Should I dryhop a kit?

[xfade]

I made my first batch of IPA from a kit that came from Williams Brewing about a week ago. The kit came with a pouch of flavoring and aroma pellet hops, but nothing for dry hopping. My understanding is that most IPA's are dry hopped.

My OG was 1.12. This seems high to me but I'm thinking it may be because of some suspended trub in the sample. My last SG reading was 1.031 and also had some trub in the sample. It smells good but tastes very sweet still, which I expected.

Also all the hop particles are still in the trub and I'm not sure if these will continue to make a difference since they were added during the boil.

So my question is should I deviate from the recipe and dry hop or stick to the recipe and the ingredients that it came with? And if I do dry hop, which hops should I use?

 

[HexKrak]

IPAs, by style guidelines don't really need to have the hop aroma. By the time the beer would make it to India, from Brittan, the aromatics would have been long dissipated.

That said, if you like the aromatics, then go for it. I know I would.

1.12 does sound very high, even for an IIPA, have you calibrated your hydrometer lately? I know there's instructions around here somewhere.

 

[xfade]

I calibrated my hydrometer using distilled water and it read 1.001. So its close.

I think I will dry hop. I love hoppy beers.

 

[kegtoe]

thats what's so fun about this hobby - experimenting and finding out what you like. If you like dry hopped beers i would encourage you to do it. I adjust almost all my kits beers in some way - to make them more "mine"

Good luck, i bet your beer turns out great either way!

 

[xfade]

Thanks guys.

This is my first beer. So really as long as I don't hospitalize myself after I drink it, I'll be happy. But I want it to be pretty good too.

I'm afraid with that high OG that it's gonna taste like brown sugar water.