Dry Hopping

I'm trying to brew a west coast style APA similar to Deschutes Mirror Pond. With my past brews, even though I think they're coming out really well, I'm not getting the hop finish I want.

So I got a modified recipe from my LHBS and they told me to dry hop. The 5G recipe is extract + custom grains. I brewed it up this past weekend and it's fermenting away nicely. The recipe called for hops at 60 minutes, 20 minutes and at flame out - I didn't add the finishing hops at flame out ... the plan is to add them after the beer is fermented out, (roughly a week or so).

Anymore, I don't use a secondary, and I prefer not to if I don't need to. Do I need to prep the finishing hops, (1/2oz Cascade pellets), before I add them to the primary? I'm thinking in terms of sanitization and getting the hops to "mix in".

How long after I add the hops should I wait before kegging?

Thanks.

I wouldn't worry about sanitizing the hops. My dry hopping rule of thumb is usually 7 days, should get you some nice aromatics and a little extra flavor your looking for.

I think they're coming out really well, I'm not getting the hop finish I want.........................The recipe called for hops at 60 minutes, 20 minutes and at flame out - I didn't add the finishing hops at flame out ... the plan is to add them after the beer is fermented out, (roughly a week or so).

Click to expand...

Those late addition hops are where you are going to get the flavor and finish that you're looking for. For the style you are looking for, I would use the 60 minute addition for bitterness and have additions at 15, 10, 5 and Flame Out as well as dry hop.

God I remember when Mirror Pond was so freaking good. Then they went and put it in a bottle and it's never been the same. Sorry John, your recipe isn't what it used to be.

I would have to say that you should not have skipped the late additions. My usual schedule for an APA is 60m, 15m, 1m and dry hop for 5-7 days after primary is complete.

Either way you do not need to sanitise the hops, however if you are using a hop sock or tea ball then you would need to sanitise that.

BendBrewer said:

Those late addition hops are where you are going to get the flavor and finish that you're looking for. For the style you are looking for, I would use the 60 minute addition for bitterness and have additions at 15, 10, 5 and Flame Out as well as dry hop.

God I remember when Mirror Pond was so freaking good. Then they went and put it in a bottle and it's never been the same. Sorry John, your recipe isn't what it used to be.

Click to expand...

What kind of quantities / aau's should I be looking for in the late hop addition .... 15, 10, 5, 0 and dry hop? Would you use the same hop for all of them?

ianhey said:

What kind of quantities / aau's should I be looking for in the late hop addition .... 15, 10, 5, 0 and dry hop? Would you use the same hop for all of them?

Click to expand...

The later additions will give you more intense flavor and aroma without the bittering qualities.

I would use the same hops or similar hops (Centennial and Cascade) or those hops that just seem to go well together (Simcoe and Amarillo).