Some hop advice please? (Dry hopping)

OK, I've got two brews on the go as of 10 minutes ago.
The following info is from the Festa Brew website (pre packaged brewers wort kits):

Festa Brew Pale Ale
23 L
A deep golden coloured hoppy, fruity English style pale ale. Presents pleasant flavours and aromas of fresh finishing hops, which balance well with a bready malt profile and moderate body.
OG: 1.0500 – 1.0508, FG: 1.0124 – 1.0132, Yeast: Nottingham, IBUs: 25

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Festa Brew Continental Pilsner
23 L
A balanced, well rounded, golden European-style lager with a noticeable hop profile and all-malt character.
OG: 1.0496-1.0504, FG: 1.0096 - 1.0104, Yeast: Saflager S-23, IBUs: 18

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I bought two .88oz packages of Centennial hop pellets, one package of Saaz hop pellets, one package of Cascade hop pellets (both .88oz).

I'd really like to hop up both beers - moreso the Pale Ale.


Any suggestions as to how I should use the hops I've got?


I'm really looking forward to experimenting with dry hopping in the secondary, but I'm hoping you guys can steer me in the right direction.

PS - these'll be my first two brews on tap!

Kevin

I wouldn't use pellets for dry hopping - the sludge will be hard to keep out of your finished beer. Most people use plugs or whole leaf since you can strain them out.

If you were to use them though, I'd use the saaz for the pilsner and cascade for the pale ale.

Since it sounds like you are just beginning primary fermentation, I'd suggest getting some leaf hops and hopping the secondary.

Congrats on your brews. Welcome to the club. Start on batch #3 asap since #1 and #2 will disappear quickly.

Thanks for the advice Brian.

Would I be better off to add the hop pellets now, that way I can lose some of them at the 1st transfer, and hopefully the rest at the final transfer (into my cornies)?

Thanks again, I intend to get another started asap.

Kevin

BrianP said:

If you were to use them though, I'd use the saaz for the pilsner and cascade for the pale ale.

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I'd second those choices though personally I don't mind dry hopping with pellets - if you put them in at the end of the primary fermentation (after about 5 days) most of the junk will get trapped in the trub and yeast at the bottom. Whole hops are a better choice though.

As for use, I'd be tempted to chuck all 0.88oz of Cascade into the Pale Ale as a dry hop. I'm not sure about dry hopping pilsner - I'd be more tempted to split the Saaz 50% at 10 mins before end of boil and 50% 1 min before the end.

I've dry hopped with pellets- it works fine. Just rack from above the trub and you'll be ok.

Thanks guys.

Any advice about amounts to use? I'd like to moderately hop the Pilsner, but I'd like to go pretty aggressive with the Pale Ale.

No boil with these kits guys, just dump the pre packaged wort into the carboy and add yeast.

Kevin

On the Pilsner, I'd wait until the fermentation is done and taste it. Saaz is a relatively mild hop, but I'd try 1/2 oz. if necessary.

Kevin K said:

Thanks guys.

Any advice about amounts to use? I'd like to moderately hop the Pilsner, but I'd like to go pretty aggressive with the Pale Ale.

No boil with these kits guys, just dump the pre packaged wort into the carboy and add yeast.

Kevin

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Well, you have my advice for hopping rates above - I wouldn't dry hop the pilsner until you've tried it in an ale first and are sure you like it. The whole .88oz of Cascade in the pale ale for a couple of weeks should give you a strong citrusy flavour - certainly stronger than something like Sierra Nevada (I'd guess using about half that amount would be like SNPA).

If you do the same for the pilsner it will completely dominate the flavour. Instead I'd go with the hops in the boil - that should give some nice hops flavour and aroma without completely taking over. You don't have to boil the kit, but you can still boil the hops apart in water - half for 10 minutes and the other half for the last minute. Just boil them like this in a couple of liters of water then use that as part of the water for making the kit (ideally straining first).

Another question on this topic. I don't like the fact that my leaf hops adsorbed so much of my beer when dry hopping.

Has anyone prehydrated their hops with boiled, cooled water and then added? If so how much water did you use for 1 oz of leaf hops?

If you're really worried about trub, dry hop in a hop bag. As long as you're sure to sanitize it, you'll get everything you need from those hops without the mess.

Figure one cup of water per oz.

FYI, 2 oz of Centennial in the Pale Ale makes for a really nice IPA. Good hop aroma and bitterness without a grassy flavour.

I'll give it another week in the primary to settle out before I keg it, but it's going to be a really nice beer.