I tried to get through this thread but its super long-
- Im doing a neipa with lots of dry hops soon for my first run in the conical . I need an order of operations so to speak, particularly where im harvesting yeast.
sorry about length of the thread
I think best practices is sort of a misnomer...we have seen on here there are lots of different ways to use the CF conicals. You mention you are making a NEIPA so I'm not sure what you consider important for that style (there are also many different ways people make NEIPAs).
Are you going to dry hop at peak of primary fermentation? If so are you ok harvesting yeast with lots of dry hop material in it?
Are you planning to harvest your yeast from the cone or are you planning to top crop? A lot of people prefer to top crop English and Kveik yeasts that are frequently used when making NEIPAs.
Do you have ability to protect the beer from O2 while adding your dry hops? (answer might drive your thoughts on adding your dry hops during primary fermentation rather than waiting for it to end)
I make west coast IPAs based on grist and water profile but with the yeast I am using (Verdant) and the dry hop quantity I hit them with they all come out pretty hazy these days. Here is what I am doing:
- Pitch the yeast and oxygenate, hook up blow off tube
- When fermentation is close to done I swap the blow off tube for the pressure manifold with a spunding valve set to about 5 PSI
- A few days later when I don't see any more activity I will remove the spunding valve, top up the headspace pressure to 10 PSI and soft crash to about 55F.
- A day or so later I harvest yeast. I take about a quart and then come back 6 hours later and take another quart (CF15).
- Then I add my dry hops (O2 free dry hopper mounted on the 4" TC port)
- A day later I top up headspace pressure to 10-15 PSI and start cold crashing to 35F. I check pressure a couple times to make sure pressure doesn't fall below 5 PSI during the crash.
- I dump some of the dry hop a day before kegging and then a bit more a few hours before I keg.