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Dry Hopping Problem-
I brewed up a batch of the Mack and Jack's African Amber a few weeks back, and finally got around to dry hopping it last Tuesday, but now there is a problem possibly.
There is a layer of green floating stuffs (from pellet hops) on top of the fermenter, which doesn't surprise me too much, but there are bubbles in the green layer, which seems strange since fermentation should be pretty well over with by now ( almost four weeks since brew day)
For some background info-
Fermentation went normally, I dry hopped in my primary not having time to switch to a secondary, wouldn't think this would effect anything though.
The recipe was for 10 gallons, which i separated into two carboys, which used a split starter, and experienced the same conditions for fermentation. Both carboys have these mysterious bubbles in the layer of hops.
Thanks for your time,
-guy
when the beer is fermenting, it produces co2, which mostly escapes out the airlock, but some of it can stay in solution in the beer. the hop particles are probably just attracting this co2 and that is the bubbles you are seeing. so most likely nothing to worry about.
+1 to Hogarthe. Probably just some dissolved CO2 coming out of solution and getting trapped in the hop debris. Elevating the temperature or creating nucleation sites (dry hops in this case) will release dissolved CO2 from the beer. If you usually dry hop in secondary you may not notice this because racking will degas the beer .
Ok cools thanks!
Was a little worried, first time dry hopping 
, had thought it was thoroughly 'degassed' since it is about 4 weeks old.
I love the ease of dryhopping with pellets. They don't always foam.
I've found most of them sink to the bottom after a while and if you cold crash the carboy any remaining pellet particles will settle out nicely.
Another trick for hop complexity is to dry hop warm (like you did) then dry hop again after you cold crash. I stole this idea from the Epic Pale ale episode of Can You Brew it, and I'm trying it for the first time right now.
Its called nucleation. Like putting salt or sugar in a freshly opened soda.
Thanks Mr. Wizard, now I can sleep better tonight.
Wow, sorry, that was totally uncalled for. Funny yes, but uncalled for
Ok thanks again!
Was a little uneasy about it, have had bad luck the last couple batches because they became infected, and I was being paranoid.
But the hops acting as nucleation sites for the dissolved CO2 makes perfect sense.
Would there be any reason a brewery would want to make sure there is no dissolved co2 in fermenting beer, to the extent of adding something other then hops to provide nucleation sites?
GuyNMT wrote:
Would there be any reason a brewery would want to make sure there is no dissolved co2 in fermenting beer, to the extent of adding something other then hops to provide nucleation sites?
I heard Natural Light uses special "taste reduction particles" in this way, to make sure their beer comes out with absolutely no flavor.
HAHAH, I think they may use crystalline urea to do this! Gives it that crowd pleasing taste and color!
GuyNMT wrote:
Would there be any reason a brewery would want to make sure there is no dissolved co2 in fermenting beer, to the extent of adding something other then hops to provide nucleation sites?
I've read that too much CO2 in solution can hinder fermentation. I have no idea what the level of saturation needs to be for that to happen but I think its more common with wine making than brewing.
bruguru wrote:
Thanks Mr. Wizard, now I can sleep better tonight.
Wow, sorry, that was totally uncalled for. Funny yes, but uncalled for
That's why I am here. Loved the comment.
brewchez wrote:
Its called nucleation. Like putting salt or sugar in a freshly opened soda.
WhyTF are you putting salt in your soda? freshly opened soda too! Dont you just add salt to taste? 
brewchez wrote:
Its called nucleation. Like putting salt or sugar in a freshly opened soda.
WhyTF are you putting salt in your soda? freshly opened soda too! Dont you just add salt to taste? smile
Like Mentos in a diet coke. goes off like a rocket.
ID
Irondavy wrote:
.
Like Mentos in a diet coke. goes off like a rocket.
ID
Any idea why the artificial sugar in diet coke would nucleate more readily then normal sugar?
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