Double IPA

lrbijl · Oct 1, 2010

So, I've just started brewing in my little apartment and went with Coopers kits, because they only require a medium sized pot and very little special equipment.

However, the Coopers kits are a little boring. So on my first pale ale kit i experimented heavily with some 2 oz cascade hops, and on my second kit, a real ale, i hopped with another 2 oz cascade hops and also added an extra 2lb of brewing sugar to pump up the abv.. Both very decent, if I may say so myself.

This time around, i got another fermenter and put down a basic wheat beer and an effort of a double ipa.

I went pretty basic with two cans of Coopers IPA and one can of light LME.

Since i have another 4 oz of cascade lying around, my big question is; should i dry hop this one?

devilishprune · Oct 1, 2010

Most definitely. I don't have any experience with those pre-hopped IPA kits, but I can only assume that you are not going to have as much hop aroma as you desire in an IPA. Did you add any other hops to it while you were boiling/did you boil it?

Enter: Dry hopping.

Drop 1-2 oz into the fermenter after fermentation is over and be amazed!

lrbijl · Oct 1, 2010

I didn't add any extra, no..
Would a hop tea be too late?

Then a couple oz it will be! Any recommendations on how to avoid my pellets from clogging up my auto-siphon on bottling day?

shecallsmeblue · Oct 1, 2010

Sanitize a nylon hop bag and rubberband, and wrap it around the end of your siphon. Though I don't usually use pellets for dry hopping, it keeps all the particulate from my whole leaf hops out. Just make sure to leave the bottom inch or two undisturbed.

mc_eric · Oct 1, 2010

shecallsmeblue said:
Sanitize a nylon hop bag and rubberband, and wrap it around the end of your siphon. Though I don't usually use pellets for dry hopping, it keeps all the particulate from my whole leaf hops out. Just make sure to leave the bottom inch or two undisturbed.

I've done the exatct same thing w/ pellet hops, works great.

As far as bitterness, you could get some of that pre-isomerized hop extract, if you want to go that route. A lot of the online homebrew suppliers carry it.