Early transfer to secondary and dry hopping

[Kuckoo]

Hello all. I'm a long time lurker here. I can usually find the info I need without the need to post, but I really need input on this one.
Here is my issue: I recently had a mental lapse and transferred a high gravity beer to a secondary prematurely. I thought it had been in the primary for 3 weeks when it was actually only 2 weeks. I transferred it onto 1oz. each of cascade/citra and 2oz. bourbon aged oak cubes.
I realized my error halfway through the transfer after the beer already came into contact with the hops. I said a brief prayer and took a hydrometer reading of 1.030. My expected FG should be around 1.018. I haven't taken another reading since the transfer 10 days ago but the airlock still has activity every 10 seconds or so. Everything that I've read indicates potential "grassy" flavors resulting from dry hopping too long. I would love to just let this sit, but I'm worried I will get the "grassy" flavor from leaving the hops in beyond 14 days. I'm not too concerned about the oak.

Will the fermentation still taking place consume the hop oils and negate the potential "grassy" flavor?

Should I bring the temperature down to put the yeast in suspension? Transfer again? Any advice is very much appreciated.

Below is the partial mash recipe. I was shooting for a black IPA with ingredients I had on hand, but it's probably more of a hoppy porter.

Size: 5.00 gal

Original Gravity: 1.084
Terminal Gravity: 1.019
Color: 30.48
Alcohol: 8.54%
Bitterness: 111.0 IBU

Ingredients:
5.0 lb American 2-row
.5 lb Crystal 75
.375 lb American Chocolate Malt
.375 lb Rye Ale Malt
.375 lb Carafa Special® TYPE II
4.5 lb Dark Dry Extract
4.0 oz Dry Light Extract
4.0 oz Corn Sugar @ Flameout
2.0 oz Warrior® (13.7%) - added during boil, boiled 75.0 min
1.0 oz Centennial (8.9%) - added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
1.0 oz Cascade (6.4%) - added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.0 oz Centennial (8.9%) - added during boil, boiled 5.0 min
1.0 oz Citra™ (13.4%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min

White Labs California V ale yeast

Secondary:
1.0 oz Cascade (6.4%)
1.0 oz Citra™ (13.4%)
1.5 oz Aged bourbon oak chips

 

[nomadbrewer33]

How long was your primary fermentation? I'd say if you dropped from 1.084 to 1.030 you probably had a pretty good fermentation going at some point. What was your mash temperature? There are many reasons you wouldn't hit your target gravity. Your mash temp could have been too high or you may not have had enough/viable yeast to ferment such a big beer. I'm not sure Cali Lager is really meant to tbe a high gravity strain.

Your beer will still ferment after dry hopping. If you are really worried about it add some dry yeast and see what happens. There are quite a few dry yeasts out there that ferment high gravity beers. You added quite a few hops so the beer will be hoppy regardless. Whether you consider it grassy or not is up to your hop palate. If you don't like grassy beers I wouldn't dry hop 2 ozs.

 

[Kuckoo]

My problem is that the beer is clearly still fermenting following the transfer to the secondary and it is dry-hopped. I want to make sure that I give it time to complete the ferment, but also want to avoid leaving the hops in for too long. Suggestions?

 

[Piratwolf]

My problem is that the beer is clearly still fermenting following the transfer to the secondary and it is dry-hopped. I want to make sure that I give it time to complete the ferment, but also want to avoid leaving the hops in for too long. Suggestions?

First, I would say this is a good lesson in Use Your Hydrometer. Your beer will ferment in whatever time it wants to--making decisions based on timeframe rather than scientific data can lead to less than your best brews!

Second, if it is fermenting again, it's unlikely to take so long that you'll get grassy notes. But again you say, "signs of fermentation.". Hydrometer reading?

Third, do NOT transfer again unless you expect to consume all the beer very quickly. Oxygen at this point is not your friend.

Good luck!

 

[Kuckoo]

First, I would say this is a good lesson in Use Your Hydrometer. Your beer will ferment in whatever time it wants to--making decisions based on timeframe rather than scientific data can lead to less than your best brews!

Thanks for the input. I had a mental lapse; I normally use the hydrometer and generally avoid racking to a secondary. Lesson learned for sure. Saturday will be 2 weeks that I've been dryhopping. I'll take a reading and keg then. Thanks again for the input. You guys are awesome here!

 

[Denny]

The effect of "grassiness" from dry hopping is WAAAYYY overblown IMO. I dry hop for months and have never experienced it.

 

[Piratwolf]

The effect of "grassiness" from dry hopping is WAAAYYY overblown IMO. I dry hop for months and have never experienced it.

I'm glad you posted this. I've only just started dry-hopping in keg and had no grassiness after a month, but that's just one data point. Good to see confirmation!

 

[Piratwolf]

Thanks for the input. I had a mental lapse; I normally use the hydrometer and generally avoid racking to a secondary. Lesson learned for sure. Saturday will be 2 weeks that I've been dryhopping. I'll take a reading and keg then. Thanks again for the input. You guys are awesome here!

I agree. I've learned so much from HBT. I never would have gotten very far without the knowledge here. Keep up the good work, sir!

 

[Kuckoo]

The effect of "grassiness" from dry hopping is WAAAYYY overblown IMO. I dry hop for months and have never experienced it.

I spoke to someone at my local HBS and they too echoed this sentiment. Especially since it's cascade and citra in the secondary. Took a reading today at 1.022, so it is clearly still fermenting. Tasted great though! I'll wait a few days and take another reading. I'm expecting a 1.018ish FG.

 

[lpdjshaw]

Only bummer is that active fermentation for so long will probably blow off a lot, if not most, of your dry hop aroma.

 

[badhabit]

I always dry hop for two weeks. If I am getting a grassy effect I sure don't know it. If you are still fermenting you are blowing off much of the aroma that you would be getting from the dry hop addition anyway.