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plugs come in 1 ounce quantities, so measuring one half
ounce can be problematic. Plugs used to be harder to
find, but my own local sources have added plug varieties
to inventory.
My favorite way to add aroma is to dry hop by adding
Cascade at the same time that I move my beer from the
primary to secondary (after the foam of initial
fermentation drops. I don't bother trying to sterilize
or sanitize the hops. Hops are a natural preservative,
and the alcohol that is already in the beer at this stage
acts as a further hurdle to infection. I've never lost a
beer to dry hopping, and the aroma bonus has been worth
any minimal added risk.
I generally leave the hops in contact with the beer for two weeks. By that time, the beer has almost always reached final gravity and is ready to keg or bottle.
As I mentioned in a previous article, I plan to plant my first flower garden this spring. Yes, I'll be growing hops, not tulips. My spouse laughs at my plan since I'm fully capable of killing the hardiest house plant or chia pet. Stay tuned. The good news is that there are a couple of links on the main page here that provide a back-up supply of hops in case my little hops farm yields nothing...
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