First time Dry Hopping - uh oh

[terry101]

Hi. First time dry hopping (American SMASH from NB). Beer is in secondary for 4 days so far and there is still considerable activity visible. Particles falling and rising and the beer doesn't seem to be clarifying as previous batches have without dry hopping. Recipe calls for 1 week in secondary but I'm thinking at least two weeks after reading some posts here. Will eventually keg. Am I being impatient or should I be concerned about cloudiness.


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[sweetcell]

lemme guess: the instructions said "more to secondary after X days", and even tho fermentation wasn't done in primary you racked anyways?

yes, you're being impatient. it'll clear.

 

[brdb]

How long was the beer in the primary for? As far as cloudiness is concerned, I wouldn't be too worried, when the yeast are done eating all the sugars most of them will flocculate out and fall to the bottom of your carboy (some will remain in suspension). There are a number of ways to achieve clear beer, since your beer is already in secondary I would look into cold crashing (if you're able to) and gelatin as ways to boost clarity. There are a number of threads on here detailing both.

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

The question is was the primary fermentation complete before you racked to the secondary. the purpose of dry hopping is to add hops after yeast activity is complete, as the fermentation process will absorb hop flavors and aromas.

And I dont care what you have been told, hops are not necessarily sanitary. Their preservative properties apply to protecting wort from infection AFTER they have been boiled along with the wort. It is possible that there was something like a wild yeast in the hops you added that likes the sugars that the brewers yeast couldnt eat...

 

[451brewer]

I second cold crashing but wait for no signs of fermentation. Also I wouldn't rack to your secondary till you have a gravity reading that is staying the same for at least a day or two. Go by what your beer tells you not by what your recipe tells you. Every fermentation is different. Should be ok. Give it time and most will the yeast will drop to the bottom. Sounds like they are still hard at work making you beer.


Life's a brew, drink it.

 

[terry101]

Thanks! Beer was 1 week in primary and bubbling in airlock completely stopped. Perhaps racking woke up the yeasties. Will try to be more patient.

 

[451brewer]

Fermentation can still be going with no bubbles. Only thing that will tell you if it's done is a gravity reading.


Life's a brew, drink it.