Dry hopping without yield loss

[strahmhv]

Ive been considering trying a couple different ways of dry hopping to minimize the loss in volume.

1. Make a hop tea, let it rest and settle a few days, and add the liquid to the secondary.

2. Make a bigger beer (higher abv, IBU) dry hop it, and then add sterilized water to dillute it down to desired level.

Anyone know the drawbacks to either of these methods?

 

[Hujo]

1: Hop tea doesn't give the same flavor as dryhopping. It tastes like hop tea. I'm not that fond of it, maybe you are.

2: Diluted beer tastes like what it is: watered down beer. If you add water to a DIPA it doesn't become an IPA, it becomes a DIPA with water. It's easy to try, add 10-20% water to any glass of beer and taste.

I would rather just factor in the loss of volume when designing a recipe - just make a bigger batch!

 

[chickypad]

I would rather just factor in the loss of volume when designing a recipe - just make a bigger batch!

I vote this. In your #2 solution you're not saving anything by topping off later - i.e. you're already using additional extract or grain to make the "stronger" batch. Why not just scale the batch up properly with that extra malt to begin with.

 

[strahmhv]

I vote this. In your #2 solution you're not saving anything by topping off later - i.e. you're already using additional extract or grain to make the "stronger" batch. Why not just scale the batch up properly with that extra malt to begin with.

Because fermenter volume is finite

 

[chickypad]

Ah, gotcha. Sounds like you need bigger fermenters then! If you're not already doing it dry hopping in the primary may help with that.

 

[strahmhv]

Alright, thanks for the help. Ive added water pre boil alot to adjust to desired boil gravity. But i can see how adding it post boil would be different