IPA noob questions

[gilligan1994]

Hey. I'm brewing my first batch of IPA which I started last weekend. I was originally planning on racking into a secondary this weekend, dropping hopping and leaving it in a carboy for 2 weeks, and then bottling for another three. But, after reading several threads, I am now wondering if this is the best approach for an IPA. So, a couple of questions...

First, I am planning on dry hopping, so I think racking to a secondary is the way to go. But, should I leave it in the primary for longer than 1 week? It started fermenting after 24 hours and went pretty strong until day three when the airlock stopped releasing CO2. I know that the airlock is not the indicator, and that the beer is still fermenting. I was planning on taking a gravity reading before racking, but I was wondering if there is any harm in simply waiting another week before racking into the secondary. I don't want to open it up and risk contamination this weekend if I am not planning on racking to the secondary.

Second, is 2 weeks too long for dry hopping? I big on hops, but I don't want to ruin the beer by leaving it too long. I was planning on using 1 oz each of cascade and citra, but it's not too late to change that if that's a bad idea.

Finally, I am bottling this round (but I am thinking about kegging after this). Is 3 weeks a decent amount of time for an IPA to sit in the bottles? Should I keep them at room temp?

Thanks!!

 

[TTB-J]

You don't need to rack to secondary to dry hop - just drop them in the primary. Dry hops don't need to be longer than 7-10 days, some people report a grassy-type flavor if you leave it much longer than that (7 days has always done the trick for me). I would just leave it in primary and drop in the dry hops once the gravity settles, bottle 10 days later. And yes, 3 weeks in the bottles at room temperature will carb these up quite nicely.

 

[SuburbanBrewer]

It won't hurt your beer to sit in the primary for any amount of time. I've left beers for 3 weeks before because of a busy work schedule.
2 weeks will do fine. I usually dry hop for 7-10 days, but again busy schedules have let them sit for 14 days. I know if they sit too long you can get some grassy notes.
It really is a guessing game on carbonation. I would say 3 weeks is a good average, but it might take more. Definitely leave them at room temp. Once you chill them, the yeast become dormant and fall the bottom of the bottle.

 

[gilligan1994]

Thanks!!!

 

[althea]

I would say leave in your primary for minimum 3 weeks (if you need to rush you could do 2)...then just time your dry hopping with your shedule. In other words, nail down the day you'll bottle then dry hop 7 days prior (give or take a few days). Time in the primary will only help your beer in the end and it certainly won't hurt it.

With leaving dry hopping going too long. I kind of think that the longer you let it go there, you begin to start to lose some of the benefit of dryhopping (huge aroma). I've dry hopped for 2 weeks though and it has been great (aroma) and no grassy tones.

Secondary or no secondary...all a matter of preference.

 

[khiddy]

On bottling: Repeat after Revvy: "3 weeks at 70 degrees. 3 weeks at 70 degrees." Anything less (less time, less temp) and you won't have perfectly carbed beer.

 

[gilligan1994]

Cool and cool. Thanks! I'm in no rush...I'd rather do it right and let it sit for an extra week or so.

So, Is there a benefit to racking into a secondary? Or is it just not worth the risk on contamination? Or is it just a waste of time?

 

[althea]

2ndary or not? Complete preference. I find these days that the only time I'm transferring to a secondary is to create room because I need the big pail for a primary fermentation. Some day I'll get some more pails. A lot of people always secondary...others never.

If you were going to be bulk aging something for a long time like a stout, the consensus seems to be rack off of the primary yeast cake.