Should I dry-hop my Ordinary Bitters tonight?

[BierMuncher]

I'm moving my Ordinary Bitters into the secondary tonight and to smell...it just doesn't have the hoppiness I'd like in my bitter.

I need a yeah or neah on a notion to dry-hop about 1/2 Oz of Saaz pellets into the secondary. I dont' know if Saaz is comparable with what I have.

Here is my starting recipe:

7.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Amber Malt (22.0 SRM)
0.33 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM)
1.20 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.75%]
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [2.50%]
0.25 oz Hallertauer [4.80%] (20 min)
0.50 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (1 min)
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min)
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04)

An earlier brew I did was an English Ale with Northern Brewer and it was very hoppy. I loved it. I'm looking for a flavorful session brew.

This OG was 1036 and is at 1010 now. Right where I want it.

Thoughts please?

 

[uglygoat]

i say nay... bitters are not supposed to have hop aroma imho...

 

[BierMuncher]

Fair enough.

I guess I'll keg as is when ready and start thinking about my next English Ale.

 

[david_42]

Since you are kegging, you can always dry hop later after it has conditioned. Saaz would work with what you have. If you want some hop aroma in your Bitter, I say do it. Sometimes I dry hop (or re-hop) when the keg is half gone, just for a change.

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

What's the deal with dry=hopping? Are IPA's the only beer style you can dry hop???

 

[cweston]

i say nay... bitters are not supposed to have hop aroma imho...

I don't think I agree with that: seems to me that bitters often lack flavor hop additions but usually do have aroma hop additions (?)

 

[ajf]

Many commercial bitters are dry hopped (but usually with EKG rather than Saaz).

-a.

 

[uglygoat]

I don't think I agree with that: seems to me that bitters often lack flavor hop additions but usually do have aroma hop additions (?)

true, i have seen recipies with and without dry hop. i don't make aroma additions during the boil, and don't dry hop, but some do both.

 

[uglygoat]

lol

the averidge bitter is a session beer. fairly low in malt flavor, with a single kettle addition of hops. that's my understanding. a true bitter will be cask conditioned, and some might put dry hops in the cask, but it's no necessary.

kinda designed for quick turn over, liek a fresh wheat beer.

 

[Ivan Lendl]

Go for it!
EK Gold, Fuggle or any English hop would prob be more suitable, but who cares?
Your only talking 1/2 oz anyhows.
Just do it.

 

[BierMuncher]

Go for it!
EK Gold, Fuggle or any English hop would prob be more suitable, but who cares?
Your only talking 1/2 oz anyhows.
Just do it.

DONE

I couldn't resist. While I was racking, I popped open the sanyo (pre tower) and as I was topping off my APA, (look at this beer) I couldn't resist grabbing the bag of hops and taking a whiff.

Ahhhhh. I had to do it. I went ahead and dumped in a 1/2 oz of the Saaz.

Let's face it...too much hops can never be a bad thing.

 

[BarleyWater]

Let's face it...too much hops can never be a bad thing.

I'll second that.