Hot Side Dry Hopping?

While listening to basicbrewing.com I heard James Spencer mention a technique someone had shared with him called "Hot Side Dry Hopping". I forget whom it was but it was one of the more prominent brew masters from Avery, Stone, Dogfish Head etc.

Essentially it's the process of adding your dry hopping hops just before active fermentation ends in the primary. I tried it last night, I'll let ya know my results in about 5 weeks if anyone's interested.

Anyone else tried it? Results?

Schlante,
Phillip

Not sure how adding hops during fermentation counts as "hot side"...

What is the benefit?

Sounds like regular dry-hopping to me... I can't see how this is some revolutionary technique?

Funkenjaeger said:

Not sure how adding hops during fermentation counts as "hot side"...

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It's not a reference to temperature like, hot side airation. It's a reference to the fermentation still being active/hot, thus hot side dry hopping.

Special Hops said:

What is the benefit?

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If I remember correctly it's suppose to give a more rounded/muted less punch you in the face, possibly more flavor and not just aroma, vs traditional dry hopping in the secondary.

flyangler18 said:

Sounds like regular dry-hopping to me... I can't see how this is some revolutionary technique?

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It's not only that you're adding dry hops while there's still active fermentation rather than waiting until it's finished up.

My only guess is that since the yeast aren't dormant and there's active fermentation it could effect the beer flavor/aroma in a very nuanced sort of way. It's my first time to do this, in order for me to draw my own conclusion it seems I'd have to have another batch done the exact same way only dry hopped in the secondary!

Hmmmm sounds like a good experiment to share with the LHBC!

Schlante,
Phillip

Ps the way James presented it in the show was to say that it was too be done when fermentation had been slowed down. So not at the height of fermentation but before all activity is done.

Both the name and the supposed effects suggest the possibility that it was really first wort hopping, but perhaps not.

I can't see fermentation in its final 'trickle' of activity really changing the dry hopping characteristics.

what I do see as a possibility is that you're getting the dry hopping started sooner, which means it can 'mellow' sooner, so you don't get the grassiness sometimes associated with a younger, dry hopped beer.

i.e. its more drinkable, sooner.
*shrugs*

It probably has to do with the CO2 activity driving off some of the harsher volatiles in the hops

Joe Camel said:

It probably has to do with the CO2 activity driving off some of the harsher volatiles in the hops

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I have read about this in a magazine some time ago and this is exactly what its doing. Also you want to make sure you leave the hops in your primary during your diacetal (sp) rest but dont transfer them to you secondary. During your rest and the "clean up" the yeast will also give off unique flavors because of the active fermentation.
If I remember correctly
Cheers
JJ

Interesting. So you add hops just before fermentation slows to a halt and then rack it a day or a few days later or what? eg I usually primary for 5-7 days so maybe dry hop at 3 or 4 and rack at 7? I've been meaning to try dry hopping in the secondary but after a week instead of right away, maybe I'll do this as well. So instead of my usuall dryhop 2 weeks secondary I'll do 3 days primary/7 days secondary,

Cool!

Since hop aroma/flavor comes from a broad range of oils, just about any variation in brewing will change the final product. It would be interesting to split a batch just before fermentation is done and immediately dry hop half, then wait two weeks and do the other half.

Not an exact comparison though, because the second part will have less time to lose the volatiles.

Jaybird makes as much sense of the how and why as anyone, all I know is I added a small addition in this "hot" manner.

david_42 said:

Since hop aroma/flavor comes from a broad range of oils, just about any variation in brewing will change the final product. It would be interesting to split a batch just before fermentation is done and immediately dry hop half, then wait two weeks and do the other half.

Not an exact comparison though, because the second part will have less time to lose the volatiles.

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David my next beer is going to be a cascade heavy APA or IPA. I think I'll do some experimenting with that batch! Perhaps I'll brew it up with bittering hops and late hop additions for flavor and aroma. Start fermenting the whole 5 gal batch. When activity is almost over I'll siphon off a gallon that will get no dry hopping as the control. Siphon off half of the remaining batch, setting it aside for traditional dry hopping once fermentation is complete. Lastly I'll "Hot Side Dry Hop" the 2 gallons remaining in the fermenter!

Good idea/experiment!?

MVKTR2 said:

Jaybird makes as much sense of the how and why as anyone, all I know is I added a small addition in this "hot" manner.



David my next beer is going to be a cascade heavy APA or IPA. I think I'll do some experimenting with that batch! Perhaps I'll brew it up with bittering hops and late hop additions for flavor and aroma. Start fermenting the whole 5 gal batch. When activity is almost over I'll siphon off a gallon that will get no dry hopping as the control. Siphon off half of the remaining batch, setting it aside for traditional dry hopping once fermentation is complete. Lastly I'll "Hot Side Dry Hop" the 2 gallons remaining in the fermenter!

Good idea/experiment!?

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Yeah man try it! It can't hurt. Have you tried FWHs? That works really well too and is somewhat counter intuitive. I don't think one can go wrong when adding hops at anytime, I think I'm gonna start dryhopping my starters!