Cooked up an IPA on the 2nd of this month; OG of 1.065. Now, just five days later, I'm getting 1 to 2 bubbles per minute from the airlock, krausen has fallen, no apparent active fermentation and the gravity is 1.018. Is it time to transfer to secondary or should I wait another day or two?
Time to transfer to secondary?
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COLObrewer
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Wait another three days, take another gravity reading, if it is stable and not dropping, you are safe to secondary. Although if you want to condition the beer any, you might want to leave it in the primary for 2-3 weeks. You can secondary then if you feel it is necessary, but if you are not dry hopping and the beer is clear then you can go straight to bottling bucket from the primary.
Also, forget about airlock bubbling, all it tells you is that your fermentor is sealed enough to let escaping gases flow through the airlock, not that it is fermenting or not fermenting.
Also, forget about airlock bubbling, all it tells you is that your fermentor is sealed enough to let escaping gases flow through the airlock, not that it is fermenting or not fermenting.
I'd say leave it for longer than that. Two weeks at the bare minimum. I primary 3-4 weeks with most all my ales.
You can still ferment longer and dry hop a beer. You want your beer to not only be at FG when you dry hop, but IMO, it's better to dry hop once the beers beginning to clear up. I've noticed cleaner dry hop aromas when dry hopping after the beer starts to clear.
COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
Left in primary, will the gravity drop much more?
It could, in theory, of course. But even after FG is stable in primary, it helps the yeast clean up and the beer clear out if you leave it for awhile longer.
Agree, with everyone else so far.
IPA = minimal 4-6 weeks in primary. I also dry hop 7-10 days after that, and then transfer to a secondary to cold crash before I keg.
If its at 1.018, id say it surely needs more time to go. On my extract IPAs I get around 1.010.
IPA = minimal 4-6 weeks in primary. I also dry hop 7-10 days after that, and then transfer to a secondary to cold crash before I keg.
If its at 1.018, id say it surely needs more time to go. On my extract IPAs I get around 1.010.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
FWIW, you can also dry hop in primary.
+5 on that. I did it that way with one of my ESB's and it came out great. I plan to do it again with my nextbrew (an English IPA) that is on deck. After 4-6 weeks in primary it will get 1.5oz of whole hops fora weeek before getting botled/kegged up.
:rockin: IMO dry hopping is not enough of a reason to rack to another vessel.
Ive been getting super clear brews with 4+ week primaries without cold crashing a single batch. IMO that's another item that's 100% optional. You CAN get super clear brew without it, IF you are even slighly patient.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
I would wait until the brew has finished (completely ready for bottles) before dry hopping. Taste it after a week, knowing that it will fade some over the coming weeks. You could get what you're looking for after just 7 days with the dry hops in primary. IF you want more, I would taste each day (two tops) after that.
My first batch, with 1oz total, with dry hops was great even with just 6 days. I plan on about 7 days for the next brew to be dry hopped (brewing it this Sunday).
My first batch, with 1oz total, with dry hops was great even with just 6 days. I plan on about 7 days for the next brew to be dry hopped (brewing it this Sunday).
RyanSweeney
Well-Known Member
Hey guys...I have an IPA going right now. It's only been a week. I've just learned from this thread that I need to let it set for at least 4 weeks, so I'm really glad I found this thread.
The kit had two packets of bittering hops and one packet of aroma hops. Do you guys recommend dry hopping it past what was included?
The kit had two packets of bittering hops and one packet of aroma hops. Do you guys recommend dry hopping it past what was included?
RyanSweeney
Well-Known Member
True. This is my first IPA though, and I like a good hoppy beer. Any recommendations?
What hops did you use?
Personally, I dry hop all my PAs/IPAs. Certain hops I let go a little longer like 12 days, and some I only go 5-7.
Toss em in with a week left and see if you like it. A 5 day DH is not gonna break a brew. Some hops tend to get really grassy after too long.
RyanSweeney
Well-Known Member
Paulgs3 said:
I used what came with the kit. It's a Brewers Best IPA.
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