Dry Hop Timing

[Boobajoob]

I'm looking for your advice and rationale on this. It's my first time dry hopping (making a PseudoSue clone here). Currently on day 1 of fermentation.

I'm planning to add 3oz of cryo citra (25%) directly to my beer. It's currently fermenting in a fermzilla all rounder. I have another vessel that I can use to close transfer into that I was considering adding the dry hops to first. Here's my plan:

• Wait 3 days after fermentation is complete
• Cold crash 48 hrs
• Add dry hops to 2nd all rounder and purge with CO2
• Closed transfer from primary to secondary
• Let dry hops sit in secondary for 4 or 5 days (at what temp do you think?)
• Closed transfer to serving keg

I think this works, but I have a couple questions I'm hoping you all could help me with:

1. Is it worth using a secondary in this case? Should I just cold crash and dry hop in the serving keg instead (purging it 1st, etc). What's the advantage to using a secondary here? I keep my kegs in my keezer and I wouldn't expect the keg to last much longer than 2 weeks max.
2. Should I skip the cold crash between transfers? Maybe add dryhops and purge secondary then closed transfer directly. Let it sit for 4 or 5 days in the secondary then crash and move to serve?
3. Just add direct to primary 3 days after fermentation is complete, purge headspace with CO2, let sit for 4/5 days then crash and transfer?
4. A different method all together that I'm missing?

I feel like 1 or 2 would minimize O2 better but I don't fully understand why I would choose 1 over the other. Any advice you could give me would be fantastic!

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

No need for the secondary, even closed transfer you arent gonna gain anything here. Once fermentation is done cold crash to 48 then for a good 36 to 48 hours then dry hop for 3 days or so. After that if you can crash it as cold as possible for a day or 2 then closed transfer to your keg. This is my opinion, Im sure you'll get others. Oxygen limitation is very important. Good choice to clone though, love that beer.

Cheers!

 

[Jim R]

That is an interesting idea to get dry hops in the beer with no exposure to O2 using a second purged All Rounder but it seems like kind of a hassle and a little overkill. I have been using the magnet trick in muslin mesh bags suspended on the top/side of the AllRounder and then simply sliding the magnets down into the beer when it is time to dry hop (and sliding them up when dry hopping is done). This seems simpler and achieves the same end. Then I do a closed transfer to the keg when ready (usually about 2 weeks) and then cold crash the keg. This also keeps the dry hops out of the serving keg and throughout the entire serving time.

I am not sure how much I really gain from this either compared to just opening the fermenter briefly (preferably before fermentation is complete to still get some fermentation CO2 production) and then quickly resealing and purging with CO2. It is fairly simple though to go the extra step with vacuum sealed magnets.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

My only gripe with that is, with a beer like this, that is very hop forward you are not going to get the hop saturation that you do with putting them in commando.

 

[Boobajoob]

No need for the secondary, even closed transfer you arent gonna gain anything here. Once fermentation is done cold crash to 48 then for a good 36 to 48 hours then dry hop for 3 days or so. After that if you can crash it as cold as possible for a day or 2 then closed transfer to your keg. This is my opinion, Im sure you'll get others. Oxygen limitation is very important. Good choice to clone though, love that beer.

Cheers!

I like it! Is the drop to 48 the "soft crash" I've seen thrown around? And how does that help the dry hop process exactly? Also, you think it's easier to just add the dry hops to primary then purge with CO2 over a secondary? I'm just trying to keep as much O2 out of the process as possible.

 

[Boobajoob]

That is an interesting idea to get dry hops in the beer with no exposure to O2 using a second purged All Rounder but it seems like kind of a hassle and a little overkill. I have been using the magnet trick in muslin mesh bags suspended on the top/side of the AllRounder and then simply sliding the magnets down into the beer when it is time to dry hop (and sliding them up when dry hopping is done). This seems simpler and achieves the same end. Then I do a closed transfer to the keg when ready (usually about 2 weeks) and then cold crash the keg. This also keeps the dry hops out of the serving keg and throughout the entire serving time.

I am not sure how much I really gain from this either compared to just opening the fermenter briefly (preferably before fermentation is complete to still get some fermentation CO2 production) and then quickly resealing and purging with CO2. It is fairly simple though to go the extra step with vacuum sealed magnets.

I've read about the the magnet thing but I find the cold crash (and a little gelatin) drops everything out of suspension. Then I use a floating dip tube to pull from the top of the beer and pressure transfer to my serving keg so I'm not worried about getting the dry hops out. If you haven't been using them I can't recommend floating dip tubes enough. With a mesh screen on it as well (and a 5/8" 304ss bolt to keep the tip below the liquid level) I get crystal clear beer every time

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I like it! Is the drop to 48 the "soft crash" I've seen thrown around? And how does that help the dry hop process exactly? Also, you think it's easier to just add the dry hops to primary then purge with CO2 over a secondary? I'm just trying to keep as much O2 out of the process as possible.

Yes that's the soft crash, it helps drop the yeast out of suspension and avoid hop creeps which results in hop burn. And yes, dry hop the primary with co2 running in at 2psi while you dry hop if you can, then purge with co2 a few times.

 

[TBA]

I set my soft crash temperature accidentally to 34 and it is already there (overnight). Will this cause an issue?

 

[couchsending]

I set my soft crash temperature accidentally to 34 and it is already there (overnight). Will this cause an issue?

Probably not. There’s really no need to even go to 48 honestly. 55 works just as well for most yeasts. Let it warm back up on its own to 55ish then add the dry hops.

 

[StayThirsty]

That is an interesting idea to get dry hops in the beer with no exposure to O2 using a second purged All Rounder but it seems like kind of a hassle and a little overkill.

I’ve done this 5-10 times and it works but it’s a real hassle. It requires cleaning All Rounders twice per batch and purging the second AR with CO2 after filling it with 8 gallons of Star San.

It works: the pressurized transfer from AR to AR with the floating dip tube leaves the vast majority of the yeast in the first fermenter.

Why do I bother? I want to be able to agitate my dry hops without fear of stirring up the yeast into solution and pulling hop flavor/aroma out of solution.

While this procedure works, it’s enough of a hassle that I got a SS Brewtech unitank so I can streamline my process. With the unitank I can crash, dump, and then dry-hop in one vessel.