Perfect Dry Hop Temp?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

DogFlynnHead

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2009
Messages
85
Reaction score
0
Location
Indiana
I'm ready to rack my IPA to secondary and dry hop it. I want to make sure it doesn't ferment any during the dry hop time. Can I drop the temp to 58-60 to ensure this. Will the hop oils still be extracted at a lower temp?
 
Why do you want to cut short the fermentation ? You risk off flavours by doing this.

Most common practice is to dry hop at room temp i.e. 18C/65F for a week to ten days. It will not harm your beer to be dry hopped cooler but it's a good idea to make sure fermentation is complete and allow yeast to clean up by products of fermentation. Then after dry hopping, you can go ahead and cool the beer to drop out yeast/hop particles.
 
skip the secondary and just dry hop in primary at the tail end of fermentation
 
I'm ready to rack my IPA to secondary and dry hop it. I want to make sure it doesn't ferment any during the dry hop time. Can I drop the temp to 58-60 to ensure this. Will the hop oils still be extracted at a lower temp?

if fermentation is not complete, you are not ready to rack. Has your gravity been consistent for ~3 days?
 
I'm ready to rack my IPA to secondary and dry hop it. I want to make sure it doesn't ferment any during the dry hop time. Can I drop the temp to 58-60 to ensure this. Will the hop oils still be extracted at a lower temp?

First off, I doubt any yeast will stop fermenting at 58-60F. You may slow them down, but they won't stop.

Dry hopping at lower temps works very well. It takes a bit longer but the flavor and aroma stays around longer in the finished product.

Figure on 3-7 days max at 68-70 F. Maybe 10-14 days at 55 F. 21 days at 40 F.

Adding a small amount for the last day or so at room temp gives a wonderful nose.
 
I usually add dry hops when I'm about 6-10 points away from my estimated terminal gravity. Just stick 'em right in the primary. I'm sure there's a little loss of aroma because the beer's still gassing off a little, but guess that just means I need to add more.

A good clue for me is when the krausen falls, but I can still see sediment moving around inside the carboy. I'll add the dry hops, and then begin my final temperature ramp to finish out fermentation.

When I do it this method, it usually means that I'm dry hopping at 70-74* for a few more days. Once fermentation and cleanup is complete, I'll bring it back to 65-70 for the rest of the dry hopping until it's time to cold crash.
 
Back
Top