Dry Hopping practices

[Marinelayer]

Dry hopping during the middle to late stage of primary fermentation, after fermentation ends, or after racking to a secondary, it seems that all of these practices have devotees and plenty of success stories.
Anyone here dry hopped during primary and then again in the secondary?

Cheers!

 

[Marinelayer]

Sorry, let me clarify that question. During the middle to late stage of active fermentation in the primary and then again after racking to the secondary.

Thanks!

 

[schematix]

I always do it in primary, during the late stages while there is still some kraussen. That way the added co2 is scrubbed out. Oxidation ruins hops in beer.

 

[GnenieGone]

Always primary, then keg. Secondary is kind of old school. The fermenter has a nice layer of CO2, why disturb it by xfering? As far as dry hopping, my last 3 batches of IPA/DIPA are 6-8hrs...yes hrs. I've read up on the oil extraction paper from Oregon St. Their research indicates there's no more extraction after 6hrs.

I whirlpool at 175F and 140F also as myrcene oil volatilizes at 147F. Why are we boiling our aroma/flavor hops?? These last couple IPA are the juciest/freshest ever made. If OSU is correct the hop oil, with 5-7-10day dry hopping, is just sitting there slowly volatilizing.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

My first time dry hopping was my 3rd batch and it was so good that I will be making styles that utilize the technique for quite some time. I put Citra pellet hops directly in my primary without any sort of bag about a week after pitching and when fermentation had settled down quite a bit. I was pretty concerned about floaties getting into my bottles, but everything sank to the bottom nicely after a 24 hour cold crash 3 weeks after brew day. Both times I dry hopped, I tried to sneak in the pellets using the stopper plug airlock hole. On my current batch I realized to just take the stoppers and airlocks off, dump in the hops clean and sanitize the plugs and airlock stems and then re-install. Hopefully I won't have any issues. I can't wait to see how my latest batch will smell with Chinook hops. The last batch with Citra was out of this world.

 

[JoeHoffman]

I haven't used a secondary for years and the beer has only improved. When I dry hop, I simply wait till the crousen has fallen and the yeast is starting to settle. Pull the air lock off poor in pellet hops and stick the lock back on till keging time


Pleas excuse my dyslexia

 

[tgmartin000]

I've dry hopped my last couple beers after about 4 days in the primary, with maybe 10 gravity points to go. I seem to get better aroma doing this, compared to post- fermentation. I'm pretty much sold on doing it this way.

I used to wait about 14 days until dry hopping, cutting 10 days out of that time frame just gives a fresher beer.

 

[GnenieGone]

I've dry hopped my last couple beers after about 4 days in the primary, with maybe 10 gravity points to go. I seem to get better aroma doing this, compared to post- fermentation. I'm pretty much sold on doing it this way.

I used to wait about 14 days until dry hopping, cutting 10 days out of that time frame just gives a fresher beer.

That's the way to go. All this talk about 21day fermentation and weeks of dry hopping is nonsense.

 

[schematix]

All this talk about 21day fermentation and weeks of dry hopping is nonsense.

Amen to that.

Ales are done fermenting in a couple days. Any reasonable strength beer can be grain to glass in about 3 weeks.

 

[Marinelayer]

Thank you all for the replies! So how long do you typically dry-hop in a primary before moving to bottling? I suppose I am asking these basic questions because I wasn't super thrilled with the instructions that came with my kit and my first batch. It all seemed very rudimentary without much explanation. Now that I've got the brew-bug, I'm finding that there are many ways to approach each piece in the process.

Thanks again!

 

[jcav]

Always primary, then keg. Secondary is kind of old school. The fermenter has a nice layer of CO2, why disturb it by xfering? As far as dry hopping, my last 3 batches of IPA/DIPA are 6-8hrs...yes hrs. I've read up on the oil extraction paper from Oregon St. Their research indicates there's no more extraction after 6hrs.

I whirlpool at 175F and 140F also as myrcene oil volatilizes at 147F. Why are we boiling our aroma/flavor hops?? These last couple IPA are the juciest/freshest ever made. If OSU is correct the hop oil, with 5-7-10day dry hopping, is just sitting there slowly volatilizing.

Very interesting and really good information PianoMan! I need to explore this shorter dry hopping time technique. Maybe you can post a link to that article. I'm all for flame out hop additions and whirlpool additions, but even flame out hops are still to hot according to your post. So I might have to experiment and try adding my aroma/flavor hops when the temp comes down next time, and see how that works...... I am always trying to take my beers to the next level (especially getting the most out of my hop additions and dry hopping IPA's) so learning new techniques that really work is awesome! Thanks for posting!

John

 

[Transamguy77]

When I bottled I dry hopped after a week in primary now I keg and I dry hop right in the keg. You get all that hop aroma right away.

 

[pvpeacock]

Hop tea! While I dry hop in primary and sometimes in the keg with a paint strainer bag, I find that I get more hop flavor and aroma by making a hop tea and adding it into the keg. If the hop flavor starts to fade, I just make more hop tea and add some more to the keg. I would really like to see someone do a side by side comparison of dry hopping vs hop tea.

 

[GnenieGone]

Very interesting and really good information PianoMan! I need to explore this shorter dry hopping time technique. Maybe you can post a link to that article. I'm all for flame out hop additions and whirlpool additions, but even flame out hops are still to hot according to your post. So I might have to experiment and try adding my aroma/flavor hops when the temp comes down next time, and see how that works...... I am always trying to take my beers to the next level (especially getting the most out of my hop additions and dry hopping IPA's) so learning new techniques that really work is awesome! Thanks for posting!

John

Just a couple postings. You sound like an experimenter! Good for you! Proof is always in the pudding.

I'm working on grain to glass, force carbed kegged, 14 days for IPAs. Doubles maybe 17 days.

Already WOWed my IPA friends with 2 brews this way. 3rd, pilsner/mosaic smash will be dry hopped Thursday morning, force carbed by night, and hopefully ready for family dinner friday.

https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/34093


http://beersmith.com/blog/2013/01/21/late-hop-additions-and-hop-oils-in-beer-brewing/

 

[GnenieGone]

Hop tea! While I dry hop in primary and sometimes in the keg with a paint strainer bag, I find that I get more hop flavor and aroma by making a hop tea and adding it into the keg. If the hop flavor starts to fade, I just make more hop tea and add some more to the keg. I would really like to see someone do a side by side comparison of dry hopping vs hop tea.

Interested in your technique. How much, or little, water do you use?

 

[jcav]

Just a couple postings. You sound like an experimenter! Good for you! Proof is always in the pudding.

I'm working on grain to glass, force carbed kegged, 14 days for IPAs. Doubles maybe 17 days.

Already WOWed my IPA friends with 2 brews this way. 3rd, pilsner/mosaic smash will be dry hopped Thursday morning, force carbed by night, and hopefully ready for family dinner friday.

https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/handle/1957/34093


http://beersmith.com/blog/2013/01/21/late-hop-additions-and-hop-oils-in-beer-brewing/

Thanks for posting PianoMan!

John

 

[JoeHoffman]

Yep, the only beers I let go longer than 14 days grain to glass are ones I simply don't have room for in my keg fridge, whatever the starting gravity or style. The beers decently improve with time in the keg but there is no reason to leave it in the fermenter any longer even when dry hoping


Pleas excuse my dyslexia

 

[GnenieGone]

Thanks for posting PianoMan!

John

Time to move home brewing to 21st century!

 

[NHatcbrewer]

Always primary, then keg. Secondary is kind of old school. The fermenter has a nice layer of CO2, why disturb it by xfering? As far as dry hopping, my last 3 batches of IPA/DIPA are 6-8hrs...yes hrs. I've read up on the oil extraction paper from Oregon St. Their research indicates there's no more extraction after 6hrs.

I whirlpool at 175F and 140F also as myrcene oil volatilizes at 147F. Why are we boiling our aroma/flavor hops?? These last couple IPA are the juciest/freshest ever made. If OSU is correct the hop oil, with 5-7-10day dry hopping, is just sitting there slowly volatilizing.

Keep in mind that those extraction rates were achieved in stirred or pumped vessels. I've seen this done in carboys and conicals with really good results.

 

[pvpeacock]

Interested in your technique. How much, or little, water do you use?

I use about 2 cups of hot water for 2 oz. of hops in a french press. I use water around 140 degrees and let it sit for an hour then press and pour it in the keg.

 

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Keep in mind that those extraction rates were achieved in stirred or pumped vessels. I've seen this done in carboys and conicals with really good results.

The article actually has numbers for both stirred and passive vessels. The passive vessels had less aroma and flavor from dry hopping than the stirred vessels, but the time to achieve most of the benefits from dry hopping was still around the 4 day mark with both methods. Interestingly, the results from dry hopping for only 24 hours was not too far from the results of 4 days.

I've been thinking about doing a small 1 gallon IPA batch soon and I may put the 24 hour dry hop method to the test.

 

[GnenieGone]

I use about 2 cups of hot water for 2 oz. of hops in a french press. I use water around 140 degrees and let it sit for an hour then press and pour it in the keg.

And that resparks those IPAs? Aroma and flavor come though eh?

 

[pvpeacock]

And that resparks those IPAs? Aroma and flavor come though eh?

It does.

 

[m00ps]

Looks like youve got a lot of good recommendations. I just wanted to reiterate to not use a secondary for an IPA. If you really want to take your IPAs "to the next level", exposing them to oxygen during the transfer is always going to knock it down a level from what it couldve been (unless you have a completely closed & purged xfer system).

 

[Marinelayer]

Thank you for all of the recommendations! As someone very new to this, it's great to know that it's all about developing your own style through trial and error. I appreciate the willingness to share.

Cheers everyone!

 

[JoeHoffman]

Have any issues thoughts on oxidation problems from introducing water that has not been boiled for an hour? Back in my armature days many years ago I tried topping of a keg that came up a 1/2 gallon short with water that I had boiled for a while to sterilize it for a party I wanted to have lots of beer for and totally ruined it producing lots of acetyledehide from alcohol oxidation transformation.


Pleas excuse my dyslexia

 

[pvpeacock]

Joe: interesting thought. When I make hop tea, I just use hot water straight from the hot water dispenser in my kitchen sink. I don't boil it at all. I figured that the risk of infection using water around 140 degrees + hops + pouring it into beer containing alcohol made that risk minimal. However, I did not consider oxidation. Nevertheless, I have never tasted any oxidation after doing this, just clean, crisp hop aroma and flavor.

 

[JoeHoffman]

Wow, that's great. If it works it works. If I were to try this I'd boil the water for a good while to drive off the oxygen + sterilize and then throw the hops in after it had cooled to the proper temp. But if it ain't broke... I've dry hoped my kegs in a hop bag and the effect was intense, I think the alcohol and low ph of beer helps to extract the hop resins in a way that water can't do. You could try using the beer taken from the last gravity reeding to brew the hop tea. If your only getting it up to 140 then it shouldn't have a negative affect on the flavor of the beer sample but you may want to test that first by heating and then cooling again without any hops just for taste test.


Pleas excuse my dyslexia

 

[GnenieGone]

Wow, that's great. If it works it works. If I were to try this I'd boil the water for a good while to drive off the oxygen + sterilize and then throw the hops in after it had cooled to the proper temp. But if it ain't broke... I've dry hoped my kegs in a hop bag and the effect was intense, I think the alcohol and low ph of beer helps to extract the hop resins in a way that water can't do. You could try using the beer taken from the last gravity reeding to brew the hop tea. If your only getting it up to 140 then it shouldn't have a negative affect on the flavor of the beer sample but you may want to test that first by heating and then cooling again without any hops just for taste test.


Pleas excuse my dyslexia

Thought I chime in on a don't do. So, as stated earlier, love to experiment. Recently, brewed an ipa, but no whirlpool. After fermenting for 2 weeks, reheated beer to 165 and started whirlpool then. Thought was, these hops will be 2 weeks fresher. The fermented beer was nice, but after this process, it was terrible. The recipe was a known good one. In case anyone is thinking about trying this idea..dont!

 

[JoeHoffman]

Good to know, I like you am a serous experimenter and would probably have tried this at some point.


Pleas excuse my dyslexia