Dry Hoping questions - Big beer

[Christopher808]

I'm making a Large Russian Imperial w/ bourbon

After 4 weeks I just transferred to my secondary, I added vanilla, oak honey comb, and the bourbon.

My plans were to start dry hoping 1 week before bottling. (3 weeks in secondary 7 weeks total in fermentation)

How concerned do I need to be with oxygen & Infection when I add dry hops?

I know I should boil my hop bag, But is safe for me at this point to simply remove the bung toss in the hops, and close it up? or do I need to take other precautions?

 

[hercher]

I typically use a hop bag of some sort (I use woman's nylons because they're cheap). It should be sanitized. Infection shouldn't be an issue. Put the hops in gently to avoid splashing, and you shouldn't have to worry about oxygen, either.

 

[masscarriers]

If you're careful while racking afterwards you can also do so without a hop bag, in that case nothing needs to be sanitized. Not only it's a lot easier to just toss them in but you'll have more surface area with the wort if your hops are not together in a bunch. Even with a bag it leave some hop material behind most of the time so I never use it anymore.

 

[slym2none]

#hopsgocommando

Just toss 'em in naked & not worry about it.

 

[m00ps]

wait, why are you dry hopping a RIS?

Youve already got a lot going on in there. Dont add unnecessary dry hops on top of it