IPA fermentation and dry hopping question?

[garrett19]

Greetings all,

I searched for the answer to this question, but I found a little bit of conflicting info.

I brewed the Three Floyds Zombie Dust IPA clone I found on here (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/3-floyds-zombie-dust-attempt-help-info-requested-245456/). This is only my fourth batch of home brew so far.

A little background:

I bought the ingredients from my local HBS, but I had to sub in some of the ingredients due to their availability.

I used Golden light DME instead of light DME.
I used Carapils molt instead of carafoam
I subbed in 1 oz of Nugget Hops at 60 minutes b/c they only had 8 packages of Citra at the store.
I also subbed WLP008 for Wyeast 1968

Followed the recipe, and achieved an OG of 1.058 (target was 1.066). I tried to keep the fermentation temps as low as I could (the recipe says 62-64), but in NC, without a temp controlled fermentation chamber, I just couldn't keep it down. I had some fluctuations from 64-72 on the thermometer.

I left it in the primary for two weeks. I moved it to the kitchen to rack it to the secondary and it started bubbling again. I know this could be CO2 coming out of suspension, but it kept bubbling. I left it for another day and then took an SG. I got 1.012 (target was 1.018). I waited two more days and took another reading, getting 1.012 again.

So dropped three oz of Citra in the secondary and racked the beer over. I put the carboy in newly constructed fermentation chamber (not truly temperature controlled) and started bubbling again! The temp in the chamber has been pretty consistent at 66-68 degrees. I know this could be from the hops nucleating gas out of the beer, but I also see some "yeast-like" activity in there. I see hops and other stuff floating up and down and there is still bubbles in the airlock after a week.

The question I have is: Did I take it out of the primary too soon?

Is this type of activity normal in the secondary (I saw some swimmers in other batches, but no bubbles).

I read this is normal in dry hopping, but it looks like the yeast has really woken up!

I am planning on leaving it in the secondary for at least another week, maybe more. I would hate bottle this up and have it explode, wasting money and precious IPA.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Garrett

 

[Quaker]

It's simply CO2 coming out of suspension. Jostling the beer will cause it. Warming the beer will cause it. And the hops' texture will provide nucleation sites which promote it as well. You did right by checking the gravity for an indication of completed fermentation rather than just going by visual signs.

Probably no need for a full week. Check the gravity and flavor after 3 days. I'll bet you're done.

 

[boydster]

Yup, I bet you are done, too. Make sure gravity hasn't dropped before bottling, but barring that you should be all set. No need to wait an extra week or two, you would just be sacrificing the ability to enjoy you IPA at peak freshness.

 

[unionrdr]

Not to mention,the dry hops being in there too long & going grassy or vegetal. You def don't want any of that.

 

[hellawaits77]

Absolutely normal. I get bubbles for a bit whenever I put the kid back on after taking a gravity reading. Nothing to worry about.