Dry hopping techniques

[fluxxsimon]

Hi!

I am going to brew my first NEIPA soon and I have just bought me a keg. General, I have had a lot of oxidation problems when bottling my IPAs so I am hoping the keg will help me in this situation. One question I have is if you guys have seen some problem with oxidation with different dry hopping techniques and if you have found one technique that works best for you?

Best regards,

Simon

 

[doogie]

I normally dry hop directly into the fermenter at high kreusen and again about 10 days through fermentation. I have a stainless steel hop basket for the keg. I leave it in the keg, but I keep this amount fairly low (2 ounces or so to avoid the hop burn that some have noticed).

I stopped having oxidation issues when I switched from a carboy to an Anvil stainless steel bucket fermenter (I kept having issues with the amount of dry hops and the siphon). I just make sure to transfer slowly and gently, then purge the head space in the keg about a half dozen times.

 

[couchsending]

Never during fermentation

Soft crash first

58-62*

5 days

If you’re kegging you can just let the ferment finish and depending on your yeast some will flocc on its own. Carefully pressure transfer to a very very purged keg (do your research on this on how to do it well). When beer is done transferring attach co2 to gas post and when you pull the lid to add hops crank the Co2 to try to create as much of a positive Co2 environment as possible (minimal o2 ingress). Throw the hops in as quickly as possible (I like to warm them up and crumble them as much as possible), attach the lid and purge the headspace 8 time with 30 PsI. Keep the keg between 58 and 63 for 4-5 days. You could then cold crash and transfer to another keg or or carbonate in that one. Thing is you’ll either need a dip tube filter or a top draw system. Check out Scott Janish’s blog for his dip tube screen.

Key to punch you in the face aroma is minimum amount of yeast in suspension when dry hopping. Biotransformation only happens with certain non Ale strains and Brett’s. If you can manage all your transfers correctly you can still keep O2 at bay. Gotta be diligent about making sure all lines and vessels are purged.

 

[Jayjay1976]

My first neipa came out really good but after a few weeks in the bottle it has developed a grayish-pink tinge. The guys at my LHBS pointed it out, though it still tastes delicious.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Biotransformation only happens with certain non Ale strains and Brett’s.

Citation needed.

I see biotransformation with T-58 and (probably) Windsor. Scott Janish sees it with 1318. And almost every Belgian ale yeast biotransforms malt-derived ferulic acid into 4-VG.

True, some common ale strains don't do it, or not to a great degree - but that doesn't mean the same is true of all ale strains.

 

[fluxxsimon]

Thanks for all the answer guys!

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I use a gallon paint strainer bag from Lowes with a couple stainless steel bolts to weight it down, and hang it by some dental floss.