Looking for advice

[foxinjapan]

For my next brew I'm considering trying to do a dry hop. What I have in mind is to do a pilsner extract with saaz pellets. Perhaps 19L with 500g Munton's LDE. Would this be a good way to go about it? Thanks!


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[flars]

Dry hopping is just adding the hops after fermentation has reached FG. You don't want off gassing of CO2 when you dry hop. The CO2 will scrub your beer of the hop flavor you are trying to achieve.

Here is an IBU calculator to help you out.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/ibu-calculator/

About 7 days is a typical dry hop timeline. Dry hopping for to long, about 14 days or longer, depending on the hops used can result in grassy flavors.

 

[foxinjapan]

Thanks for the link! Do you think the extract, adjunct, and hops are a correct match?


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[flars]

I would need a few more details. I know Saaz hops. I just doubled the aroma addition in a petite saison.
I was a little puzzled by the 500 grams of LDE. Was this meant to be Liquid Malt Extract or Dry Malt Extract?
Are you beginning with a Muntons pre-hopped kit?
Lot of questions, but I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction.

 

[foxinjapan]

Sorry for the vague description. I'm still new to this. My thinking is to use a pre hopped pilsner beer kit extract. Instead of using dextrose, go with 500g dry light malt extract. Then dry hop with saaz pellets. And in hopes of getting better flavor and body, brew 19L rather than the 23L that most kits seem to recommend.


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[flars]

Sorry for the vague description. I'm still new to this. My thinking is to use a pre hopped pilsner beer kit extract. Instead of using dextrose, go with 500g dry light malt extract. Then dry hop with saaz pellets. And in hopes of getting better flavor and body, brew 19L rather than the 23L that most kits seem to recommend.


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The DME will give you more body and flavor to the beer over using the dextrose. Many people do this. Many also brew the kits a 19 liters instead of the 23 for more added body and flavor. Quality over quantity.

I would add 0.5 ounce of the Saaz pellets. Of course after fermentation and there is no longer off gassing of CO2. I use my hydrometer samples to check for the presence of CO2.
The hop pellets can be added directly to the primary. There is no need to rack to a secondary vessel for dry hopping. The pellets will break up and eventually drop out.
How long to dry hop before racking to the bottling bucket. This would depend upon your tastes. Take a couple ounce sample before you dry hop for tasting. Take another sample three days after the dry hop for tasting. Let the dry hop go until you have what tastes right to you.
Flat green beer will taste much different than fully conditioned bottled beer. What you will be looking for is the change in flavor of the flat beer.

 

[foxinjapan]

Thanks so much for your help! I was on the fence about giving his a try, but I think I can do it!


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[Calder]

Sounds fine.

Dry hopping is more an APA/IPA thing to add more, and additional dimension to the hop flavor, but can be used in any style. I often use it in Berliner Wiesse style beers.

Two rules to dry hopping:

1) Wait until fermentation is done.

2) Add dry hops based on when you plan to bottle. Ask how long and you will get different answers. Flars recomnends about 7 days. I usually go 10 days. Others will say 3 days. I like 10 days as it gives time for most pellets to drop, and I've never had an issue with it.

Don't panic if the dry hops are in longer than planned. I had a batch of Citra Pale Ale where I accidentally left the dry hops in for 4 months. .......... Tasted great! Not something I planning on repeating, but didn't cause a problem.

 

[foxinjapan]

Thanks for the pointer on timing the dry hop with bottling schedule.

It will be another week before I can start this brew, but I'm very anxious to get started.

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

By the way, I ended up getting a Morton's Saaz Plisner extract. And I ordered 11g SAFBREW S-33 BELGIAN FERMENTIS. Any comments on this? Thanks again!


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[flars]

Good to hear you are almost ready. S-33 is a good yeast, but with one drawback. It is very slow to drop out for a clear beer. Using gelatin after fermentation would help clear the beer. I have never used gelatin so I can't be of help on how to use it.

Haven't used this yeast, but sounds interesting.
From Fermentis specifications sheet:T-58
Specialty yeast selected for its estery somewhat peppery and spicy flavor development. Yeast with a good sedimentation: forms no clumps but a
powdery haze when resuspended in the beer

fermentation temperature: 12-25°C (53.6-77°F) ideally 15-20°C (59-68°F)

 

[foxinjapan]

Interesting information. I just cleaned out a space in my downstairs closet. It's the coolest place in our house, so I should be good to go with he temperature ranges. It will be fun to see how this turns out!


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[flars]

Interesting information. I just cleaned out a space in my downstairs closet. It's the coolest place in our house, so I should be good to go with he temperature ranges. It will be fun to see how this turns out!


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Temperature range for s-33: 12-25°C (53.6-77°F) ideally 15-20°C (59-68°F)
I would try to keep this one at the low end for more of the pilsner flavors and less fruit. Get your wort as cool as possible before pitching the rehydrated yeast. A swamp cooler can help keep the temperature down. I haven't used this yeast so I don't know how much heat it will produce in the first few days of the most active fermentation.

 

[foxinjapan]

I was surprised at how much fermentation changes the temperature. In my current brew, a Ccoper's Cerveza, I pitched the yeast at about 19C. I was worried that would be too low. But once the yeast started, it ramped up to abut 26C! Anyhow, I've been thinking about using a swamp cooler. If I want to brew here in the summer, I need an economical way to keep the FV cool with out running the AC all day and night. The problem is space.


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[flars]

Here is a picture of my swamp cooler setup. Can be used with or without the fan. The fan speeds up the evaporative cooling from the wet towel. I can get an 8°F to 10°F temp drop with the fan.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/photo/swamp-cooler-61314.html

 

[ericbw]

Good to hear you are almost ready. S-33 is a good yeast, but with one drawback. It is very slow to drop out for a clear beer. Using gelatin after fermentation would help clear the beer. I have never used gelatin so I can't be of help on how to use it.

Haven't used this yeast, but sounds interesting.
From Fermentis specifications sheet:T-58
Specialty yeast selected for its estery somewhat peppery and spicy flavor development. Yeast with a good sedimentation: forms no clumps but a
powdery haze when resuspended in the beer

fermentation temperature: 12-25°C (53.6-77°F) ideally 15-20°C (59-68°F)

It can also stall at lower temps. And restart. Can be a long ferment.

 

[Zwerski]

I dry hopped a Pilsner DME-based brew earlier this week with Citra. Calls for using darker malts are good advice *if* that flavor profile is what you're looking for. I was going for a lighter body and flavor with balanced bittering, but with a lot of Citra aroma. NOT an IPA, but more of a hoppy Pilsner. The one-gallon test batch was my best brew ever. Trying an off-style experiment is exciting and fun, but use the online calculators already suggested to make sure bittering is not out of control.


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[foxinjapan]

Hmm. With this being my fifth brew ever, I think I might proceed more cautiously. It seems that the Belgian yeast I bought might be wasted on this brew. I think I'll save it for something more fitting for it's particular characteristics. Instead, I think I'll go with the 7g yeast packed with the kit. And instead of just DME, I'll split it down the middle: 500g Cooper's BE1 and 500g DME. And then dry hop when the time is right.


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[flars]

Rehydrate the yeast before you pitch. 7 grams is minimal for the OG. Without giving the yeast their best chance FG may get stuck at 1.025.

Sprinkle the yeast on one-half cup 80°F, + or - 6°F, water.
Rest 5 minutes.
Stir in and then stir each 10 minutes.
Pitch after total of 30 minutes.

 

[foxinjapan]

Wow! Rehydrating is that easy? I was reluctant to try, as I thought it was a whole big process. Thanks!


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[flars]

Wow! Rehydrating is that easy? I was reluctant to try, as I thought it was a whole big process. Thanks!


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I forgot to mention two things. Keep everything sanitary. Don't use RO or distilled water.

 

[foxinjapan]

My tap water is pretty good. No chlorine smell and not very hard. Should that suffice?


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[flars]

If you have your own private well it will be okay for rehydrating yeast and for brewing. All municipal water supplies are treated with chlorine or chloramines, and in some cases both.

Municipal water can be treated with campden tablets to remove both chlorine and chloramines. Brewing with treated water can give a plastic or band aid flavor to the beer.
Chlorine will evaporate from water given about 24 hours in an open container. However you will not know if chloramines are also present.

Bottled drinking water, labeled spring water, would be best for rehydrating the yeast.

RO water, distilled water, spring water, and campden treated municipal water can be used for brewing with extracts. (All grain brewing sometimes needs certain mineral requirements for the brewing water.)

 

[foxinjapan]

I see. Then I'll be sure to rehydrate from bottled water to be safe. Thanks again!


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