Dry hopped for 2 weeks. Very bitter?

[Ondori]

Or the perception of bitterness I would say. It was very over powering.

I have never dry hopped before, but I tasted the sample coming out of secondary after dry hopping for 2 weeks with 2oz of cascade, and it was very over whelming. I racked it into the keg with some priming sugar to keg condition because we are already have 3 kegs on tap and have no more room

I am hoping to god this will mellow out over the next week or 2. Is this normal or did I dry hop for too long? It smelled amazing, but if it doesn't mellow out, I don't think it will be drinkable.

 

[mabrungard]

Dry hopping doesn't affect the bittering level. Only the kettle additions provide that. Look more closely at that aspect.

 

[fortyseven]

Yeah, hops need to be boiled before they start imparting any bitterness into the mix. Dry hopping cause absolutely no bitterness; just a whole lot of hoppy goodness!

 

[Ondori]

I don't think that it was bitter. The hop overload kind of gave me the perception of it though.

The overwhelming hops is what I am troubled with. Just way out of balance at the moment. Is that normal after a dry hopping? How long do you usually let it mellow out before attempting to taste/serve?

 

[Osedax]

Dry hopping can actually impart bitterness. A few sour brewers use dry hopping, hop back, etc. as their primary means to bitter. Granted this is very low ibu stuff. U may just be picking up a slight vegetal taste. 2 weeks is a long time to dry hop.

Give it a few weeks to mellow. It will be fine. Dry hopping is the first to fade.

 

[Nuggethead]

If you dry hop with an ounce for 7 days or 14 days, the aroma level is only effected. You won't noticeably increase aroma by going the extra week but you will notice some grassy tastes that will dissipate with time from a 14 day cycle. Bitterness won't be effected unless large quantities are used in dry hopping. Don't let the smell determine the perception of bitterness and keep it to 7-10 days.

 

[Ondori]

Well, I didn't taste any grassy notes, but the hops were very over powering. Couldn't taste anything else lol. I willl have to check in a week or so then. I hope 2 weeks wasn't overdoing it. I see all sorts of conflicting info out there.

 

[Jonathanquist]

I recently did the dry hop a bud light test and I have to say you can get bitterness from dry hopping and flavor as well. Sorachi ace in particular was very bitter. I think this may have been due to the lupulin that was in suspension. So if it was bitter it was most likely from the lupulin. Hopefully that will fall put of suspension. To reduce the bitterness for you.

 

[billl]

I guess everyone's perceptions are different. If I had a IPA dry hopped with 2 oz of cascade, I'd be asking "where are the rest of the hops?"

The hop aroma does dissipate over time. Try it in a couple of weeks. If it is still too strong for you, just let it sit there for a month or 2.

 

[solo103]

Did you get any "wet vegetable" off flavours. I have gound that if I dry hop for 10 or more days that I sometimes get this kind of off flavour so now I dry hop for 5-7 days and have a wonderful, and very hop forward hop aroma. Ill tend to use 3-4 oz for a 5 gallon batch. I just did a hoppy pale dry hoped with cascade and it was like smelling a freshly cut grapefruit

 

[TyTanium]

Try gelatin. It can drop some of the harsher hop character.

 

[Ondori]

Did you get any "wet vegetable" off flavours. I have gound that if I dry hop for 10 or more days that I sometimes get this kind of off flavour so now I dry hop for 5-7 days and have a wonderful, and very hop forward hop aroma. Ill tend to use 3-4 oz for a 5 gallon batch. I just did a hoppy pale dry hoped with cascade and it was like smelling a freshly cut grapefruit

I didn't get any wet veggie tastes, just a hell of a lot of hops lol

 

[Rpwallace1]

I made an all Columbus IPA that had very harsh bitter after taste (15+ AA or so) My advice is WAIT. After 4-5 weeks sitting in the keg that harshness is undetectable. And just when you think you've waited long enough, wait another week or two. You will not be sorry.

 

[Beerbuck]

If youre dry hopping with whatever, taste it often to get the aroma you like. Max 2 weeks, after this delay you will start to have grassy note

 

[mjdonnelly68]

Hell yeah dry hopping can impart some hop bitterness. I've used dry hopping to 'punch up' some weak PAs/IPAs - works like a charm.

 

[Ondori]

I tasted it yesterday, a week later, and it has mellowed out quite a bit, but still needs some time. Let's see next week!

 

[LowNotes]

Sorry to threadjack, but I have a question that builds on the OP's so I'm gonna throw it out there:

I have an IIPA that is going to bottle condition for 3 months, so in order to make usre that there is still planty of hop aroma from the dry hop, I am going big and long. 4oz (2 each of cascade and centennial) for 14 days is what I am planning for a 3.5g batch. Based on everyone's experience with dry hopping, do you think that is too-much/too-long, or given the long aging period will that likely fall in the sweet spot between "OMG is there beer in this hop-juice" and "whew, this sweet malty stuff could use something to BAM-it-up a notch".