Can you dry hop right after pitching yeast?

[ChiknNutz]

Looking into doing my first dry hop batch. I've seen a mixed bag of ways and times to dry hop. It looks like most dry hop AFTER fermentation has completed, but is there a reason you cannot dry hop as soon as you pitch the yeast? Further, this ensures no oxygen entry if done after fermentation. I read a couple articles suggesting dry hopping in primary when 4 points remain, but this defeats the intent of doing it from the very get-go. I am sure there's a good reason not to, just looking for some feedback.

This particular batch says to dry hop for 7 days, which seems just about ideal for fermentation to complete or very close to it, then transfer to serving keg. My last batch (a simple SMaSH ale), I transferred to the serving keg after 3 days then spunded at 28 psi to carbonate. I think if left in the fermenter for 7 days, there likely wouldn't be enough active fermentation to do much for carbonating.

 

[mattdee1]

I've been wondering about this, too. It's one of those things where I'm sure lots of people will have science-y explanations of what "should" happen but I'm wondering what has actually happened for anybody who has done it. I'll try it eventually.

 

[doogie]

The yeast activity will, to some extent, scrub the hop oils out of solution. So for years the common solution was to wait until the yeast was almost done, that way you didn't lose too much flavor/aroma, but it also kept the O2 introduction to a minimum (since the yeast can clean up a little O2 as they finish up their lives). Currently I have been playing around with cold crashing after fermentation is complete and then warming back up to around 60 degrees F before dry hopping with CO2 purged hops. It seems to really allow the aroma to survive.

 

[Maxkling]

My instant thought is the CO2 from fermentation will drive out the hop aromas.

 

[Pappers_]

The yeast activity will, to some extent, scrub the hop oils out of solution. So for years the common solution was to wait until the yeast was almost done, that way you didn't lose too much flavor/aroma, but it also kept the O2 introduction to a minimum (since the yeast can clean up a little O2 as they finish up their lives). Currently I have been playing around with cold crashing after fermentation is complete and then warming back up to around 60 degrees F before dry hopping with CO2 purged hops. It seems to really allow the aroma to survive.

My instant thought is the CO2 from fermentation will drive out the hop aromas.

Yup, this is why.

Also, with the advent of NEIPAs, we've learned that adding hops while fermentation is active results in biotransformation - where the essential oils are transformed. These oils are metabolized by the yeast into compounds that are floral and fruity - what we call 'juicy'.

 

[ChiknNutz]

Yup, this is why.

Also, with the advent of NEIPAs, we've learned that adding hops while fermentation is active results in biotransformation - where the essential oils are transformed. These oils are metabolized by the yeast into compounds that are floral and fruity - what we call 'juicy'.

So depending on the style, the answer is YES, as per your example of NEIPAs.

 

[Stormcrow]

FWIW, I've dry hopped really early like that and liked how the beer turned out. I won't argue with anyone who says you will blow out some aroma, but I could definitely smell and taste the hops in mine. You might just have to tinker with amounts to fit your taste, which is what we're always doing anyway. It definitely doesn't ruin a beer though.

 

[Pappers_]

So depending on the style, the answer is YES, as per your example of NEIPAs.

Yes, that's right. I did a brief Hop Science 101 for a BJCP tasting workshop and wrote up my notes here, if you're interested.

 

[ChiknNutz]

I am very keen on trying an NEIPA as they combine many elements I like. I have shied away from almost all IPAs for a few years now. I just don't prefer traditional West Coast IPAs as I don't care for the high hop burn that is common of them and just recently discovered the NEIPA style. As such, I've been trying to find as many of these so-called Hazy or Juicy IPAs as possible to settle on one to go after for a batch.

 

[odie]

well crap. I got a DIPA going and dry hoped into a huge krausen ...

 

[brewbama]

I have been playing with dry hop times. I have a batch finishing up that I dry hopped 4 points/2 days shy of finishing in an effort to get some biotransformation and allow the yeast to consume the potential O2 I added when I opened the fermenter.

 

[MehNahMehNah]

I'm about to intentionally pressure ferment an IPA and dredged up this post. One of my happier accidental DIPA's was an unplanned extended mash that way overshot OG and in an effort to minimize oxygen ingress I rigged the blowoff to a gas post on a keg with starsan that had another line from the liquid side going to a bucket.

This was in a garage in south Florida in the high 90's using Voss and since I intended a Sunday night to the following Saturday ferment I chucked the hops into the 6.5 gallon Big Mouth Bubbler.

By the end of day three the fermentation had pushed all the starsan out so I unhooked the liquid line. Didn't account for pressure and recent inquiry makes me wonder if I actually hurt the yeast? I may never know as the beer wound up a touch over 7% which wasn't my goal but happily was a moderately bitter tropical fruit like medium body.

What inspired me to post in this aging thread was reading it reportedly takes between one and a half to two bar to move the liquid (reading New Zealand brewing forums) and I think that translates to 15-30 psi which I wouldn't think the Big Mouth (with a spigot) would handle without problems (I don't think it did) and I understand that for initial pitch there shouldn't be high pressure on the yeast. I left the keg attached to the fermenter when transferring to the CO2 serving keg and had to reconnect the liquid line (immersed in a bucket of water - maybe I should have treated it with SMB?) and the beer was drunk in the next couple months thanks to the local homebrew club.

Maybe I'm missing some aspect of that particular experiment but I was trying to replicate with some consistency - with pressure brewing accelerating fermentation speed while reportedly preserving hop aroma and kveik's ultra rapid abilities I'm considering changes to my previous method and would like to hear thoughts. I'm switching to keg fermentation with floating pickups and have aquired a spunding valve.

 

[aceluby]

I almost always dry hop immediately because I’m lazy. Only issue is if you have a crazy yeast like Lutra that blows off like crazy. Otherwise I haven’t had any issues. Just have to give the fermenter a shake after a few days to get any that stuck to the side. Probably have 10 brews I’ve done this with and they always turn out with no O2 issues