Dry hop advice requested

[RealToast]

I'm currently primary fermenting an IPA. Total volume, 5-gal. I boiled it a total of 60-mins. with .75 oz. Simcoe for 60-mins; another .75 oz. Simcoe for 40-mins; and .5 oz. Simcoe for 5-mins at the end.

This is only my third brew and first IPA. So I don't know what to expect from this batch or recipe. I do want the IPA to be fairly hoppy (think Green Flash, West Coast)

As for dry-hopping, I'd like to add Citra. Two questions: given the above information, what would be a amount of Citra you would recommend. Next, when dry hopping, do I just toss the pellets into the fermented beer? Or is there some stirring or other step involved?

Thanks!

 

[Rhetorik]

1) Your hop bill is light for an IPA. It's more of an APA. Not that this is bad thing, but should you look to make an IPA in the future, you'll want to at least double the hops that are going into the boil, especially when it comes to the late additions (as they provide all the hop flavour)

2) I'd recommend 2-3oz of citra. You just dump them straight into the fermenter once fermentation is complete (stable FG for ~3 days), and then wait 5-7 days to bottle. Do NOT stir the wort; you do not want to introduce any oxygen to the beer.

 

[m00ps]

take all the citra you can get your hands on, and dump it into the fermentor. Dont necessarily need to take gravity readings this early. I just dry hop +10 days in once airlock activity has nearly halted. But then again, if you are bottling, you want to be sure you have a completely stable gravity

 

[eadavis80]

I dry hop for 5-7 days prior to bottling by just throwing them into the fermenter the beer is currently in and don't stir. Others might dry hop longer, but I've read it can lead to "grassy smells and flavors" if you go that long. I've had good luck with 5-7 days prior to bottling. I'd add 2 ounces. Enjoy!

 

[msayler]

I just dry hopped a pale with Citra for the first time, and I find myself liking it so much that I wish I added more! I only used 1oz since it was my first shot, but next time it will definitely be (at least) 2.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Just for comparison, Northern Brewer uses 3oz Citra to dry hop the Zombie Dust clone.

 

[Canuck137]

Citra is probably my favourite dry hop for an IPA. One ounce works well, two works even better.

 

[slym2none]

At least 3oz of Citra for a 5G batch. I'd go 5 or 6. I am throwing 3oz of hops in for a dry-hop on my 2.5G batch soon.

1.5oz in the boil
3oz in the hop-stand
3oz in the dry-hop

7.5oz of hops in a 2.5G batch of a DIPA. Should be awesome.

 

[RJS]

Probably better to dry hop just before fermentation is complete to allow the yeast to clean up oxygen brought in by the pellets. As they break open they will introduce the oxygen, yeast can absorb.

 

[okbecker]

3 oz...dry hop and bottle

 

[RealToast]

Gentlemen, thanks so much for your responses! As a follow-up, I followed advise and after fermentation I tossed in 3 oz. of Citra. There was a bit of fermentation action for about a day and I bottled 3 days after the dry hops. After about 7 days in the bottle I chilled a couple and tested. The verdict: Outstanding! It was better than I had hoped for. The taste is between Green Flash's West Coast IPA (my hopes) and Deschutes' Fresh Squeezed IPA. Thanks again for your assistance!