Dry hop in primary?

[Mr. Awesome]

I'm going to start an IPA here in an hour or so, and was wondering if it is feasable to dry hop in the primary, or if it should only be done in the secondary. I don't currently have a secondary fermenter, so i was thinking of just dry hopping (with pellets) after 2 weeks in primary, then letting it sit for one week. Any thoughts? If I do need a secondary I'll just brew a stout instead, but I'd really like an IPA.

 

[Funkenjaeger]

You can dry hop in primary, just (as you already seem to have realized) you need to wait until fermentation subsides so you're not blowing all your hop aroma out the airlock.

 

[RichBrewer]

I wouldn't add the hops before fermentation starts. Fermentation drives of hop aroma defeating the benefit of dry hopping. You could however, add them to the primary after fermentation slows. You would need to keep the beer in the primary longer though

 

[9/9]

We dry hopped with our IPA in the primary. We put the hops in about 10 days after brewing and gave it another couple weeks before bottling.

Just opened one now and it is great.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

How much longer? I'm hesitant to let it stay in the primary for longer than three weeks total, 4 at the most.

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

[9/9]

I would put in the dry hops in after one week and then give it two more, for three total weeks.

Of course, I am a complete n00b so you might not want to trust me, but that schedule worked really well for the IPA we did.

 

[Mr. Awesome]

So as long as I wait until fermentation is finished to add the dry-hop it is fine, as long as I leave it plenty long enough to settle?

Thanks again for the help and advice. Good forum!

 

[Jamo99]

How much longer? I'm hesitant to let it stay in the primary for longer than three weeks total, 4 at the most.

Thanks for the quick replies.

You'll get adventurous, or lazy, soon enough and realize that longer than 4 weeks is no problem.

 

[mummasan]

I just added some hops in primary. Was sitting for about two weeks and all activity had stopped. I sanitized my bag and stuffedem down the neck.

Next time I'll just throw them in without the bag. Will make things easier.

I just checked the fermentor it looks like my dry hopping has stirred up the yeast and it is now fermenting further! I suppose I'll leave it for another week or so.