Dry hopping questions

What is the main difference between dry hopping in the secondary fermenter vs dry hopping in the keg while the beer is being cold conditioned? I've read about some recipies that call for several dry hoppings while the beer is in the secondary. Sure seems like a lot of O2 exposure if u ask me...

Also, I guess it is general knowledge that dry hopping just contributes to aroma: is this really 100% true. I have my doubts. What do you guys think?

The bittering alpha acids will not dissolve at room temperature, but some of the flavor oils will in addition to the aroma oils. The temperature determines which oils dissolve and how fast, so you gets different profiles under those two conditions.

The biggest difference between dry hopping in the secondary and dry hopping in the keg is the mess in your keg that will plug up your out poppet to the point where you have to rack the beer into a clean keg, spend an hour or so cleaning all the hop crud out of the first keg, and still have hop bits in every pour of that beer.

In other words, don't do it. Take it from someone who has.


TL

So David, you're saying at higher temps (2ndary) you will get more flavor in addition to aroma whereas in the keg at lower temps you'll get just aroma?

That being said, are dry hopping times in the 2ndary usually lower than that of the keg, because with higher temps it doesn't take as long for desired results?

So, at what point during secondary ferm do you guys usually begin dry hopping?



Oh, and Tex, I use a mesh bag to dry hop. so a mess is not a problem. I've been just leaving it in my keg when I serve.

So, at what point during secondary ferm do you guys usually begin dry hopping?

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I start the day after I rack to secondary. The reason I wait is so that any co2 that decides to come out of solution won't blowoff my hop aroma. Some times there is no co2 breaking out of solution though and I dryhop as soon as I can...

Soulive21 said:

I start the day after I rack to secondary. The reason I wait is so that any co2 that decides to come out of solution won't blowoff my hop aroma. Some times there is no co2 breaking out of solution though and I dryhop as soon as I can...

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I do about the same. I usually leave my beer in the secondary for about 10 days, so I give it a few days before I put the hops in.

Yes, and I thought about the mesh bag not long after I replied. I just wish I had thought about it before I tossed the hops in the keg those years go!


TL

I don't transfer to a secondary, just leave in the primary for 2 weeks and then rack to a keg. I dry hop in the keg, room temp for a week and then remove the hops (pellet in a fine mesh bag) from the keg.

I have thought about dry hopping with loose pellets right in the primary for the last week in primary. I like to dry hop warm for a week although I know some guys who just throw the hops in the keg cold and leave them in until the keg blows.