Since everyone seems to think a secondary fermenter is not necessary, is it ok to open up the primary and throw a bag of hops (planning on 1/2 oz of loose cascades in a nylon mesh bag). From what I have read, dry hopping is done when transfered to the secondary, so if your not doing that, why not just crack the seal on the primary and throw it in?
dry hopping in primary
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uwmgdman
Well-Known Member
No problem at all. I'd wait until the fermentation has slowed considerably, otherwise the intense out gassing of co2 will scrub a lot of the aroma right out of the beer.
I actually have began to dry hop in the primary (after fermentation slows way down, let it sit for about a week with the dry hops, rack to the secondary and eventually bottle. I have no hop particles in my dry hopped beers now whereas before I had some bottles with a few particles. Not a lot, but I prefer not to have any in the glass.
I actually have began to dry hop in the primary (after fermentation slows way down, let it sit for about a week with the dry hops, rack to the secondary and eventually bottle. I have no hop particles in my dry hopped beers now whereas before I had some bottles with a few particles. Not a lot, but I prefer not to have any in the glass.
chase
Well-Known Member
I just bottled my first dry hopped beer. I dry hopped in the secondary, and it sat for two weeks. Every few days I rocked the carboy a little, so some hops would settle to the bottom, but some stayed at the top.
When I bottled, I ended up with a decent amount of hop particles in my bottles. I wish I would have known/thought of dry hopping in the primary, that way the small amount that gets into the secondary won't get bottled.
Oh well. Live and learn.
When I bottled, I ended up with a decent amount of hop particles in my bottles. I wish I would have known/thought of dry hopping in the primary, that way the small amount that gets into the secondary won't get bottled.
Oh well. Live and learn.
Danek
Well-Known Member
I was listening to Mike McDole - one of the 2007 Long Shot winners - on the Jamil Show yesterday (he was on the American IPA episode). He said he dry-hops in primary about a week after pitching so that any oxygen that's introduced will get eaten by the fermenting yeast. And he uses extra hops to compensate for aroma loss to CO2.
Something that everyone in the world knew already, but I found out the hard way, is that you really need to weight your dry-hop bag with something heavy. I dry-hopped my current batch of Edwort's Haus Pale with 2oz of cascade, and included some sanitised marbles to keep the hop bag submerged. But it turns out that 2oz of hops can really float pretty well, and can easily support the weight of the marbles. So next time I'm going to have to find something much heavier, to avoid having half the hops in the bag sitting out of the beer. It breaks my heart to see all that lovely potential aroma going to waste.
Something that everyone in the world knew already, but I found out the hard way, is that you really need to weight your dry-hop bag with something heavy. I dry-hopped my current batch of Edwort's Haus Pale with 2oz of cascade, and included some sanitised marbles to keep the hop bag submerged. But it turns out that 2oz of hops can really float pretty well, and can easily support the weight of the marbles. So next time I'm going to have to find something much heavier, to avoid having half the hops in the bag sitting out of the beer. It breaks my heart to see all that lovely potential aroma going to waste.
Good info. This batch is going on day 12 in the primary now (Cincinnati pale ale), there has been no activity for almost 1 1/2 weeks. Hopefully not to much oxidation will occur. What should I weigh the hop-bag with? I also decided to not transfer to a secondary, i plan to dry hop for 1 week then prime/bottle. Does this sound about right?
