Ask The Brewmasters

  • 1.  Finding paper scraps in dry hopped beer

    Posted 05-16-2023 14:21
      |   view attached

    We have recently found little scraps of paper (see attached image) in our dry hopped beers. Yesterday we discovered quite a lot and reached out to the hop suppliers. I'm only assuming it's from the hops that went into the fermenter but the reality is we don't really know what it is or where it came from. Has anyone else noticed this?



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    Bill Hyland
    Head Brewer
    Bozeman Brewing Co.
    Bozeman, MT
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  • 2.  RE: Finding paper scraps in dry hopped beer

    Posted 05-17-2023 13:04
      |   view attached

    Hey Bill,
    I know exactly what that is! We had the same thing coming out of a dry hopped tank way back in the before times of 2017. Attached is a pic I sent to our suppliers to figure out what was going on.
    Pretty similar, right?
    We narrowed it down to a single lot of Centennial provided by BSG. Everyone told me it was impossible for pellets to be hammer milled and sifted and still contain any foreign material but voila. It's been a while since we had this issue but I'm pretty sure they told me it was a new biodegradable jute material they used for the hops to climb upward on. Somehow it made it into the pellets.
    You're now dry hopping with paper so I suggest you figure out which hop it is and stop using it cold side.



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    Jonathan Porter
    Owner/Brewer
    Smog City Brewing
    Torrance, CA
    porter@smogcitybrewing.com
    310-980-8201
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  • 3.  RE: Finding paper scraps in dry hopped beer

    Posted 05-17-2023 13:39

    Thanks for the input! Since I posted this, I also heard from BSG and they said the same thing. Ours were cascade though. There's no way I can not use them for dry hopping so I hope it doesn't end up causing any serious problems.



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    Bill Hyland
    Head Brewer
    Bozeman Brewing Co.
    Bozeman, MT
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Finding paper scraps in dry hopped beer

    Posted 05-17-2023 13:40
    Edited by Lars Larson 05-17-2023 15:38

    Hi Bill and Jonathan,

    Yes it looks like paper twine.
    We've found this in the past.  Our hop broker was able to confirm it as paper twine.

    This is some of the feedback we've received:
    >>>Paper twine has a number of advantages over coir:

    •             Easier to string (once the crew gets used to it.)

    •             Easier on picking equipment.  Doesn't seem to get wrapped around harvesting machinery (bearings, shafts, etc) as tightly.

    •             More reliable supply than overseas coconut stocks

    •             Breaks down better than coir after trash is spread back into the field

    As a follow-up:  It's inclusion in pellets should be mitigated by speaking with the vendor/growers, but it's not likely that paper is MORE prone to inclusion (you just see it easier!)



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    Randy Thiel
    New Glarus Brewing Company
    New Glarus, WI USA
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