Dry-hopping schedule for session IPA (with pressurized fermentation)

[zse]

Hey!

I'm dry-hopping noob and with all the controversy (everyone suggesting smth that works for them) regarding when to dry-hop makes me a bit confused regarding what will be the best for my case.
I'm about to brew a Session IPA and given what I want to achieve (smth very fresh and hoppy that will be drunk quite fast, don't think I need biotransformation here) I came up with following process (mainly inspired by what I read from Scott Janish):

1. After fermentation is complete (+ 2 days to make sure final SG is reached) cool down primary fermenter to about 12 °C
2. Add dry hop addition to second fermenter and flush the air out of it with CO2
3. Closed transfer the beer from the first fermenter to the second one
4. Wait for 2 days (keeping temp at 12 °C and shaking the fermenter couple of times)
5. (optional, not sure or 1 DH addition is enough) Repeat steps 2-4 (with transfer from fermenter 2 to fermenter 1). I want to use some lupomax hops here to boost the aroma.
6. Do a proper cold crush
7. Keg the beer

The general idea is to use closed transfer to minimize oxidation risk and to use low temps to minimize refermentation and hop creep risk.Does this plan make sense?

 

[Sammy86]

Hey!

I'm dry-hopping noob and with all the controversy (everyone suggesting smth that works for them) regarding when to dry-hop makes me a bit confused regarding what will be the best for my case.
I'm about to brew a Session IPA and given what I want to achieve (smth very fresh and hoppy that will be drunk quite fast, don't think I need biotransformation here) I came up with following process (mainly inspired by what I read from Scott Janish):

1. After fermentation is complete (+ 2 days to make sure final SG is reached) cool down primary fermenter to about 12 °C
2. Add dry hop addition to second fermenter and flush the air out of it with CO2
3. Closed transfer the beer from the first fermenter to the second one
4. Wait for 2 days (keeping temp at 12 °C and shaking the fermenter couple of times)
5. (optional, not sure or 1 DH addition is enough) Repeat steps 2-4 (with transfer from fermenter 2 to fermenter 1). I want to use some lupomax hops here to boost the aroma.
6. Do a proper cold crush
7. Keg the beer

The general idea is to use closed transfer to minimize oxidation risk and to use low temps to minimize refermentation and hop creep risk.Does this plan make sense?

Personally, I wouldn't want to transfer beer unless it was into the keg/packaging.

If you can close transfer can you add the hops to primary and then flush out the O2?

I also wouldn't shake a fermentor you are introducing oxygen that way.

When in doubt KISS (keep it simple stupid).

 

[zse]

Thanks!

Yeah, usually I try to follow KISS principle but won't using second (flushed) fermenter + closed transfer have much lower risk of introducting O2 than opening primary (even with constant CO2 flow and flushing after)?

 

[Biggz1313]

Hey!

I'm dry-hopping noob and with all the controversy (everyone suggesting smth that works for them) regarding when to dry-hop makes me a bit confused regarding what will be the best for my case.
I'm about to brew a Session IPA and given what I want to achieve (smth very fresh and hoppy that will be drunk quite fast, don't think I need biotransformation here) I came up with following process (mainly inspired by what I read from Scott Janish):

1. After fermentation is complete (+ 2 days to make sure final SG is reached) cool down primary fermenter to about 12 °C
2. Add dry hop addition to second fermenter and flush the air out of it with CO2
3. Closed transfer the beer from the first fermenter to the second one
4. Wait for 2 days (keeping temp at 12 °C and shaking the fermenter couple of times)
5. (optional, not sure or 1 DH addition is enough) Repeat steps 2-4 (with transfer from fermenter 2 to fermenter 1). I want to use some lupomax hops here to boost the aroma.
6. Do a proper cold crush
7. Keg the beer

The general idea is to use closed transfer to minimize oxidation risk and to use low temps to minimize refermentation and hop creep risk.Does this plan make sense?

What type of fermenter are you using? As @Sammy86 mentioned, if you're closed transferring and are able to add CO2 and purge the fermenter a couple times after adding your dry hops that is always helpful. Also mentioned don't shake your already fermented beer, way too much of a chance to introduce oxygen and you're just going to make it take longer to cold crash. I personally dry hop after my beer has reached cold crash temps (32F or 0C) based on this article from Scott Janish's blog: A Case for Short And Cool Dry Hopping - Scott Janish.

 

[zse]

What type of fermenter are you using? As @Sammy86 mentioned, if you're closed transferring and are able to add CO2 and purge the fermenter a couple times after adding your dry hops that is always helpful. Also mentioned don't shake your already fermented beer, way too much of a chance to introduce oxygen and you're just going to make it take longer to cold crash. I personally dry hop after my beer has reached cold crash temps (32F or 0C) based on this article from Scott Janish's blog: A Case for Short And Cool Dry Hopping - Scott Janish.

My primary is Snub Nose. Second one is Kegmenter (just received this one, never tried yet). So both are pressure capable and it's easy to transfer between them.
Yeah, I also decided to do a "cold" dry-hopping after I read this article. But my understanding of it is that it's still better for extraction (and also to reduce hop contact time) to dry hop at temps somewhat higher than regular cold crash. But I can be wrong, ofc.