When to dry hop this batch?

[brentt03]

So as some of you know, I tackled my first all grain batch this weekend, now I am preparing for the dry hops.

When's the best time to add them? I figured after the airlock was pretty much inactive and fermentation slowed.....

I started fermenting Saturday night, and as of last night, was getting great fermentation!! So now I need to add the hops (1oz. Centennial)....and while I am here, do you all recommend letting them sit for about a week, and then bottle??

I will be going out of town for the holidays, so trying to find the time to add.....

Thanks guys

 

[BuzzCraft]

a few things to consider. the main reasons to wait until after fermentation are: 1) to avoid the evolving CO2 scrubbing the hop aromatics out of solution and 2) the fact that there will be less sugar for any introduced bugs to eat and alcohol to help minimize infection from taking hold. Any time after fermentation has subsided will do.

However, there is also the thought that waiting for yeast to drop out will net you bigger aroma, which would suggest waiting a while longer. I usually don't add dryhops until after at least 2 weeks in the primary, sometimes a bit longer.

Leaving the hops in there 7-10 days will do the trick. If you're using pellets, you may have to give the fermenter a gentle shake a couple of times a day for the last few days before bottling to get the hops to sink to the bottom.

 

[brentt03]

Welp, I am assuming the brew needs to go to the secondary before dry hopping?

I used the carboy for my primary, so I will have to use the fermenting bucket as my secondary.

So steps would be, rack to fermenting bucket, add hops and wait? is there any way I can rack to fermenting bucket, clean out carboy, and add back to carboy?? Or is this too much movement?

 

[BuzzCraft]

no, keep it simple and minimize transfers. the potential for introducing oxygen with all of those transfers outweighs any potential benefits.

your best bet, IMO, is to just wait out the fermentation and dryhop in your primary. the only downside is that you will have a lot of hop residue in your yeast if you are planning to re-use the yeast.

 

[BierMuncher]

The less movement the better.

If you don't plan on harvesting the yeast, you can just dry hop in the primary fermenter. I wouldn't dry hop until 2 weeks go by however. Dry hopping is much more efficient when the beer is clear of the yeast. Once you can scoop out a glass and it's very clear, you should be good to drop in the hops.

Give them 7 days.

 

[brentt03]

Good Deal! Will give it a go!

 

[ksbrain]

My ideal is to dry hop for ten days, starting when fermentation is ramping down. In a two week fermentation, that would mean tossing them in on day 4 and then kegging (or bottling) on day 14. Of course, that's not always enough time for the fermentation. So when it comes down to it, I do it seven to ten days before packaging.

 

[Yooper]

I always dry hop 7 days before bottling, for the freshest hop aroma into the bottle. So, you can let it sit for weeks if you want, and then dryhop a week before bottling.