Dry hopping question - Fermentation came back

[juagula]

Hello,

I brewed a very hopped APA (hopalicious clone) 1 week before Christmas and by the time I left, it was almost in FG. I was away for 2 weeks, where room temperature went down to around 45F, but I'm assuming it was still around 4 days cooling down until that temperature. When I came back I added hops for dry hopping (recipe said 5 days). I couldn't measure gravity because I broke the hydrometer before vacation (I'll be able to get one today). The thing is, when room temperature came back to normal ~68F, airlock activity came back and it's bubbling since then. No krausen visible.

My 2 questions are:

- As I am losing hoppy aromas through airlock, should I increase those 5 days to balance?

- It's been 3 weeks in the fermenter. Should I bottle as soon as I check gravity is constant for a couple days? Or should I have it another week for conditioning?

Thanks!

 

[Minky]

Airlock activity, or lack thereof, isn't a dependable indicator of fermentation. In this case the increase in temperature is probably the reason for resumed airlock activity. Measuring the specific gravity is the only way to know for sure if it's done.

I would check the gravity when you get your new hydrometer, and then again after your dry-hopping. If the gravity hasn't changed, you're good to go.

 

[Ski12568]

The weather has an affect on your airlock by messing with the pressures in the fermenter. I've seen the sanitized water in my airlock being sucked into my carboy when it was raining outside. Temp control is where it's at.

I broke my hydrometer this week when cleaning up, but I luckily have a spare in case I can't get to my LHBS before I need to get a reading.

Every response to the "my airlock is still bubbling" will say to check gravity

 

[juagula]

Thanks for the replies.

Even if the activity is not because of fermentation, there is CO2 escaping the fermenter. Isn't it taking the aromas intended by dry hopping out of my beer? How can this be fixed?

 

[Minky]

Thanks for the replies.

Even if the activity is not because of fermentation, there is CO2 escaping the fermenter. Isn't it taking the aromas intended by dry hopping out of my beer? How can this be fixed?

There are all sorts of losses that occur in the brewing process. Losing aroma is one that had never occurred to me as something to be concerned with. The actual loss must be infinitesimal. I certainly wouldn't be concerned.

 

[kh54s10]

Will you be losing aroma because of the gasses coming out of your fermenter? (co2 coming out of solution.) Probably, but there is really nothing you can do to stop it. If you used a solid stopper the pressure would probably just push it out. At any rate you shouldn't lose enough to worry about.

The dry hops will add the flavor and aroma. If it is not enough to your liking you will just have to use a larger amount in the next batch (or do a second dry hop in this one).

 

[solbes]

The fact that it dropped to 45 and now has come back up to room temp will increase airlock activity. Both because the CO2 comes out of solution and because your beer occupies a larger volume at 68F than it does at 45F. I wouldn't sweat the loss in hop aroma too much. You should be seeing only one bubble every 30-90 seconds for this, assuming you have a good seal.

The only way to know its done fermenting is with consecutive gravity measurements. Cheers!

 

[juagula]

Thanks a lot for the replies! It is still bubbling, but gravity is steady. I'll bottle tonight. That means 7 instead of 5 days of dry hopping.

Cheers!