Dry hopping... Much later?

[Everhard]

So I'm brewing 10 gallons of my favorite ipa (my version of Flying Monkeys Juicy Ass) to split into to two 5 gallon kegs.
Now normally I just do a single 5 gallon batch for one keg, and I like to drink it young to enjoy the fresh hop flavors.
My question is this:
Given I'm doing a double batch I'll hop one batch like normal but what if I transfer the fermented beer into the second keg but don't add the last dry hop additions, instead if I wait till a week before I'm likely to tap the keg and then add said hop additions will this give my beer the same fresh hop flavor profile I would normally get? (Say said keg sits for 2-4 months prior to my being ready to tap it so I would be adding said dry hop additions 2-4 months after kegging it)

E.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I've been pumping out 10 gallon batches of neipas for the last three years and the best advice I could provide is don't try to finesse the hop schedule but instead spend all of your attention on avoiding O2 pickup from pitch to keg. That way you can tap a keg six months later and be stunned at how luscious the hop presence remains.

And that's not just for neipas - I'm still loving a raspberry hibiscus wheat beer I kegged a year ago. It's still vibrant and full of character...

Cheers!

 

[TenaCJed]

As stated above, keep oxygen out of your transfers! The only other thing I will say is that perceived bitterness along with original hop flavor and aroma drops with age as well. Now if you are talking about holding on to the second batch for 4 - 6 months before cracking into, you probably will not notice. If you wait until a year, you will probably notice. I would agree with day_trippr regardless though. If you are not happy with the hop character when you tap the keg, dry hop again at that point.

Can you dry hop months after kegging, yes. I do that with sour beers after 8 or so months.

I use this in my kegs, works perfect depending on how much dry hops you want to add. I think 3 or 4 is the max I have done. 400 Micron Hop Filter with Lid

Wait a week before trying the beer though, it will be a little harsh at first. Normally after 2 or 3 weeks the harshness is gone. I have also had no issues with the couple of times I have used it just leaving it in until the keg kicks.

 

[Everhard]

That's exactly what I've got\was going to use. I might give that a try. I'll try to do the hop addition a few weeks before I tap the keg.
I hear y'all on the limiting oxygen, that is something I haven't got into yet but it's the next step for me. (I do everything I can within limits to not introduce anymore then necessary but I haven't got to filling the empty keg with gas etc.)

Thanks,
E.

 

[day_trippr]

[...](I do everything I can within limits to not introduce anymore then necessary but I haven't got to filling the empty keg with gas etc.)[...]

Well, when you get to it, there are two practical ways to purge a keg to very low O2 ppms: hook the keg up to your fermentor before you pitch the yeast and let the fermentation CO2 work for you; or fill the keg with a standard Star San mix then push it out - either with fermentation gas (obviously requires tight connections) or from a CO2 cylinder.

Don't waste cylinder CO2 trying to purge an empty keg directly - takes waaaay too much gas...

Cheers!