When Does High Krausen End So I Can Start Dry Hopping

[mad32brewing]

So I brewed a double IPA on Saturday and pitched a 1.5L yeast starter into. Fermentation kicked off within 6 hours. For my hop schedule, I will start dry hopping 1 day after high krausen falls. However, I am fermenting in a plastic bucket, so I can't see what's going on inside. How long should I wait to open up the bucket and start my dry hopping schedule? I am writing this Monday morning.

 

[str1p3s]

If your airlock is bubbling (sometimes buckets have a leak and there is no airlock activity), I would try to guess when the airlock starts to slow down and call that the end of high krausen. If you can't tell, my guess is anywhere between 2-4 days post pitch would work out for you.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I would guess, 3-4 days. You didn’t say what yeast, or what temp you are at. Those 2 things have a big impact on how fast/slow things happen. I would dry hop after 3 days. You want some fermentation going to to scrub the O2 when you open the bucket. I’d open it just enough to get them in, and close it quickly.

 

[doogie]

For me in most cases 3 days of active fermentation and it's starting to fall. That said, I no longer dry hop then; I'm now waiting for fermentation to be done and cold crash to drop a lot of yeast out of suspension, then raise temp back up to 60 or so and dry hop. I'm getting MUCH better aroma with that procedure. Follow that up with a closed transfer into your serving keg to keep out oxygen exposure to a minimum.

 

[Brewer_Dad]

I'm in the same pickle. I brewed on Friday night (pitched the yeast to 5 gal of IPA around 2am Saturday) and still some krause is going through the airlock, however, not much activity. I think I'll start dry hopping tomorrow (tue) or wed. morning.

I also have some golden ale I brewed on Saturday afternoon and the krausen is already settling.