I just brewed a couple 9% IPAs, AHS double and Bells Hopslam. Would it be better to bottle or secondary at around 3 weeks or does it matter? I've never secondary but have left brews in the primary up to 8 weeks, normally about 3 weeks. I plan to let these age 2 to 3 months before sampling, so just trying to put together a good plan cause I'm looking forward to some good hoppy brew.
Bottle or Secondary double IPA
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Ralelen
Well-Known Member
I would secondary and dry hop for two weeks or so, but thats just me. Dry hopping will really contribute to your aroma.
Both have 2 oz of dry hop at 7 days so I could secondary at 21 day since I will be removing the hops. Is there an advantage to racking to a secondary instead of leaving it in the primary or straight to bottle with this higher gravity beer? My secondary will just be another pail.
If you're using mesh grain bags to dry hop the beers and you can safely remove the hops (you're not using pellets), I don't see why a secondary would be necessary; I'd just let it sit in the bucket for another month then move it to bottles till you feel it's ready, skip the transfer risk. If you're dry hopping with pellets and you feel strongly that you have to get the beer off the hops, rack it. I've got a 120 clone 10 days in sitting at about 16.7% ABV and climbing, I've been adding the hops without a bag once a day mixed directly with one of the sugar additions. Had I used grain bags, definitely wouldn't be moving it over to secondary for the additional couple months.
Either way, you'll end with hoppy beer. And a Hoppy beer is a Happy beer. :cheers:
Either way, you'll end with hoppy beer. And a Hoppy beer is a Happy beer. :cheers:
Ok thanks. Think I will just use sanitized metal screen hop ball for the dry hop (are pellets) and pull those out after a week and let the primary sit for a few weeks until bottling. That 120 sounds good, I haven't been able to get a bottle yet but like the 90 minute. Is that an AHS kit or recipe?
buzzkill
Well-Known Member
best part of a IPA is the hops, best to let it age a little, then dry hop and bottle keg as soon as hops are removed. this way the hops wont fade
Well I actually prefer the 90 over the 120 b/c the 120 is VERY sweet, but it's definitely different and an experience to try, something I've wanted to try brewing. We took the recipe from HERE, converted it to our own style (more hops, targeting a lower FG), then brewed off a little over 2 gallons on 2/26 (didn't want to commit to a 5+ gallon grain bill for an experiment).
Weighed in this morning at 1.034 after 22 sugar additions, got it calculated around 17.5-17.8%. I referred to it yesterday as leaving the "knock you on your a**" stage and entering the "knock you on your a** but you wont remember it" stage.. haha
Anyhow, best of luck with your clones, do tell how they turn out.
dcp27 said:
Yes from info in this thread I'd decided to dry hop the week before bottling. Does it matter or is it better to leave it in the primary longer or bottle age longer? I've been brewing a year in May and had good luck with many beers but am really excited about the potential of these double IPAs and want to have a good plan for them. Off topic Im going to post up 2 or 3 dark graff cider recipes that have turned out well.
I find bulk aging works better, so if you're giving them that long I'd wait to bottle about 4-6 weeks before you plan to sample so you can do the dry hop as late as possible. why do you plan to wait so long to sample them?
dcp27 said:
Had planned to wait the 2 months cause I know from some other beers they get better andthis is also a higher abv beer and thought it would take longer. Guess Im trying to be patient but am bottling in 12oz so I could sample early
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