Adding hops after bottling?

[karlos_1984]

I've made a batch of a K&K and it's been bottled for over a month or so and it's pretty bland n basic.

I saw a video on YouTube by claw hammer supply where they experimented with adding hop pellets to commercial beers poured into a glass, giving noticeable results.

Just tossing up the idea of doing this in my beer that's already bottled. Has anyone tried this?

Figured I'd take the top off, drop a couple hop pellets into each stubby and recap it. Hoping not to lose carbonation, however could add another carb drop if recommended. 

Any advice or forseeable pros n cons you guys might have to offer on this? Cheers.

 

[Popo the Reprobate]

I've read of people doing this - although I haven't done it myself. You've got to get the beer cold, drop a pellet in and recap super quick. I can't recall how long they said to leave it. I'd expect a pretty frothy pour when you open it up though!

Well worth a try if it's bland and boring I reckon.

[karlos_1984]

I've dropped pellets into the glass before but it took forever to break up and dissolve. I've got a few of these in the fridge already might give it a crack tonight

[Worthog]

You would have to be the most unorthodox brewer on this forum, Karlos.

I love it and hope you let us know how you go with this.

Cheers

[karlos_1984]

How have u come to that conclusion @Worthog?

This idea has only been a thought after seeing others do it in a bit of a different way. 

I've learnt how to make beer from this forum following the same processes as many others. Plus watching countless hours of YouTube footage on the topic. KR is a good source of learning for example...

I always thought there's no harm in trying something different. The beer is ordinary at the moment but drinkable, so I've got nothing to lose really (except time picking hops out of my teeth with a toothpick it seems).

No offence taken. Although I don't think I've done anything too out of the ordinary so far. Only made 2 batches that were less than favourable so far. Must be doing something right

 

 

[Worthog]

15 minutes ago, karlos_1984 said:

How have u come to that conclusion @Worthog?

This idea has only been a thought after seeing others do it in a bit of a different way. 

I've learnt how to make beer from this forum following the same processes as many others. Plus watching countless hours of YouTube footage on the topic. KR is a good source of learning for example...

I always thought there's no harm in trying......

You are prepared to think laterally, to your credit. A lot of more pedantic brewers would junk the batch, to their loss both financially and experientially.

Cheers

 

[ChristinaS1]

Impossible to add hops to a bottle without adding oxygen too, so you would be oxidizing your beer.

You would also risk hop creep, which leads to over-carbonation (and diacetyl). 

I think you would be better off dropping some hops into some vodka, letting them steep for a couple of days, then straining them out and adding the extract to your glass.

Cheers,

Christina.

[Mark D Pirate]

Blend it in the glass , stout would work 

[The Captain!!]

Yeah good idea Mark. 

Good ol black n tan

[karlos_1984]

59 minutes ago, Mark D Pirate said:

Blend it in the glass , stout would work 

Are u saying use a bit of stout and sit the hops in it, then chuck that in with the crap beer?

[Shamus O'Sean]

I think that the suggestion is half a glass of stout and half a glass of the average beer to make something pretty reasonable.

I did the same but different with a stout that barely carbonated once.  I mixed the stout with a simple lager that had carbonated fine and the result was a nicely carbonated stout.

[karlos_1984]

Fair enough. Wasnt sure. But makes sense. Remember the old days of getting schooeys of half Carlton draught and half Tooheys old. Flashbacks 

[Titan]

Don't do it. Learn from it then brew again.

[Beers Gone Wild]

Wonder if it’s worth doing a hop tea, let it cool, then pour a bit into your glass?

that way the hop pellets are dissolved. Just a thought.

[Lab Cat]

12 hours ago, Titan said:

Don't do it. Learn from it then brew again.

Yep. Just seems like a lot of trouble for probably little gain. An extra carb drop will only complicate things. You could try a few bottles first, or risking wasting the lot.

Otherwise consign it to lawnmower beer. Bland beer is still beer. It can't be any worse than standard pub offerings.

[Hairy]

On 4/14/2019 at 12:29 PM, Beers Gone Wild said:

Wonder if it’s worth doing a hop tea, let it cool, then pour a bit into your glass?

that way the hop pellets are dissolved. Just a thought.

I have made a hop tea and then frozen it in an ice cube tray.

I added a cube to a lager to jazz it up. It was awful.

[Beers Gone Wild]

Haha that says it all Hairy.

[karlos_1984]

I cracked the one stubby i did as a test yesterday afternoon. Straight away it fizzed up n ran down the sink. Only got half the beer left afterwards. It did taste better, but even after straining it into a glass it was still full of hop matter. Was a bit flatter too after the big overflow. Obviously oxidised by opening it and recapping with a couple hop pellets in there. 

I'll just feed this less than favourable beer to the in laws when they visit next week. 

[Lab Cat]

27 minutes ago, karlos_1984 said:

I'll just feed this less than favourable beer to the in laws when they visit next week. 

It's probably too good for them, but it saves buying them beer.

[karlos_1984]

20 hours ago, Lab Rat said:

It's probably too good for them, but it saves buying them beer.

Well yeah you're right. They drink great northern and my beer is easily better.