If I decide not to dry hop

[RetroGameBoy]

I am going to brew shortly and the recipe calls out a Dry Hop. I do not have a secondary fermenter (and from browsing it seems like it doesn't make too much of a difference). Do I just ignore the Dry Hop step and not use the hops for that portion, or would I move those hops to either the flavoring or finishing portions?

 

[jschein]

Drop the in the fermenter on the scheduled day

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Drop the in the fermenter on the scheduled day

I see, so hold out, pop open the primary and drop in the bag after 5-7 days from start of fermentation and leave until bottling?

 

[RetroGameBoy]

The issue is that the recipe just mentions that the Secondary Fermentation is optional, and the dry hops should be added and left for 3-6 days. Nothing about if you are not racking to a secondary.

 

[Yooper]

I see, so hold out, pop open the primary and drop in the bag after 5-7 days from start of fermentation and leave until bottling?

Yes, and try not to hold the top open long or to splash. Add the hops gently. (I don't use a bag, so I every gently place them in there so they avoid splashing and close it up again right away).

 

[rburrelli]

It means that whether or not you do a secondary, the hops should be left in for 3-6 days.

 

[AntonioMartins]

If you don't want to do dry hop at all, one option is use the hops after boiling, when the wort get below 80ºC, to keep the maximum of the aromatic oils.

 

[Stand]

That is called a hop stand. You can do it, and it will be good. It won't be the same though.

What kind of beer is it?

 

[RetroGameBoy]

If you don't want to do dry hop at all, one option is use the hops after boiling, when the wort get below 80ºC, to keep the maximum of the aromatic oils.

That is an interesting option I didn't think about. Is there a general rule of time?

I'm leaning on the adding it direct in a few days and until bottling, though I'm nervous about the risk of oxidization or infection

 

[RetroGameBoy]

That is called a hop stand. You can do it, and it will be good. It won't be the same though.

What kind of beer is it?

It is a "Tropical Citrus IPA"

 

[Stand]

I am sure you will make a good beer regardless, but if you want that big hop punch, dry hopping is the way to go.

Is there a reason you don't want to dry hop?

 

[wepeeler]

Most recipes nowadays don't require a secondary fermentation vessel. Do everything in the primary. Follow the recipe's instructions about dry hopping to add extra aroma and more flavor. If it's saying to dry hop 3-6 days before bottling, you should do that. Just do it in the primary and transfer when the recipe calls for it. Dry hopping is a must for anything named "Tropical Citrus IPA"!

 

[RetroGameBoy]

I am sure you will make a good beer regardless, but if you want that big hop punch, dry hopping is the way to go.

Is there a reason you don't want to dry hop?

I just don't have a secondary fermenter/carboy at this moment. I'll go with either the suggestion to add directly or add in a muslin bag after 5-7 days. Thank you!

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Most recipes nowadays don't require a secondary fermentation vessel. Do everything in the primary. Follow the recipe's instructions about dry hopping to add extra aroma and more flavor. If it's saying to dry hop 3-6 days before bottling, you should do that. Just do it in the primary and transfer when the recipe calls for it. Dry hopping is a must for anything named "Tropical Citrus IPA"!

I definitely won't leave it out now! Recipe said after a certain amount of days in the primary, not set time until bottling. This is my third brew overall and first IPA (first was a wheat, second was a Brown ale) so I wanted to see what the recommendation is. Sounds like a few good options!

 

[wepeeler]

I definitely won't leave it out now! Recipe said after a certain amount of days in the primary, not set time until bottling. This is my third brew overall and first IPA (first was a wheat, second was a Brown ale) so I wanted to see what the recommendation is. Sounds like a few good options!

Then I would certainly add dry hops when it says to. The common consensus for neipas nowadays ( and it seems like it's ALWAYS changing) is that there is no need to leave the beer on the dry hops for more than 3 or 4 days. I usually only do 48 hours, but if you don't have the ability to cold crash to help drop out particles, you're going to end up with a lot of unnecessary hops in the bottles.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Then I would certainly add dry hops when it says to. The common consensus for neipas nowadays ( and it seems like it's ALWAYS changing) is that there is no need to leave the beer on the dry hops for more than 3 or 4 days. I usually only do 48 hours, but if you don't have the ability to cold crash to help drop out particles, you're going to end up with a lot of unnecessary hops in the bottles.

If there is no harm leaving it in longer, I'll do it after 5 or 6 days depending on fermentation and leave it until bottling. I've been bottling after 2 weeks in the fermenter and leaving in bottles roughly 2-3 weeks

 

[wepeeler]

If there is no harm leaving it in longer, I'll do it after 5 or 6 days depending on fermentation and leave it until bottling. I've been bottling after 2 weeks in the fermenter and leaving in bottles roughly 2-3 weeks

Personally, I would err on the side of dry hopping later and getting it into bottles asap. That way you'll get the freshest hop aroma. Although, bottling this style isn't preferred. You're going to miss out on hop freshness while it sits 2-3 weeks in bottles to carbonate.

 

[Stand]

Timing on dry hops is a hot topic. I have done 10 days and I have done 2 days.

I have done high temps and low.

I always like the result because I always make beer.

Do what works for you, and if you don't like the result fix it next time.

I would 100% skip secondary, but never skip the dry hop. Common advice is to keep hops in the beer for around 5 days. Some people swear 2 days. Some people leave it 10 days. Some people dry hop in the keg and leave it until keg kicks.

I have done all of those things, and I still made beer. And I still loved it! Hooray beer!

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Timing on dry hops is a hot topic. I have done 10 days and I have done 2 days.

I have done high temps and low.

I always like the result because I always make beer.

Do what works for you, and if you don't like the result fix it next time.

I would 100% skip secondary, but never skip the dry hop. Common advice is to keep hops in the beer for around 5 days. Some people swear 2 days. Some people leave it 10 days. Some people dry hop in the keg and leave it until keg kicks.

I have done all of those things, and I still made beer. And I still loved it! Hooray beer!

Thank you and everyone else! Just pitched the IPA. I'll definitely be dry hopping and will record the days and thoughts and such for the next time I decide on an IPA. Never thought I'd enjoy brewing as much as I have been, everyone here has been very helpful on this and my other questions. I understand it isn't a fine art and changes/experimenting with different times and methods are sometimes encouraged, I just don't want to completely mess up the type of brew as I probably would have in this case!

 

[Stormcrow]

Thank you and everyone else! Just pitched the IPA. I'll definitely be dry hopping and will record the days and thoughts and such for the next time I decide on an IPA. Never thought I'd enjoy brewing as much as I have been, everyone here has been very helpful on this and my other questions. I understand it isn't a fine art and changes/experimenting with different times and methods are sometimes encouraged, I just don't want to completely mess up the type of brew as I probably would have in this case!

Glad you're having fun! If you do dry hop late, one trick you can try is to slip a muslin hop sack or brewing bag over your siphon tube when you rack into the bottling bucket (if you're using a siphon and bottling bucket, that is). I've dry hopped with pellets less than three days before bottling and used this method to keep the particles out of my bottles. Beer was clear and I didn't even cold crash.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Glad you're having fun! If you do dry hop late, one trick you can try is to slip a muslin hop sack or brewing bag over your siphon tube when you rack into the bottling bucket (if you're using a siphon and bottling bucket, that is). I've dry hopped with pellets less than three days before bottling and used this method to keep the particles out of my bottles. Beer was clear and I didn't even cold crash.

There is a good thought to help filter it. I was leaning two routes, to put the hops in a muslin bag and place in primary, or just pour the hops into the fermenter as Yooper mentioned above. I would think it would be easier to just put them in the fermenter.

 

[Stormcrow]

There is a good thought to help filter it. I was leaning two routes, to put the hops in a muslin bag and place in primary, or just pour the hops into the fermenter as Yooper mentioned above. I would think it would be easier to just put them in the fermenter.

Yep. I don't think you'll go wrong either way. I've heard people say they think they get better utilization by just dropping them in. To be honest, I just do it because it's easier and I don't have the little bags. I like using my brew bag as a siphon filter though. Helps a little with the trub too, but you still don't want to shove it all the way to the bottom.

 

[Beermeister32]

Dry hopping is about extracting the aromatic oils from the hops. If there is some reason you can't do it in your fermentor, you could find a big gallon glass jar and transfer some wort into it and add the hops to the sanitized jar for several days.

You would blend it back into the bottling bucket at bottling time. For matter, you could even do it with boiled or distilled water and a jigger or two of vodka in the jar instead of wort. The alcohol assists with the oil extraction. A lot of the water or wort will be absorbed by the hops, so you will not be adding a full gallon back, more like half volume.

 

[Stand]

If you ferment in a bucket you can use these:

 

[Jayjay1976]

If you ferment in a bucket you can use these:

Hop screens also work in Fermonsters and BMBs.
I prefer keg hopping tho.

 

[amber-ale]

or use leaf hops not pellethops and drop them directly into the fermentor. no bag.

if you use a bag or screen, dont forget to dsinfect it

 

[Stand]

Racking off the hops is so annoying. There are things you can do to mitigate it, but I have had too many slow/stuck transfers to ever do it again.

Throw 'em in the clink, I say!

 

[EthanH]

Looks like you're pretty well covered. The only thing I'd add is that there can be issues with dry hopping for too long.

I've left a batch on hops for too long (in excess of 3 weeks) and had to contend with bitter, grassy flavors.

 

[amber-ale]

I dry hop all the time and never have any problems. But I prefer to dry hop with LEAF hops and have a screen attached to the (inside) nozzle / drain of my fermentor that keeps the leaves from getting into the final beer. sort of like a false bottom.

It was easier to just dump the hops into the wort, rather than worry about disinfecting a bag.
you could also use a giant fine mesh tea ball if you had to use pellet hops. I have tried that in the past successfully

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Thank you everyone! I stopped getting email notifications so I didn't check back until now. Tomorrow will mark 1 week fermentation. Right now I am planning on adding them this Wednesday (straight into the wort) and bottling next Tuesday.

I will be transferring to a bottling bucket from the primary fermenting bucket to filter out the bottom sediment.

I am nervous about adding opening the lid and getting in too much oxygen.

The fine mesh for the pellets look interesting. I see some available on Amazon with Prime delivery, which may come in time for adding this week. I prefer not to have hops in the resulting bottled beer. I am only adding a small amount (1 oz Simcoe) for the dry hop. A mesh tea bag/ball may be easiest.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

I ordered some cheesecloth bags for possible straining when transferring, or I may also weigh it down with some sanitized marbles and put the hops in it for the dry hopping:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J5P9WVV/
Does anyone see any issues with that?

 

[Stand]

I'm sure that will work great!

 

[RetroGameBoy]

Okay, I used two cheesecloth bags with marbles in each and 0.5 oz of Simcoe hops, put them in the fermenter on Thursday. The airlock is barely pulsing maybe about every minute or two. Is this a sign I shouldn't be bottling it tomorrow?

I understand the 48 hour thing between hydrometer measurements, but I don't want to risk the oxygen again to be honest and I am terrible at reading the hydrometer, at least before pitching.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

I decided to wait until tonight to bottle. Picking up a scale to more accurately measure priming sugar since I bought a bigger bag of it this last time.