This is probably a question that has been asked to death but here I go anyway. I started my first brew Sunday, a 2.5 Gallon full wort boil partial grain/extract DIPA. The recipe says to wait for fermentation to end, let it sit on yeast for one day then rack to secondary for dry hop. My question is should I do what the recipe says or just throw the dry hop in the primary after fermentation is complete? I have a 3 gallon glass carboy but will the 1/2 gallon head room be to much space and oxidize my beer?
To Rack or Not To Rack
- Thread starter neo68710
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only stable FG readings for three or more days can tell you if it's time to rack that brew. i doubt you're at FG in three days, and it definitely hasn't been stable for three days. FWIW, i find a beer does better to sit on the yeast for a week or so after FG is stable, then i'll rack, dry hop (i dry hop in both primary and secondary, depending on a few things), bottle, keg, etc.
My vote is to dry hop directly in the primary vessel. No need to rack this beer. Oxidation should not be a concern at this point - only if you plan on aging it for a while (e.g. months). Indeed, racking it will introduce more oxygen than letting it sit in primary for 2-3 weeks.
Bhunter87
Well-Known Member
Agree with both points. If you plan to age a while, racking is a good idea, just make sure you have a carboy with very little head space or CO2 blanket it.
If you're going to bottle soon, dry hop in primary.
Wait till ferment has completely stopped though. 3 days is no where near done I don't think unless you have a very light brew
If you're going to bottle soon, dry hop in primary.
Wait till ferment has completely stopped though. 3 days is no where near done I don't think unless you have a very light brew
Ya fermentation is no where near complete I was just wondering if I should risk oxidation by racking or just throw the hops in the primary after fermentation is done. 2.5 gallons of beer in my 3 gallon carboy leaves 1/2 gallon of head space will this be to much space and cause oxygen to get in my beer?
Perhaps if you were going to leave the beer in there for months. But If all you are planning on doing is to dry hop for a few days once fermentation is done, oxidation will not be a problem. Many people, myself included, let beer sit in the primary vessel for up to a month (and even longer in some cases).
I was only going to dry hop for a week in the secondary after fermentation had completed in the primary 2-3 weeks. So if oxidation won't be a problem in that time even with a 1/2 gallon worth of head space I'm going to rack to a secondary, dry hop and bottle. Thanks for everyone's help.
I think i may have misunderstood your options. Either way, I do not think oxidation will be an issue. I do however think that you should leave it in the primary and dry hop there. I would not recommend racking to secondary as I would consider it an unnecessary move. The actual transfer MAY introduce oxygen and it definitely increases your risk of contamination.
Sitting for more time on the yeast will affect the flavor of the beer. It can be subtle. Some folks like it, other prefer the flavor of beers moved promptly off the yeast cake when fermentation is complete. Try it one way this time, and the other another time. Then you will really be able to decide what is right for you.
I never bother with hydrometer readings before racking to a secondary. Just wait until it has pretty much stopped bubbling. Your only danger if too early is extra yeast in your secondary. The time to really get the hydrometer out is when you are going to bottle. Here you want to make sure fermentation is complete so you don't get bottle bombs
I never bother with hydrometer readings before racking to a secondary. Just wait until it has pretty much stopped bubbling. Your only danger if too early is extra yeast in your secondary. The time to really get the hydrometer out is when you are going to bottle. Here you want to make sure fermentation is complete so you don't get bottle bombs
Donkeybalboa
Member
My kit from my lhbs also wants me to move to the secondary, after reading the previous posts, I'm just going to keep/dryhop it in the primary. My other ales, I've been doing 30 days in primary, then bottling. Can I keep this schedule, or will I lose too much hop aroma/flavor? TIA
I typically use 6.5 gallon carboys for secondary with 5 gallon batches and have never had an "oxidized" beer. Your mileage may vary, but as long as you don't shake up the beer it should be fine, especially with dry hopping.
If you are gentle and careful when adding the hops the CO2 blanket that is in the carboy will stay pretty much intact and oxidation should not be a concern
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