Cold Crashing and Dry Hopping Question

[troutab81]

I've recently made a great IPA, loosely based of Nugget Nectar profile/schedule, and have some questions on improving the hop floral character.

I'm planning on throwing in about 4 oz of various hop pellets into my primary and letting it sit for a week at room temp (about 68).

1) My primary fermentation ceased about 4 days into the fermentation, but it started out around 68 and rose to 72 for 12 hours before I cold down to 68 using 1056 and a swamp cooler. Would cold crashing at this point help remove any off favors from high ferm temp?

2). Would cold crashing assist in better dry hopping and dropping things out/for a clearer and cleaner beer? When should I do this if so?

 

[kombat]

Would cold crashing at this point help remove any off favors from high ferm temp?

No. Cold crashing will help cause any chill-haze causing compounds to form and precipitate, as well as helping any other sediment to drop out. Any off-flavours from fermentation temperature may eventually get reduced by the yeast, but it has nothing to do with cold crashing.

Would cold crashing assist in better dry hopping and dropping things out/for a clearer and cleaner beer? When should I do this if so?

No and yes.

No, it won't produce "better" dry hopping, in the sense of improving flavour transfusion. Dry hopping is actually far more effective at warmer temperatures. Dry hopping in cold beer doesn't infuse nearly as much aroma.

Yes, cold crashing will help get those hop pellets to sink to the bottom, resulting in clearer beer.

Dry hop at room temperature for a week, then cold crash for a couple of days prior to bottling/kegging. I actually like to dry hop in my keg, to ensure my beer is never in contact with oxygen. Cold crashing in a fermenter causes air to be sucked in, potentially oxidizing the beer.

 

[Natdavis777]

Agreed with Kombat on dryhopping at warmer temps. A good 5-7 day dry hop at room temp will do you good. Then cold crash a package. I dryhop in the primary though, but give my carboys a good shot of Co2 before sealing them up before cold crashing for a few days (helps the hops compact on the bottom). Yes, some 02 will rush in when I eventually pull the top off when I go to keg, but I feel I have a good blanket of co2 over the beer, seeing that its heavier than oxygen (no oxidation issues yet knock on wood).