Ditch the dry hop??

[mangine77]

Just brewed the Stone IPA clone and had a target OG of 1.065. Ended up at 1.045. I know what I did wrong and I'm working on my major
effieciency issues:cross:

My question is should I still dry hop this brew. My buddy said that because this beer finished so much lower than it was supposed to, that it's already going to have a huge amount of bitterness and aroma. He suggested just letting it stay in the primary until bottling and not dry hopping at all.

What do you think?

 

[sirsloop]

You're really not going to get any more IBU's out of dry hopping... only more nose. I say go for it anyways.

 

[EdWort]

Dry hop................

 

[Yooper]

Dry hopping provides aroma that you just can't get with the additions during the boil. In fact, the beer will be more bitter than you planned (the IBU/SG ratio will totally change leaving you with more IBUs in less SG) so the dryhopping will go a long way to make the beer taste more balanced and less bitter.

 

[Revvy]

Like everyone said, the dry hop has little do do with bitterness, and mostly with flavor and aroma. So your choice is...a bitter beer, or a bitter beer WITH YUMMY HOP FLAVOR AND AROMA!

I think you see where my choice would fall.

 

[BierMuncher]

...had a target OG of 1.065. Ended up at 1.045. ...

For a second there I thought you went from an OG of 1065 to a final gravity of 1045. I was going to suggest you have something more than an efficiency issue :cross:

Yeah...your beer is as bitter as it's going to get. You might consider setting that beer aside and letting it age for 1-2 months. Some of the astringency will subside. Then...about a week before you're going to bottle/keg, dry hop the beer to reintroduce some fresh hop aroma.

 

[david_42]

That large a decrease in SG will increase bittering utilization by about 25%. So, the IBUs are higher & the ABV is lower. This will be very bitter for the gravity. I'll go along with BierMuncher, let it age for 2 months, then dryhop.

 

[mangine77]

That large a decrease in SG will increase bittering utilization by about 25%. So, the IBUs are higher & the ABV is lower. This will be very bitter for the gravity. I'll go along with BierMuncher, let it age for 2 months, then dryhop.

I love the feedback on this site.

So should I let it age in the primary, or rack it off the trub and let it age.

Should I just age at room temperature??

Do you think this will even be drinkable? I am definitely a hop lover.

 

[BierMuncher]

I love the feedback on this site.

So should I let it age in the primary, or rack it off the trub and let it age.

Should I just age at room temperature??

Do you think this will even be drinkable? I am definitely a hop lover.

Let it age in the primary for 3-4 weeks. Then get it off that yeast cake.

Room temperature is a better bulk conditioning temperature. Chilling the beer will "suspend" the conditioning process.

The beer will definitely be drinkable. Bitter at first...but the palette is high adaptable.

 

[mangine77]

My buddy said that dry hopping tends to accentuate bitterness rather than softening it?? Obviously, you guys don't agree with this??

 

[BierMuncher]

My buddy said that dry hopping tends to accentuate bitterness rather than softening it?? Obviously, you guys don't agree with this??

I didn’t say dry hopping softens bitterness. Only time will mellow out the bitterness.

Dry hopping does accentuate the “hoppiness” of the beer and in some peoples taste, hoppiness and bitterness are the same thing.

Kind of like adding mild green chiles to a pot of already spicy chili. They didn’t add any heat, but they sure make you more aware of the chili flavor and the “heat” from the other chilis.

 

[EdWort]

My buddy said that dry hopping tends to accentuate bitterness rather than softening it?? Obviously, you guys don't agree with this??

Aging attenuates bitterness. Dry hopping enhances hop aroma.

 

[jonwolgamuth]

My buddy said that dry hopping tends to accentuate bitterness rather than softening it?? Obviously, you guys don't agree with this??

IMHO, dry hopping is almost purely about aroma.

 

[mangine77]

So after I move it off the yeast cake, do I have to worry about the space in the carboy for the extra aging. I don't have a pump to fill the dead space in the carboy. Will oxidation become an issue? I just don't typically use a secondary. thanks for all the great advice.

 

[Yooper]

So after I move it off the yeast cake, do I have to worry about the space in the carboy for the extra aging. I don't have a pump to fill the dead space in the carboy. Will oxidation become an issue? I just don't typically use a secondary. thanks for all the great advice.

No, it should be ok. You're not talking about aging it for months, just a few weeks. Then, you can just add the dryhops about a week before bottling (like the others suggested).