I Need Dry Hopping Advice

[JCasey1992]

Hi guys!

I apologize if this has already been cleared up but I am finding mixed responses. I am towards the two week mark in the fermenter for a hoppy amber I am brewing. OG was 1.051. I just pulled it out of my fermentation chamber to test and it was down to about 1.012-1.013 on my hydrometer. Like a moron, I assumed it was done and proceeded to begin the dry hopping process. Now the hops are in the fermenter and the airlock is bubbling away again. Most of what I have read suggests that you want to dry hop AFTER fermentation is complete for optimal results. Is this a concern or due to the fact that it is so close to the final gravity, am I overreacting?

Here's the recipe if it helps: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=231361

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Cheers!
Casey

 

[day_trippr]

After two weeks there's likely little fermentation still going on with most ale strains run in their happy temperature range.
Hop matter introduces nucleation sites for the CO2 already dissolved in the beer. You may be seeing that effect.

In any case, there's a whole school of thought that adding dry hops when there are still a couple/few points of fermentation remaining is A Good Thing as the still active yeast can utilize some of the oxygen introduced with the hops.

And then there's the whole "Biotransformation" thing that seems to have materialized along with the NEIPA style of brewing, which prescribes hop additions only a few days into fermentation (like 3 days after pitching).

So you're not on an island

Cheers!

 

[brandonnys]

Yeah, this sounds like the making of a good beer to me. RDWHAHB.

 

[JCasey1992]

I appreciate the responses. I kinda figured there wasn't much to worry about. Plus, I also figured that I'd learn something too. Now I have some more dry hopping methods to research! Yay!

Thanks guys!

 

[Gravity]

Nothing to worry about. Most people start dry hopping 2 weeks into fermentation. Let it bubble out and rack as normal

 

[mmahu]

You are overreacting. Most times after dry hopping, there will be bubbles coming out, but that is not fermentation, in most cases.

It's not " wrong " to dry hop during fermentation, so even if your beer has not fully fermented ( I would say it is done or needs like 2 days more ), it will make beer and the dry hopping will do what the dry hopping does.

Note also that different FG for batches of the same beer, is quite normal as not everybody's fermentation will be the same. Factors such as yeast health, fermentation temperature, yeast pitch, correct hold mash temps, etc. will influence the outcome of the beer. I would say your beer is finished after two weeks.