Dry hopping: primary or secondary?

[ejanoff]

I know this question has been asked many times over but I’ve seen as many different answers as there are ways to ask it. So for the umpteenth time... do folks prefer to dry hop in the primary or the secondary (if using one)? What is the EASIEST method for a newbie - not necessarily for the BEST possible result but the LEAST likelihood of mistakes.

Here is my exact situation:
-Making my first IPA, using a 5 gallon recipe that calls for dry hopping 2oz of cascade pellets
-Brewed last Sunday afternoon, fermenting now in 6.5 gal plastic bucket with spigot, and preparing to dry hop this weekend
-I will be bottling (from a second 6.5 gal plastic bucket) with priming sugar
-I have a 5 gal glass carboy, autosiphon (w/cap), and one spare muslin grain bag
-I do not have a beer fridge to crash cool

Should I...

1. Dry hop in the primary?
-sprinkle hops on top or tie in muslin bag? With weights in bag?
-rack to bottling bucket with siphon or spigot?
-save muslin bag to use as a filter for the siphon when racking to bottling bucket?

OR

2. Rack to secondary (carboy)?
-add hops to secondary before or after racking?
-tie in muslin bag or leave loose? Weight the bag?
-save muslin bag to use as a filter for the siphon when racking to bottling bucket?

Should I get a 5 gal paint filter for the bottling bucket to remove any dry hop particles that make it through the racking? I’m not overly concerned about clarity of product, I just don’t want any off flavors from sediment or contaminants. All advice appreciated!

 

[Harleybrew32]

I would just pitch those pellets in and let it sit for 5-7 days in primary.
then rack to the bottling bucket on top of the sugar dissolved in boiled water. 4-4.5oz of sugar to 1 cup water depending on your volume. stir gently no splashing in the pool.
then bottle and wait 2-3 weeks(that's the worst part)
when you start other types of IPA's then you can try other methods. for your first time keep it simple.
cheers

 

[Immocles]

If it were me, I would dry hop in the primary. I've never used a weighted bag to dry hop and just toss them in loose. When racking to the bottling bucket, I would just try to be careful of particles. I tried using a bag over the siphon once and it was a disaster for me, but maybe you would have better luck.

If your fermenter has a spigot, I would use that to rack. I usually try to wedge the side of the fermenter with the spigot up into the air a bit so there is less sediment settling into the spigot, then slowly try to lower it as im transferring. If it doesn't have a spigot, use a siphon and rack from the center of the fermenter (there might possibly be hops on the surface, under that and above the cake). Minimize splashing in both cases. If some hop matter makes it through, it will drop out in the bottle as the beer gets cold before drinking.

 

[IslandLizard]

3's a charm: Primary!
Avoid secondaries.

 

[govner1]

I would just pitch those pellets in and let it sit for 5-7 days in primary.
then rack to the bottling bucket on top of the sugar dissolved in boiled water. 4-4.5oz of sugar to 1 cup water depending on your volume. stir gently no splashing in the pool.
then bottle and wait 2-3 weeks(that's the worst part)
when you start other types of IPA's then you can try other methods. for your first time keep it simple.
cheers

^^^^This! Keep it simple until you have a few brews.
I personally do secondary (gasp!) on most brews but I use CO2 transfer , etc.
I keg but when bottling remember to stir (gently) every 5/6 bottles for a more consistent carb since the sugar will tend to settle to the bottom.

 

[RetroGameBoy]

My previous brew I also was considering this and was recommended directly into primary for 5 or so days from bottling day. I went with marbles in a cheesecloth bag thinking I would recover the bags, but I really didn't want to after seeing all of the hop debris so I just threw those away. Only one of the bags weighted down properly.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/if-i-decide-not-to-dry-hop.680454/#post-8901871
I think in the primary worked well, though the beer to me tastes quite mediocre, but it has only been two weeks so far. In the future I think I would either just put them in the primary or in a spare muslin bag.

 

[IslandLizard]

I think it's advantageous to agitate the dry hops. Reason is, beer needs contact with the hops to extract, and move around to disperse extracted oils.

• When adding hops loose:
  • Swirl or stir periodically, at least 2x a day.
  • More often if possible.
• When using a weighted down bag:
  • Don't overstuff the bag, those hops swell up enormously when wet, easily 4-6 times their dry volume.
  • Bloom (pump) it by pulling it up, then let sink. Do this a few times per session, at least 2 sessions a day.

Preferably performed under CO2 or and/or flushing/purging headspace afterward.

I've modified bucket lids to stream in CO2 while stirring through an additional drilled, 1" access hole. I use the back end of my long plastic brew spoon. Works like a charm. The hops will also sink that way, and not just float on top, which helps for better/faster extraction and dispersion.

If they're bagged, they need plenty of room to expand. Otherwise they will compress, and the center of the bag may never get wet, not giving you much extraction.

 

[ejanoff]

Thanks all for the tips! Going to sprinkle pellets loose into the primary and stir periodically as suggested. If significant hops are still floating on the surface after a week, I’ll try the muslin bag over the siphon to rack to the bottling bucket. If they’ve sunk to the bottom, I’ll tilt the fermenting bucket back a bit to displace the trub and, after the trub has had a chance to settle again, I’ll just rack using the spigot with an in-line filter (e.g. Bouncer) to catch any floaters. Will report back for posterity.

 

[Pkrd]

I think stirring periodically is just going to oxidise the beer unless you're doing something complicated like purging the headspace afterwards. You're risking infection too. I also think 2oz is way less than you should be using for an IPA. Double the hops, muslin bag with marbles and RDWHAHB.

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks all for the tips! Going to sprinkle pellets loose into the primary and stir periodically as suggested. If significant hops are still floating on the surface after a week, I’ll try the muslin bag over the siphon to rack to the bottling bucket. If they’ve sunk to the bottom, I’ll tilt the fermenting bucket back a bit to displace the trub and, after the trub has had a chance to settle again, I’ll just rack using the spigot with an in-line filter (e.g. Bouncer) to catch any floaters. Will report back for posterity.

Just don't open up the fermenter if you don't have access to CO2 to stream during, or flush the headspace after. Gently swirl.

 

[ejanoff]

Ok will go light on the stirring. Don’t need perfection in hop flavor here and don’t want to create problems with oxidation

 

[IslandLizard]

Ok will go light on the stirring. Don’t need perfection in hop flavor here and don’t want to create problems with oxidation

Bucket or carboy?
Again, if you don't have CO2, stirring can cause more damage than it does good. Gently swirl instead.

 

[Harleybrew32]

no need to stir, I have gently rocked my fermentor before, but realized no need to do that either.
dont worry if you pickup some hop debris you will be fine.
cheers

 

[ejanoff]

Bucket or carboy?
Again, if you don't have CO2, stirring can cause more damage than it does good. Gently swirl instead.

Bucket. No CO2, so oxygen exposure clearly is a concern. I’ll forego the stirring. Will just check after a day or two to make sure the pellets have fully saturated and only stir if necessary.

 

[IslandLizard]

Bucket. No CO2, so oxygen exposure clearly is a concern. I’ll forego the stirring. Will just check after a day or two to make sure the pellets have fully saturated and only stir if necessary.

How would you check that inside a bucket? As soon as you crack the lid open, the headspace will be filled with air.

 

[ejanoff]

How would you check that inside a bucket? As soon as you crack the lid open, the headspace will be filled with air.

I’ve always heard that, co2 being heavier than air, you can afford to “peek” on occasion without too much worry

 

[IslandLizard]

I’ve always heard that, co2 being heavier than air, you can afford to “peek” on occasion without too much worry

The "CO2 blanket" is a fallacy. Gases move freely and mix quickly.

At best, peek down the airlock hole, shining a (flash)light through the side.
Best to leave the lid ON at all times.
You can toss in your dry hop pellets through the same hole, one by one.

 

[Gozie Boy]

I’ve always heard that, co2 being heavier than air, you can afford to “peek” on occasion without too much worry

+1 IslandLizard Also, the very process of opening the lid will draw in air no matter how carefully done.

 

[Jim R]

Agree with others. I would forget the question about dry hopping primary vs secondary and change it to this:

How do I dry hop without exposing my IPA to any oxygen?

 

[ejanoff]

Seems to me that, without C02, racking to a carboy for secondary would expose the beer to more oxygen than popping open a corner of the lid of the primary and tossing in the pellets. Yet people rack to a carboy for dry hopping fairly routinely. Is there something I’m missing here?

 

[Immocles]

I wouldn't say folks rack to a carboy for dry hopping 'fairly routinely'. Perhaps some years ago, but these days I'd bet the vast majority simply dry hop in primary.