Questions about adding hops

I just got my first kit from Austin Homebrew. I have brewed 4 previous times using kits from Williams and Brewer's Best. The kit is a Sierra Nevada pale ale.

The kit included one package of Perle hops and two 1 oz packages of Cascade hops. It says to add one Cascade package for the last 15 minutes of the boil and 1/2 of one package (1/2 oz) for the last 0 (zero) minutes of the boil. Does this mean I throw them in just prior to or just after removing the wort from the heat?

It says to add the last 1/2 oz after transferring to the secondary fermenter at 5-7 days. I have never used a secondary fermenter and wasn't planning to for this batch (the small amount of sediment in the bottles doesn't bother me). Can I just add the last 1/2 oz into the primary fermenter after 5-7 days and continue the fermentation process for another 5-7 days?

1. Yes to after you remove from heat and yes you can dry hop a primary. I would reccomend a hop bag for cleaning sake, but its not nessecary.

There are a couple of common methods to add aroma hops (the "0 minute" hops). One is to add them during the last 3-5 minutes of boil. The other is to add them after you've removed the wort from heat, expecting the residual heat to do the job. In my opinion, it really doesn't make a difference on the results. I usually do the former out of habit, but have done the latter.

And yes, many people dry hop in the primary. Although, I would veer from those directions and give the fermentation about 14 days before adding the Cascade hops. Of course, use consistent gravity readings to make sure fermentation is complete. If you add the hops before fermentation is complete and the yeast has mostly cleaned up after themselves, the dry hopping effect is diminished.

JeffersonJ said:

Although, I would veer from those directions and give the fermentation about 14 days before adding the Cascade hops. Of course, use consistent gravity readings to make sure fermentation is complete. If you add the hops before fermentation is complete and the yeast has mostly cleaned up after themselves, the dry hopping effect is diminished.

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So if I wait 14 days and fermentation is complete before dry hopping, how much time does dry hopping require before I can bottle?

Howdy neighbor.

For 0 time hop additions, I have been doing it after I transfer my wort to the fermenter. Its probably wrong, but oh well. I figure more of the hops stays with the beer that way rather than being left behind after I syphon out of the kettle. Again, I could be wrong, but that's how I've been rolling.

You should be fine adding the hops after letting it ferment for a good 7 days or so. I would let the hops sit for at least a week, assuming you 'primary' for 2 weeks. If you dry hop after a week, I'd let em' sit for 2 weeks.

iron_city_ap said:

For 0 time hop additions, I have been doing it after I transfer my wort to the fermenter. Its probably wrong, but oh well. I figure more of the hops stays with the beer that way rather than being left behind after I syphon out of the kettle. Again, I could be wrong, but that's how I've been rolling.

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Just wanted to say that I don't think this method would be very effective. By the time you've cooled your wort to add to the fermenter, it's too cool to effectively isomerize and solubilize the hops, so you're not getting a lot of flavor or aroma compounds in there and what you do get is probably scrubbed out by the CO2 during fermentation.

Lesson learned. I hadn't thought about the CO2 scrubbing out any aroma. With the temperature, I figured it was pretty close to dry hopping and that it is pretty much just givng you aroma so no real need for any exposure to heat. Thanks. I will be changing my process next time I come across this.

lmacmil said:

So if I wait 14 days and fermentation is complete before dry hopping, how much time does dry hopping require before I can bottle?

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According to instructions... 5-7 days (although, I've dry hopped for two weeks before to great results). Again, this is personal preference and a fairly recent train of thought that your beers will be better the longer they sit in primary - wish I could find the thread but I'm sure someone else can save the day. I'm sure the beer will still turn out decently if you only ferment for seven days.

iron_city_ap said:

Lesson learned. I hadn't thought about the CO2 scrubbing out any aroma. With the temperature, I figured it was pretty close to dry hopping and that it is pretty much just givng you aroma so no real need for any exposure to heat. Thanks. I will be changing my process next time I come across this.

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Also - dry hopping and late aroma additions are not really equivalent. Yes, both give aroma, but not the same type of aroma. Again, it has to do with the application (or lack of application) of heat. Basically, dry hopping is not a substitute for late additions (or vice versa), even without the issue of "scrub out" during fermentation