(Another) dry-hopping temperature (thread)

[hlmbrwng]

Hey all,

I came across a few posts on here in which members seem to share the opinion that dry-hopping warmer is better. I am looking up this information, because I decided to dry hop in the keg and start refrigeration right away.

I found a couple of papers, and when putting the results together, it seems like dry-hopping cold is not such a bad thing. I would like your opinions in case I am misinterpreting the information.

One paper shows how temperature can affect the solubility of 1) alpha acids, and 2) linalool. Their data shows that linalool has slightly increased solubility at colder temperatures. Alpha acids on the other hand, have greater solubility at warmer temperatures.

https://hopsteiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/3_Dry-Hopping-A-Study-of-Various-Parameters.pdf

A second paper talks about the importance of linalool content in dry-hopping to creating "hoppy" beers.

https://hopsteiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/3_Dry-Hopping-A-Study-of-Various-Parameters.pdf

How much do the alpha acids contribute to the desired effects of dry-hopping? I know that there are many other compounds not focused on here, and that this is only a small part of the picture.

Thoughts?

 

[enkamania]

I dry hop warm in the keg for 3-4 days and then refrigerate.

 

[hlmbrwng]

I've decided on 6 days of dry-hopping at serving temperature. Originally, I wanted to try the shorter side and do 3, but since it isn't at room temp, I'm going for 6. The beer smells amazing. I hope it tastes good as well.

 

[mongoose33]

I may be wrong but I don't think Alpha Acids have much at all to do with what effect we want from dry hopping.

Alpha acids are isomerized during the boil, turning them into bittering compounds needed to offset the sweetness of the wort. They need a fairly lengthy boil to be converted. A 60-minute boil is fairly standard, though you can go shorter if you account for the somewhat lessened utilization.

Hops added late, or at flameout, are going to offer little if any bittering addition. Their value at that timing is in flavor and aroma. The reason for late additions is that the volatile oils in the hops that contribute flavor and aroma will be boiled off if added too soon.

And that's why people dry-hop--no loss of the important aroma and flavor components during the boil.

So--I wouldn't pay any attention to what happens to the Alpha Acids. To my knowledge--I've read a lot on this, but perhaps there is information of which I am unaware--you're not interested in Alpha Acids during the dry hop, just the other elements. I haven't found a reference to the flavor value of Alpha Acids during dry hopping, and I suspect it's minimal if it's there at all.

That said, when I'm dry hopping I'm doing it warm. In the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't matter much, just that it makes sense to me that warmer temps will tend to promote better absorption of the flavor and aroma oils than cooler temps.

My 2 cents, YMMV, offer void where prohibited.

 

[hlmbrwng]

Thank you both for the input.

I ended up dry-hopping for 6 days at 40-42 degrees. well, the first 2 days were closer to 48. There is so much flavor and aroma. After the beer is poured, you can smell it from several feet away. I dry-hopped with 1.5 oz each of simcoe, centennial, and citra. Also used 1 oz of each once the temp was brought down to 120 F during the wort chill. This was accidental. I meant to add at 170 F, but I forgot to do so.

I will likely ferment a warmer temperatures, just because I'll feel better in the end. But, I don't think it's the worst thing to dry-hop cold. To add to that, I also started carbing as soon as I started the dry-hop. Now I just need to give it a day for all the hops to drop out. It'll be ready by tomorrow!

 

[mongoose33]

Thank you both for the input.

I ended up dry-hopping for 6 days at 40-42 degrees. well, the first 2 days were closer to 48. There is so much flavor and aroma. After the beer is poured, you can smell it from several feet away. I dry-hopped with 1.5 oz each of simcoe, centennial, and citra. Also used 1 oz of each once the temp was brought down to 120 F during the wort chill. This was accidental. I meant to add at 170 F, but I forgot to do so.

I will likely ferment a warmer temperatures, just because I'll feel better in the end. But, I don't think it's the worst thing to dry-hop cold. To add to that, I also started carbing as soon as I started the dry-hop. Now I just need to give it a day for all the hops to drop out. It'll be ready by tomorrow!

If you like it, make sure you take copious notes so you can repeat it, even w/ the mistake of when you missed the temp.

 

[brick_haus]

I dry hop at ferm temp for 5-6 days then crash. What doesn't dissolve in the warm temps (linalool) dissolves in the cold??

 

[hlmbrwng]

If you like it, make sure you take copious notes so you can repeat it, even w/ the mistake of when you missed the temp.

Always! =)

 

[kh54s10]

I just hop in the keg and put it in the kegerator. I got plenty of flavor and decent aroma. I will have to do it warm some day in the keg. I have also dry hopped in primary then kegged. The beers were not the same so no good comparison.

 

[Owly055]

My experience with dry hopping is that warm is better, as it tones down any grassy vegital flavors more rapidly. This is more relevant to leaf hops than pellet. I dry hop every brew from my continuous fermenter (once a week) in secondary.

H.W.