When to Keg/When to Drink

[beerspitnight]

We have a Rye IPA that has been in the fermenter since last Monday. OG was 1.070 and we'll take a reading tonight to see where it is at. Our original idea was to let this sit for 2 weeks and then dry hop for a week before kegging it.
I am wondering if we should "allow" it to sit for that "long" (3 weeks in primary) or if we should go ahead and dry hop once we hit our FG and then rack to the kegs a couple of days later. We don't want to drink this beer while it is too green, but we also don't want to lose too much of the hop aroma.
I have a buddy coming over from the States on March 23rd and I would like it to be in its prime when I give him a pint.
Thoughts?

 

[Haputanlas]

I'd still wait three weeks. At this point, I never lose the hop aroma. The extra time in the fermenter always makes the beer better (IMO). I think you'll be happy with the results.

 

[beerspitnight]

Copy that, Hap.
Thanks!

 

[bschoenb]

I'd still wait three weeks. At this point, I never lose the hop aroma. The extra time in the fermenter always makes the beer better (IMO). I think you'll be happy with the results.

+1 on the three weeks; I start my dry hopping at three weeks

 

[goosegrease]

I have an American ale in the keg that did not have as large of hop nose as I wanted. So I dry hopped it in the keg with pellets in a ss tea ball. It really seemed to bring out the hop face smack.
Cheers

 

[beerspitnight]

Good stuff guys!
Gravity is at 1.012, which is a bit lower than we originally wanted. Hopefully the carahells will keep it at least somewhat "sweet".
I don't want it to drop below 1.012...and we don't have a temp controlled environment in which we can cold crash to stop fermentation. We could leave it outside on the balcony, but temps will be upwards of 50 this weekend.
So...should we throw the fermenter outside to cold crash, rack to a secondary to get it off the yeast, or let it ride?

 

[bschoenb]

Good stuff guys!
Gravity is at 1.012, which is a bit lower than we originally wanted. Hopefully the carahells will keep it at least somewhat "sweet".
I don't want it to drop below 1.012...and we don't have a temp controlled environment in which we can cold crash to stop

fermentation. We could leave it outside on the balcony, but temps will be upwards of 50 this weekend.
So...should we throw the fermenter outside to cold crash, rack to a secondary to get it off the yeast, or let it ride?

Let it ride; your Hydrometer and the whole FG think has a margin of error. Also, you can't stop the fermentation.. you need the yeast to actually finish out and clean up all their bad juju..... give it three weeks

 

[Brulosopher]

Hmm... I almost always dry hop once fermentation slows a bit, but is still going; this is usually on the 4th day. I then let it sit until its been in the fermenter for a total of 2 weeks, keg it up and carbonate, then I'm drinking it by week 3... and it's goooood