Carboy secondary. Oxidation?

[Eddiebosox]

So I am doing my first secondary fermentation (dry hopping with willamette hops). For numerous reasons I have a smaller batch so there's a lot of headspace. Should I be worried about oxidation? How long should I let it sit before bottling?

 

[Yooper]

The headspace should be fine for a short time, so don't worry. Adding dryhops seems to "knock" come of the co2 out of suspension, too, so you may notice some airlock bubbling and that co2 can help protect the beer by filling the headspace.

I like to leave my beer on the dry hops from 5-10 days. So, I'd either rack to another fermenter or bottle after no more than 10 days on the dry hops.

 

[Teromous]

For what it's worth, I drop mine into a secondary roughly a week after sitting in the primary. Racking tends to free up trapped CO2 and kicks up enough yeast to produce a little more. That CO2 will make a blanket over the top and protect it from O2. Check the airlock and see if it moves at all (mine will pop every now and then, but takes a long time).

Edit: Gah, Yooper beat me to the post haha.

 

[DavidHawman]

If you want to secondary this for awhile, boil half or even a quarter cup of sugar in a cup of water, cool and add to secondary. That should reawaken the yeast who will in turn create CO2 and create a blanket over your beer. Since CO2 is heavier than air, you just need a little bit of CO2 production to create a protective layer.

 

[Eddiebosox]

Thanks for the quick reply's!