Dry hopping in secondary.

[Ghunter0815]

After doing a good bit of research on HBT and the entire interwebs, I feel I've been lead astray by my LHBS.

Picked up an IPA kit as part of a sale about a month ago. Brewed it for National Homebrew Day (though a week late). Primary for about a week and a half, then racked to secondary.

Their "instructions" say the beer REQUIRES secondary for 2-8 weeks for clarifying (and dry hopping). Hops should be added approximately 5 days before bottling. 1 oz nugget, 3/4 oz Palisades, 1/2 oz Simcoe.

If I'm already in secondary, what's the best way to dry hop? Rack again (and risk add'l O2 exposure?) Gently drop the hops into the current vessel? Do a hokey-pokey and turn myself around?

Little background on the batch:

O.G. - 1.064 (Temp corrected)
F.G. - (at racking) 1.011 (Temp corrected)
Fermented at 67-68 degrees F

Any advice?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464795165.967750.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1464795184.882413.jpg

 

[Indian_villager]

If you already racked to secondary just add the hops there. Put your dry hops in a hop bag and shove it into the secondary fermenter. Let it sit there for 4 days and bottle. Don't move it again.

For future batches don't do a secondary on IPAs. I just dry hop into the primary after fermentation slows down (3-4 days after pitch).

 

[Ghunter0815]

That's what I've been reading lately. Shame on me for blindly following my LHBS, advice without further research.

Thanks Indian_villager!

 

[m00ps]

8 weeks is ridiculous for an IPA. I'm usually drinking my first few before a month since brew day. Quicker is better with IPAs if you want to maximize the fresh hop character. Oxygen exposure should be also kept to a minimum, hence the secondary being a very bad idea.

It sounds like your LHBS is operating on some very outdated information. I would take anything they say with a heaping spoon of salt

 

[Ghunter0815]

8 weeks is ridiculous for an IPA.

I thought the same thing. I never had the intention of waiting a full 8 weeks. I should have followed my gut and skipped the secondary, but hindsight is 20:20, unless you've had one too many.

It sounds like your LHBS is operating on some very outdated information. I would take anything they say with a heaping spoon of salt

I can honestly say, this is the first time they've run me wrong. They helped me tweak a Irish Red to perfection previously. Won't make the same mistake twice though!

 

[kombat]

I wouldn't even bother with a hop sock - just drop the hop pellets directly in. The one time I did use a hop sock with a carboy, I learned why it was a mistake (the hops inside the hop sock swell up and it's impossible to remove it). I ended up racking the beer out (to a keg), then awkwardly inverting the hop sock inside the carboy so I could get it out.

 

[therealrsr]

Just a counter opinion, I always move my DIPA to a glass carboy for dry hopping. Yes, a personal choice, just not a fan of a plastic vessel after the extra head space is no longer needed. I understand the o2 argument, but using an auto-siphon into a co2 purged carboy(usually but not always) has never messed with my recipe. Pulling from bottom and depositing on bottom doesn't add a ton of o2. I make this beer A LOT. Also, 8 weeks not terrible if the dry hopping happens at the last 5 days of it imo, just not necessary. Now if you whirlpool, hop rocket, large flam out addition, etc. that would shorten timeline but assuming with a kit nothing too crazy going on. I starsan the carboy mouth and drop in the whole leaf hops. Cleaning them out is a pita, but not a deal killer. I don't think they led you astray 2-8 weeks is a broad range and in line with other comments.

 

[radwizard]

My lhbs is always giving me crappy "pointers". At this point, i just buy grain from them and try to avoid talking about my brew plans.