Ipa Dry hopping

[Gabe]

I have never dry hopped befor and want to. I am an extract grain brewer and like to brew apa's, Ipa's, lagers etc. Any suggestions on a great type of hops, pellet or whole, aa% and for length of time in secondary? any info is great.


Primary: Hop rod IPA
Secondary: Oatmeal Stout
Ageing: California Lager
Bottle#1: Belgian Dubbel
Bottle#2: IPA
Bottle #3: Milk stout

 

[david_42]

PWN IPAs almost always use Cascades. Nuggett and Northern Brewer are common choices. Milder hops are Fuggles, East Kent, Willamette. Whole works better, but I've used pellets. AA% doesn't matter for dry hopping, go by smell. A week or two is enough, but you can leave them in the secondary until you bottle.

 

[ajf]

If it's a traditional Rnglish style IPA, then EK Goldings are what I use. Can't help with American styles because I never brew them.
I always use pellets for dry hopping, mainly because I never worked out how to get an ounce of whole hops into the caboy, and then get them all out again. Other people on this forum don't seem to have a problem with this, so perhaps I shall try it (especially as I have over 4 lb of EKG in the freezer).
I secondary for about two weeks before adding the hops, and then leave for another two weeks after.

-a.

 

[Lost]

Use whole hops, the aroma will be better than with processed pellets. The whole hops and leaf hops come out of the carboy fine though it can sometimes be messy getting them in there in the first place. The whole hops also won't easily make their way into your bottling bucket as the pellet gunk will.

For an american pale ale or IPA cascade is the quintessential hop. Other good choices are (speaking from experience here) Saaz, Fuggles, East Kent Goldings, and Hallertau. There are many other good choices but these are the ones I have tried and liked myself. I do want to try chinook but am hesitant to recommend it since many find it harsh as a bittering hop and it I don't think it was intended as an aroma hop. However, I do like it for bittering and will try it maybe this summer for aroma in an IPA.

Here's some info that might be helpful:
http://www.programmingjobs.com/justhops/descriptions.htm
http://www.freshops.com/usda_hop_desc2.html#21679

Add at least .5 ounces to the secondary, I think 1 ounce is a good starting point. Remember that the hop aroma will dissipate rapidly with age - it may be noticeably less after only a month in the bottle. Many brewers complain about the grassy taste the hops impart if left in contact with the beer for too long. I have experienced this once with fuggles when I left them in the secondary for a month. I have not done that since, and now add the hops only when the beer has 1.5 - 2 weeks left to age that way the grassy flavor is minimized... this is one of those "for each his own" things. You may not mind the grassy flavor or may not really notice it.. others seem highly sensitive. The temp of the beer and variety of the hop probably have something to do with it as well. Consider sampling it occasionaly to bottle it when the aroma is present but before it tastes grassy.

Hope this helps