Next Steps

[Phitz]

So I’m day 11 into my first brew in 25 years!! Brewed NB chinook IPA kit and used Fermentis 05 yeast. Had really good fermentation going via the bubbler which has slowed down. Looks like my krausen is still at the top. I need to dry hop still and would like to bottle on Sunday. Here is my plan- what do you think.

1. take a gravity reading today.
2. Take another reading on Wednesday. If no change I will dry hop with pellets.
3. My hope is to bottle Sunday but not sure if 3 days is enough for most of the hops to fall to the bottom of fermenter
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[grampamark]

After 11 days you’re probably at final gravity. Most people dry hop while fermentation is still active, around day 5, or so. You don’t have to wait until the end. You can dry hop now and wait a little longer to allow the hop debris to settle; there’s no magic number for primary fermentation. Many homebrewers go 3-4 weeks in primary.

One weird trick for minimizing trub and hops in your bottling bucket is to put a paint strainer bag in the bucket before racking from the fermenter. Remove the bag before you start bottling and much of the gunk will come with it.

 

[ChiknNutz]

Seems like current consensus is for short dry hop times, like 2-4 days.

You can also dry hop in mesh bag so you don't have to contend with the hop matter at all. There does seem to be evidence that dry hopping in a bag can reduce the overall hop impact, but how much is not greatly agreed upon. I do dry hop in a bag just to keep it contained and am so far pleased with the results, but cannot say if those batches would have been better with loose hops as I've not tried both ways on same recipes.

If you have a way to cold crash, that will help to bring the hops out of suspension if you do put them in loose.

 

[Phitz]

Thanks guys. The only means to cold crash would be to put outside. I live in Connecticut but temps could be in the teens and 20s at night and mid to upper 30s in the day. Not sure if this is advisable??

The other question is I am using a bucket with a spigot. Will most or all of the sediment be below the spigot? I will need to transfer to my bottling bucket and am concerned the gunk will clog it. I do not own a siphon.

 

[rburrelli]

Thanks guys. The only means to cold crash would be to put outside. I live in Connecticut but temps could be in the teens and 20s at night and mid to upper 30s in the day. Not sure if this is advisable??

The other question is I am using a bucket with a spigot. Will most or all of the sediment be below the spigot? I will need to transfer to my bottling bucket and am concerned the gunk will clog it. I do not own a siphon.

Bucket manufacturers generally put the spigot at a safe level. You should be ok.

 

[Phitz]

Thanks! I thought that would be the case