Since I've started scanning through IPA recipes, I've noticed many that do require dry hopping and many that don't. It made me wonder what the reasons are for not dry hopping? Surely all IPAs would benefit from it or am I missing something?
When not to dry hop?
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I prefer to dry hop all my IPA's. But some might use hop bursting late in the boil for bittering,flavor & some aroma. Others might do hop additions in the last couple minutes of the boil for aroma. But I think dry hopping gives the most aroma.
kombat
Well-Known Member
If you don't dry hop it, it's not an IPA. 
Dry hopping is the best way to get that distinctive, in-your-face aroma as you bring the glass to your lips. It's characteristic of the IPA style and therefore, in my opinion, dry hopping is mandatory.
Dry hopping is the best way to get that distinctive, in-your-face aroma as you bring the glass to your lips. It's characteristic of the IPA style and therefore, in my opinion, dry hopping is mandatory.
novahokie09
Well-Known Member
Do not want dry hop if you're trying to make an IPA with little hop aroma.
Then I wouldn't think it would be an IPA.......from the BJCP style guidelines:
"A prominent to intense hop aroma that can be derived from American, English and/or noble varieties (although a citrusy hop character is almost always present)."
Like others, I always dry hop and IPA....though I currently have an experiment where the "dry hopping" is in the keg....many have done it but I never had till now.
TheZymurgist
Well-Known Member
English IPAs don't need to be dry hopped. If you're going for the intensity of an American IPA, it *should* but doesn't have to be dry hopped. Adding a good burst at flame out and doing a hop stand will give you pretty decent hope aroma, especially while it's fresh.
LovesIPA
Well-Known Member
I have no idea why anyone would make an IPA without dry hopping. It adds hop aroma to the beer, and since our sense of taste is influenced greatly by our sense of smell, adding aroma literally adds flavor. If you're not interested in the hop flavor, then why are you making an IPA?
I would always dry-hop an IPA, even if I was brewing a recipe that didn't call for it.
I would always dry-hop an IPA, even if I was brewing a recipe that didn't call for it.
TheZymurgist
Well-Known Member
OP, it's up to your discretion whether you dry hop or not. Unlike what many others have said, it is possible to create an IPA without dry hopping. That being said, it will lack the strong nose and taste that many (especially during the current hop-craze we're experiencing) are looking for. That doesn't mean you won't get a strong nose and taste. If you add a good number of hops at flame out, do a hop stand, and transfer the trub along with the wort into the fermenter, you can have decent results. I've tried IPAs that have used this technique and haven't been disappointed.
My personal preference is to dry hop, but, again, it's not required. If you're looking for something to enter into a competition, just make sure it's young and have it tasted by a certified judge before you do enter it. They can give you some guidelines on what category to enter it into, and how it may do in competition.
My personal preference is to dry hop, but, again, it's not required. If you're looking for something to enter into a competition, just make sure it's young and have it tasted by a certified judge before you do enter it. They can give you some guidelines on what category to enter it into, and how it may do in competition.
A follow on question: I'm just brainstorming here and thinking towards the future and working out some logic behind designing a recipe - Let's say for the sake of argument an IPA recipe consisted of 1oz Amarillo, 1oz Centennial, 1oz Nugget, 1oz Simcoe. If I was to dry hop this batch also, is it a bad idea to use different hops or should I use one of/combination of the four that were used in the boil? If I dry hopped with say Citra and Cascade, would the results be weird and bad?
If you don't dry hop it, it's not an IPA.
Dry hopping is the best way to get that distinctive, in-your-face aroma as you bring the glass to your lips. It's characteristic of the IPA style and therefore, in my opinion, dry hopping is mandatory.
This is pretty much the exact thing I've heard from the beginning of my brewing lol.
I don't know if I agree 100% purely on principle, but in practice I tend to agree.
Let's say your last hop addition into the boil is 1oz simcoe at 2 min. This is the aroma you will be looking for. It would be weird to add a completely different hop to dry hop. You are basically changing the aroma in secondary instead of pushing it higher. Some recipes call to dry hop a combination of hops also, but it is because they work well together. I hope I formulated it clear enough!
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Ok, I see now. So basically the best dry hops to use in any given recipe would be one of or a combination of the hops used from 5mins down to flameout? This will then enhance their effect?
Good to know. Thanks.
For my IPA's,I use 1.2ozs each of whatever hops I'm adding for flavor. I use the remaining .8lzs of each in a 1 week dry hop to intensify the flavor hops with aromas that match the flavor hops used. So match aroma dry hop additions to ALL the flavor hops used.
TheZymurgist
Well-Known Member
I completely disagree. While there are hops that don't compliment each other, and shouldn't be combined, there's no reason you can't dry hop with different hops. Personally, I think that combination sounds great. All of those hops compliment each other, and you can get more complexity by dry hopping with different hops.
There is a point, however, where you're using too many different hops and the flavors just become muddled. You'll have to experiment to find out where that is, since it is usually recipe and hop specific.
If you don't dry hop it, it's not an IPA.
While I don't necessarily agree with this assertion, I do have to admit that there is some historical precedent to that view. The original India pale ales were dry hopped not for the aroma, but for the preservative qualities of the hops; the aroma was just a bonus. After six months at sea, it really wouldn't have been an IPA without the dry hopping - it would have been malt vinegar, or something else completely non-potable.
I also agree in a way with you. You have to try to know. I find it safer to start with something simple and get to know a particular kind of hop before going all in with a big mix.
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kombat
Well-Known Member
I detest a good "Well, actually..." as much as the next guy, but if you believe Mitch Steele in his "IPA" book, this is actually an urban legend. George Hodgson of the Bow Brewery was successfully shipping plain old porter from England to India for many years before he started shipping IPAs. And even then, the IPAs were well-hopped not to help them survive the journey at sea, but rather because that's simply how the British aristocracy in India preferred it.
Interesting. Thank you for pointing that out, I wasn't aware of that.
