Here we go again! Dry hop question!

[Donutz]

I have read forum after forum after forum (on here using the search function) about dry hopping. I put here we go again, because I'm asking again (first time for me...this is my first batch ever of IPA...and first batch of beer ever). This question seems to be the same as asking should I get a Springfield or a S&W... or should I get a Ford or Chevy. There doesn't seem to be a correct answer. I have read about you should dry hop during fermentation (after 4 days or so) and I have read you should dry hop after a week. I have read that you should only let the dry hop sit for a week or less. I have read that you should let the dry hop sit for about 2 weeks. There doesn't seem to be any real answer!!! So, what my question will be (and I will probably get the same/similar answers!)...but what are the pros/cons to dry hopping sooner than later? What are the pros/cons about letting the dry hop sit longer/shorter amount of time?

Lastly, I personally haven't seen anything on this yet, although I'm sure there is a lot out there about it... but could I dry hop now (after 5 days) and then throw in another dry hop in a few more days later? I love VERY hoppy beer. I currently have 1oz of Cascade. I was thinking about getting a second ounce...

Thank you ahead of time for all answers!! I appreciate everyone that takes the time to talk to us noobs about brewing beer since I'm sure you see the same questions over and over and over!

 

[InLimbo]

The worst thing you can do is dry hop too soon. The general consensus is that if you add the hops while fermentation is still active, the CO2 will scrub out the aromas and flavors of the hops. It won't hurt anything, but this defeats the purpose of dry hopping in the first place.

Lots of people have different timings and philosophies when it comes to dry hopping. Are you using whole leaf hops or pellets? I don't use whole leaf hops because I don't want to mess with having to suspend a bag in my fermenter. But in general I wouldn't dry hop for more than a week before kegging or bottling.

You can certainly do multiple stages of dry hopping, but I'll let someone else chime in on that. I don't have experience with it, but I've read articles on it in Zymurgy. If it were me, I'd follow the same philosophy where I wouldn't let any one hop session last for more than a week. In fact, if I were multi-staging it, I would probably shorten each stage to maybe 3 days. Honestly though, I personally would just throw them all in at the same time so I didn't have to worry about it the timing, not to mention potentially introducing contamination each time I add more hops in.

 

[Captain Damage]

Dry hopping before fermentation is complete, you will bow off a lot of the aromatics with the CO2 that the beer generates. Waiting until fermentation is complete and the beer is still, keeps all the good stuff in the beer.

Leaving the dry hops in too long can cause grassy flavors, so we generally try not to go more than 2 weeks max (1 week is the standard). Some types of hops are more prone to this than others, but I'm not aware of anyone compiling any kind of grassiness ranking. I've heard a number of interviews with professional craft brewers who say that the hops give up all their good stuff within about 3 days.

To your last question, yes you can do this. The same craft brewers I mentioned above talk about layering the dry hops.

 

[Donutz]

I am using pellets and I was thinking about just throwing them in... So, between the two of your responses, it would be best to wait until all fermentation has stopped and then throw in the pellets for a week or so ( 3 - 13 days max approx?).... And if I wanted to do two sets of hops, it would be best to throw in the first set and then the second set within a few days of the first?

 

[Yooper]

I am using pellets and I was thinking about just throwing them in... So, between the two of your responses, it would be best to wait until all fermentation has stopped and then throw in the pellets for a week or so ( 3 - 13 days max approx?).... And if I wanted to do two sets of hops, it would be best to throw in the first set and then the second set within a few days of the first?

Dryhop about a week before packaging, whenever that is. You want the beer to be finished, and fairly clear as yeast will pull out the hops oils from the dryhopping when it flocculates and falls out of the beer.

I don't normally do two dryhoppings in the same batch, so I can't answer that.

My favorite length of time for dryhopping has been 5-7 days. That seems to produce the freshest and most aromatic hops aroma in my beers.

 

[Donutz]

How long should I expect fermenting to last? It has been going for 5 days thus far...

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[RonPopeil]

depends on the gravity. most beers will finish visible fermentation 4-5 days in. for most regular <1.070 beers i leave them for a week. over 1.070 and i just go two weeks. only exception is hoppy stuff like IPA's or ambers which get pulled at 1 week. i keg so i tend not to secondary. just rack off to the keg and throw it in the closet. that will end up being a secondary until i toss it in the keezer.

 

[Donutz]

This is an IPA...but for some reason, it came out a bit low. It was at 1.050 OG.

 

[RonPopeil]

Dry hopping provides aroma. Late boil hops provide flavor and aroma and early to mid boil hops will provide mostly bitterness. It depends on what you're after when you say hoppy. Some people like super bitter. Some people just want hop flavor(zombie dust). What do you want these hops to do?

 

[Donutz]

Ummm, wow... LOL. I'm not sure exactly what to say here! I have loved beer for many many years and I have been huge into craft brews for the last 7 years or so. I love IPA's like Stone Ruination, Sweetwater IPA/420, Great Lakes IPA, River Dog IpA... I also like many of alligash brews and many many others. What do I like in them? The extreme hopppiness, the flavor, the smell, the taste!!! If my wife tastes it before me and scrunches her face in disgust, I know I'll like it! If she tastes it and says...wow, this is pretty good, I won't like it...it will be too sweet for me!!! Maybe that will help?

 

[RonPopeil]

try playing with your IBU counts. for most IPA's i do 40-50% of my IBU's at 60 minutes and then get the rest with late additions. this gives a nice hop flavor but with a stiff bitterness in the back. i would consider this your standard 0.7 BU:GU formula. if you're a hop head more in the vain of greenflash or similar then just go for it. do a 60 minute addition for a BU:GU of 0.7 and then count your late hop additions in ounces. i think 3-4 ounces of late additions would get you right. this thinking throws IBU out the window so once you find your bittering value disregard IBU's.