IIPA - Grain to Glass Timing?

With my big beers I'll let them sit around for a few weeks to a month in the primary, then transfer off the yeast for bulk aging. Making my first big hoppy beer, so curious what everyone's timing is for something like IIPA.

I'm pitching a big slurry of yeast from a low gravity pale ale, and dry hopping 3-4 days as fermentation slows down. I'm expecting to be dry hopping 3-4 (probably 4) days after I brew with the big pitch and my past experience on big beers.

So what's everyone's experience here?

kegging? as early as 2 weeks but it will probably be better at 3-4 weeks.

4 days doesn't seem like enough time. I'd give it about 10 days before taking gravity readings and then dry hop if it's done fermenting.

Yeah, I'm kegging. If it were going to be ready to package in 7-10 days I MIGHT bottle a gallon for a trip coming up but 4-5 gallons will be kegged.

My barleywine was "done" at day 6, but that's an aging beer so I let it sit. Fermentation was stable but I figured it was still cleaning itself up. Trying to figure out how to balance fresh vs ready.

For dry hopping, I want to get the activity of the yeast with the hops similar to Firestone Walker. I'm using plenty in the dry hop so not terribly worried about fermentation carrying off the hoppy goodness. At 4 days I'm assuming fermentation is still going on. Not looking to package at that point, just start my dry hop.

Agreed on the dry hop while some yeast activity is still happening. Some pales only get primary drop hop, bigger beers get round 2 in the keg bagged.

Pretty much agree with everything said here http://brulosophy.com/how-i-brew/fermentation-schedules/

I like 2 weeks fermentation then 1 week dry hop.. 2 weeks in keg. 5 weeks. Probably can do it faster but unless something is awfully wrong this will work well every time. After 1 week in keg quite drinkable.. after 2 weeks perfection for a few more weeks. After that? I may never know.

Ahem!

Have you tried pressurized fermentation yet? 7 fracking days to serve at a BIG party, done that, have the t-shirt. There is more than one way to skin ole *Sylvester.

* Sylvester was a cat back in the day, cartoon type if you will, he had a mighty fine lisp, one of hilarity in size. "Sthuffering Sthutach!" Look it up you youngins!

I'm about 2.5-3 weeks. I dry hop for 7 days in two sessions. This includes cold crash.

I assume glass = serving glass.

sandyeggoxj said:

I'm about 2.5-3 weeks. I dry hop for 7 days in two sessions. This includes cold crash.

I assume glass = serving glass.

Click to expand...

Yup, thanks!

Ive got a Pliny clone going, and foresee it being around 3.5-4 weeks. Given past experience, the beer should be fermented in 1-1.5 weeks max. Once the krausen is gone, Ill start my first round of dry hops, then to follow with the second round (for a total of 2 weeks). Cold crash for a few days to drop out the dryhops, rack to kegs, and force carb.

Alright, what are your thoughts on single vs two stage dry hopping?

I've planned for a 5oz single stage dry hop as fermentation is winding down. Going to use loose pellet hops. Was going to let that go 4 days then cold crash, fine if I feel like it needs it, and package.

So far I'm looking at 8-10 days (depending on fermentation activity) days to cold crash. Adding hops at day 4 or so (or later, again depending on fermentation). Another 2 for gelatin fining if needed. Then I'll package, quick carb like I normally do, and wait a bit on it.

It's fermenting like crazy right now and smells fantastic!