Shaking or stirring a fermentation vessel after dry hop?

Jonny the Brewer

Jonny the Brewer

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Whenever I dry hop I don't feel convinced the hop pellets are properly dissolving and adding flavour.

Would it ever be ok to shake the vessel or stir them in?
 
Wouldn't shaking or stirring at that point add extra oxygen? Unless you could do something like replace the air in the fermenter with CO2?
 
I have never shaken or stirred to help incorporate hops. It is not worth the risk of oxygen ingress, or infection. If you aren't getting the results you want, add more hops.
 
You could add your dry hops before fermentation is complete. This seems to be a fairly common practice these days to ovoid oxidation.
 
thunderwagn said:
You could add your dry hops before fermentation is complete. This seems to be a fairly common practice these days to ovoid oxidation.
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Pretty common in my brewery!
 
Toss them in a day or two after fermentation starts and the currents from the fermentation will stir them up just fine.
 
After dry hops have been in for a couple of days, I gently swirl the fermenter a couple times per day to help them drop out of suspension. I've never had a problem with oxidation, so assume enough off gassing occurs as a result of adding the hops. I don't brew NEIPAs, so if you do, YMMV.
 
Shaking or stirring after opening the fermenter to add dryhops is likely to have a detrimental effect. If you are very very gentle, it may not be that noticeable. But I don’t see the advantage- do you have lots of hops that are totally dry floating on top?
 
Adding dry hops before Krausen has fully receded, so they do tend to float. Pretty sure the O2 introduced with the hops is scrubbed out by the time I start swirling. Been doing this for several years with no ill effects.
 
Hawkbox said:
Toss them in a day or two after fermentation starts and the currents from the fermentation will stir them up just fine.
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You're telling me! I added the hops during peak fermentation (too early - was 20 hours after pitching) and then it went nuts.

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If you are going to continue with similar small batches, get a second 1 gallon carboy. Then you could split your batch between two carboys, and have plenty of head space to accommodate vigorous fermentations. I have been splitting 1.5 gallon batches between 2 carboys for most of my short brewing career, and so far no fermentation blowouts for me.
 
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