of CO2 through the racking arm pointing straight up.

You will notice the head pressure rise pretty fast! That is the CO2 nucleation that would have happened if you only let the head pressure off and started pouring in (what still could be cold) hop pellets or other adjuncts into the tank (like putting ice cubes in a full cup of soda).

I will do this quick CO2 blast two times then begin dry hopping.

With the amount of hops used and time the port is open I always have an assistant on the ground at the blow off valve open. Between amounts of hops going into the tank I will recap the port and my assistant will close the blow off port.

I will wait two or three minutes then let off the pressure and finish my dry hopping.

Hop Geyser 2 asiabrewersnetwork.com

Add your hops and don’t forget to clean up

Everyone will have their interpretations of this so again this just a “basics” approach so we don’t end up on that next video and I don’t continue dying inside just a little bit every time I press play.

And while we are at it, its a pet peeve of mine to visit breweries and see hop dust on top of the tank. You took the time to make an amazing beer, take the extra fifteen minutes to clean up.

Cheers! James.

Article by:

James Waters

James Waters

James Waters is an award winning brewer and distiller who has been in the industry for 15 years. Originally from New Jersey, James currently resides in Hong Kong and still believes a session beer is 4% and under.

Share this article