Disappointing dry-hopping result

Hi everybody.
I bottled my 6th batch last night and I was a bit disappointed with the hop character obtained.
I followed a clone recipe found in this forum (Founders all day IPA) which called for 0.5oz each of simcoe, amarillo and crystal for a 5 gal batch.
Many brewers have reported success with the recipe so I assume they are happy with the hop character obtained.

In my clone (5.5gal)I used whole cones, 1oz simcoe, 1oz crystal and 0.25oz amarillo. The hops were bagged (big bag, however when the hops swelled they filled up the bag)
Fermented using WLP007, which reached FG after 3 days and was dropping clear by the time I dry hopped on day 7. Dry hopped for 6.5 days at about 68F (20C). The bag floated for the first few days and then sunk. Every day once a day I move the bucket back and forth hoping it will help getting the beer through the hops.

I tasted the hydrometer sample prior bottling and although it had a nice dry hop character, it was not full on the nose as I found in the commercial example, even though I used more hops in my recipe. After I finish bottling, I squeeze the hops bag onto a glass and that smelled and tasted quite as I would have liked the whole beer to be.

So, it appears my process and/or recipe needs adjusting. Any advice?
The things that come to mind are these, however I don't know which one carries the best reward vs. effort ratio.
Use bigger bag, use pellets, choose more potent hops, find a way to lift the hops once the sink to the bottom, multiple additions ....

Note I do not plan to do secondary and have no means of dropping the yeast from my bucket.

thanks
p_p

When I dry hop in a carboy I tie the bag to a piece of monofilament fishing line so it hangs suspended in the beer and doesn't sink to the bottom. I add 3-4 stainless steel washers to the hop bag so the hops don't float. If using a lot of hops, I'll use multiple bags instead of one big bag. Hops vary from year to year, so its best to taste the beer when you think its done,if you aren't getting enough hop character, you can always add some more before bottling/kegging.
Here's a clone recipe where the author states the taste was pretty close to the commercial example:
https://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/all-day-ipa-clone-4

Use bigger bag(s). The hops should be free in the wort, but if you bag them that's fine as long as they are not packed tightly or in a small bag. The wort has to be in contact with the hops.

I never weigh mine down, because as long as the wort permeates the hops, diffusion will do the rest.

I may be in the Minority but to obtain any Hop aroma that i would consider to be "BIG" I use up to 8oz of Dry Hop and 3oz of steep/whirpool. Usually 3oz Steep 6oz dry hop in primary post Fermentation and 2oz Dry hop in keg.

p_p said:

I tasted the hydrometer sample prior bottling and although it had a nice dry hop character, it was not full on the nose as I found in the commercial example, even though I used more hops in my recipe. After I finish bottling, I squeeze the hops bag onto a glass and that smelled and tasted quite as I would have liked the whole beer to be.

Click to expand...

Don't judge the aroma until the beer is fully carbonated. Much of that hoppy aroma is carried to your nose on CO2 escaping the finished, pressurized beer. Your hydrometer will fail at aroma.

Still, no doubt we are all chasing that phat hop aroma in our IPAs and Pale Ales. Never enough!

Thank you everybody for your posts. I'll make changes for next time and now wait for the beer to be fully carbonated.

Cheers