First IPA - need advice

[GoHawks]

Already done
American 2 row base
crystal 40
table sugar added
5oz chinook
1 oz 60 min
1 oz 30 min
2 oz 15 min
1 oz flameout

currently at around 8% 2 weeks into primary

To be done
have 2 oz simcoe to dry hop with

Question
1) Ive done a lot of reading on here (thanks everyone) and it seems like the aromatic/floral hops start to dissapear starting about 1 month in. Yet high alcohol beers need to age. Should I let the IPA mellow in the primary for awhile (as in a couple months) then dryhop w simcoe? Or should I just wait until fermentation is done and dryhop right away?

 

[jonmohno]

Dry hopp the last week or two.

 

[GoHawks]

So let it sit in the primary (possible transfer to 2ndary - but i wont likely do this) for a month or two then dry hop for a week? Is that what you are getting at? Thanks for your reply.

 

[tdogg]

most people dry hop in the secondary, but its not absolutely necessary. i just wouldnt leave the beer in primary for more than a total of 5 weeks. personally, i primary 2-3 weeks, transfer to keg and add the dry hops (in a sanitized bag) to the keg. wait 1-2 weeks, bottle or keg. if youre using a carboy for the secondary, add the leaf hops to the carboy without a bag. then put the sanitized bag over your autosiphon when you transfer.