Dry Hopping in Primary Question

[histo320]

Currently I am fermenting a "DeadRinger" knockoff and I will be brewing a Gaelic Ale clone tomorrow. As I only have 2 fermenting vessels I realized I will be forced to dryhop the DeadRinger in Primary.

I have never dryhopped in Primary, I have always used secondary. I use the shot glass at the bottom of the muslin bag technique.

My question is: What is the exact process for dry hopping in primary? I have seen that you have to Cold Crash and I have also see that some people don't Cold Crash.

The expected FG is 1.010. After 10 days of fermentation it was at 1.012.

 

[chickypad]

I just dump them in, though I guess I would use a bag if I was harvesting yeast. I will occasionally cold crash just before kegging if I used pellet hops but most of the time I don't.

 

[DSorenson]

Glad you posted this, I've dry hopped three times before and never used a bag. Each time I end up with problems siphoning. This time I was planning on using a bag and concerned about using marbles, since I don't know if the marbles would leech lead.

Awesome idea with the shot glass!

 

[poislb]

I will use my current IPA dry hop process as an example of what I do. I never use a secondary anymore, more to clean and greater the chance of of an infection and or oxidation but that's a whole different thread.

Ferment for 10 to 14 days, dry hop 2 oz in muslin bags. I just let them bags float, after 3 days I just dump another oz in right into the carboy with no bag. On the 5th day I cold crash until everything cakes on the bottom. I usually crash for 4 days.

 

[DSorenson]

I will use my current IPA dry hop process as an example of what I do. I never use a secondary anymore, more to clean and greater the chance of of an infection and or oxidation but that's a whole different thread.

Ferment for 10 to 14 days, dry hop 2 oz in muslin bags. I just let them bags float, after 3 days I just dump another oz in right into the carboy with no bag. On the 5th day I cold crash until everything cakes on the bottom. I usually crash for 4 days.

Why would you bother with the bags and then not bother with bags?

 

[peterj]

My question is: What is the exact process for dry hopping in primary? I have seen that you have to Cold Crash and I have also see that some people don't Cold Crash.

Open fermenter, add hops, close fermenter.

The specifics of cold crashing, bagging, lengths, etc. are up to you and how it works with your system and personal preferences.

Personally, I usually just pour pellet hops straight into the fermenter. I have cold crashed after the dry hop before, but it isn't absolutely necessary.

 

[stratslinger]

I've done the bag thing before, but the last several times I've dry hopped I skipped it - just dump 'em in. Given a few days, most of them sink anyway, and a quick cold crash knocks down most of the rest. Haven't had a siphon clog up or anything. I'm also not particularly picky about getting some hop residue in my kegs during the transfer - I get a little bit carried over, but it's usually gone after the first few pints get poured.

 

[poislb]

Why would you bother with the bags and then not bother with bags?

It's kind of a pain to remove the bags from a carboy so I try and limit the number of bags I have to pull out, for my IPAs I dry hop with about 3-4oz and I only put an 1.5oz in each bag for the sake of the hops expanding. Plus if I only just throw in an oz without a bag I never have to worry about siphon problems as oppose to 4 oz.. Just my process, works for me thus far..lol

 

[histo320]

I've never had an issue with getting the bag out with the shot glass technique.

I will probably just use my method I usually use in the secondary as I don't want to risk getting a clog while racking to the bottling bucket.

Thanks for the help.