To dry hop or not to dry hop that is the question…

[Sammy86]

Hello HBT,

It has been awhile and for that I apologize but life sometimes get in the way! I have been lurking, looking at different threads almost every day.

Anyway, I brewed the following beer two weeks ago today:

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Specialty IPA: White IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 12 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 14.44 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.047
Efficiency: 78% (brew house)

Hop Utilization Multiplier: 0.99067

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.057
Final Gravity: 1.012
ABV (standard): 5.86%
IBU (tinseth): 64.47
SRM (morey): 3.6
Mash pH: 5.75

FERMENTABLES:
18 lb - Pilsner (76.6%)
5.5 lb - Wheat Malt, Red (23.4%)

HOPS:
3.5 oz - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.3, Use: Boil for 30 min, IBU: 53.16
2 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.8, Use: Whirlpool for 30 min at 175 °F, IBU: 2.92
4 oz - Mosaic, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.2, Use: Whirlpool for 30 min at 175 °F, IBU: 8.39
2 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.8, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
2 oz - Mosaic, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.2, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days


I split the batch into two six gallon fermentors, and pitched two different yeasts. SO4 and Jovaru Lithuanian Farmhouse Ale yeast. Both have hit terminal gravity according to software.

I tasted both and they are fantistic so I’m hesitant to dry hop as per the recipe above. So I leave it open to you, HBT to provide that sound advice…should I dry hop or cold crash and package? Let me know your thoughts!

 

[mac_1103]

Leave one alone and dry hop the other. Then brew them again and dry hop the other one. You know, for science.

 

[redrocker652002]

Leave one alone and dry hop the other. Then brew them again and dry hop the other one. You know, for science.

I was thinking the same thing. But, my other thought is, if they taste great the way they are, why take a chance? But, with 12 gallons you have plenty to play around with. If it were me, I would do as above and take some good notes on what you do. Keep us posted.

 

[day_trippr]

There's "great" and then there's "greaterer"
I would definitely dry hop both brews, but there's no reason to drag that out for 7 days when 2 is plenty...

Cheers!

 

[mac_1103]

There's "great" and then there's "greaterer"

And then there's "even more greaterest"!

 

[worlddivides]

There's "great" and then there's "greaterer"
I would definitely dry hop both brews, but there's no reason to drag that out for 7 days when 2 is plenty...

Cheers!

Agreed.

Back in the day, there would be pale ales that I occasionally didn't dry hop, but I don't think I've ever made an IPA that I didn't dry hop. And even nowadays, I think I would always dry hop an APA or (whatever) pale ale since those are the kinds of beers I want a lot of hop aroma and flavor from. They can still be good without the dry hopping, but for a hop-forward style, you're most likely going to want to dry hop.

 

[day_trippr]

To me there is nothing better than smelling the aroma from a solid pale or IPA or DIPA while you're still pouring. You need dry hoppage for that

Cheers!

 

[Sammy86]

Alright, so i decide to dry hop! Thank you for all your sound advice! Ill keep ya’ll posted with results!

 

[Sammy86]

These two beers were dryhoped for four days, cold crashed and packaged today. Bottled 2 gallons and then kegged the rest. Smelled like oranges, tangerines and straight up citrus! Can’t wait to try these two!

 

[IslandLizard]

These two beers were dryhoped for four days, cold crashed and packaged today. Bottled 2 gallons and then kegged the rest. Smelled like oranges, tangerines and straight up citrus! Can’t wait to try these two!

Did you use the amount of dry hops in your original recipe, split over the 2 sub-batches?

2 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 7.8, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days
2 oz - Mosaic, Type: Pellet, AA: 11.2, Use: Dry Hop for 7 days

 

[tracer bullet]

I've found you can dry hop at almost anytime. I've had a few instances with a gallon or so left in a keg, and put some hops in a bag and chucked them in. Right through the top lid, though with a little bit of purging afterwards. Of course the flavors and smells don't last more than a few days due to the O2 ingress but that gallon that was in there only lasts around that long anyhow. It's also kind of a good way to test what a hop will be like if it's a new one to you.

 

[Sammy86]

Did you use the amount of dry hops in your original recipe, split over the 2 sub-batches?

Yes sir, I’m generally not one to deviate from a recipe once I start to follow one…LoL should pull the first pint from the kegs Friday/Saturday