brew703
Well-Known Member
I am always putting mine on tap by day 12-14 and drinking it by day 14-18 range. That being said, the main advantage I see in not trying to press it faster than I do (and for others giving it even more time) would be:
1.) VDK/Diacetyl issues that can pop up in these types of beers with big dry hops. The addition of hops later on (after active fermentation) can kick start a "small" fermentation from the carbohydrates in the hops (producing Diacetyl precursors). If the beer is then pulled off the yeast quickly before it is cleaned up, you can end up with some nasty off flavors in your beer. I have had my own versions and commercial versions that tasted great at stages of fermentation, but then all of a sudden turned horrible after a second dry hop and kegging. (This is also a reason I have moved toward 1 dry hop at day 2-3 range and nothing after that. Gives me all the flavor I was getting doing 2 dry hops and seems to give me a cleaner/rounder beer as well).
2.) Time lets hop debris settle out.... depending on someone's system and their ability to transfer..... there is not many things that are a bigger PITA than constantly trying to unplug keg posts stuffed with hops. So, extra time might be ok for that for some people too. That sort of thing can vary from person to person and system to system.
I brewed the updated version on Tuesday. Fermentation started yesterday. My plan is to add all DH additions at one time. Not sure if I should add at day 2 or 4. Fermentation is pretty vigorous at the time.
If I DH at day 4, which would be Sunday morning, or even Sat depending on how fermentation looks, and let the DH sit for 4 days then cold crash for 24-36 hours then keg. Do you think the yeast will be finished by day 10 or would it require a few more days? Just trying to time this right as it's my first attempt at the style in over a year.