Dry hopping? What is it, why do it?

[Tweaker]

I have a Papazian book and I still don't know what this is. Please explain. Yes I did a search, and no one explains it.

I am a purely extract brewer and plan on remaining one. If this does not apply to me, simply say that and I will know I don't need to know!

 

[knowltonm]

That heavenly aroma! Throw whole or pellet hops into the secondary vessel and leave them there. This will give the beer that hop's aroma only.

 

[Yooper]

That heavenly aroma! Throw whole or pellet hops into the secondary vessel and leave them there. This will give the beer that hop's aroma only.

Oh, yes, but also that flavor! Once you get the aroma of cascades, it tickles your palate so you can taste it! Here's some words on it from the "pros":

BYO - Dry Hopping: Techniques
Dry Hopping: Enhanced Hops Aroma | Home Brewing Beer Blog by BeerSmith

 

[knowltonm]

Oh, yes, but also that flavor!

Yeah, I thought about that after posting. Only having dry hopped 2 beers myself, I'm not completely in-tune to all that it imparts as far as personal experience goes. All I can say is that I can't wait to bottle this IPA on Saturday!

 

[Rudeboy]

Do you need to sanitize them in any way? Just throw them in?

Thanks

Rudeboy

 

[knowltonm]

They're preservatives...no need to sanitize them. IPAs were made by adding large amounts of hops to keep the beer from going bad on long boat voyages. I just sanitize the bag that I throw them in first...if you decide to add marbles to the hop bag to get it down into the fermenter then sanitize those too, but the hops themselves don't need to be sanitized.

Also, the bag is optional...

 

[blacklab]

Want to make beers that taste like the ones at your local brewpub? Dry hop.

 

[Tweaker]

Well, thanks for the great info, guys. I don't really enjoy IPA or even Pale Ale styles, though. I don't see a need for me to dry hop, but I am glad I understand it.

IPA and Pale Ales are as popular right now as Texas Hold em in this country!

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Because hops are awesome, that's why. An APA just isn't an APA unless it's dryhopped with a couple ounces of Amarillo or Cascade.

 

[blacklab]

Rumor has it that Ohiobrewtus often dry hops his Cheerios.