Why not dry hop?

[thejerk]

I've only brewed a couple of batches, but I like hops and I like hop aroma and I've dry hopped every time. I see people stating that they've never dry hopped before or debating whether they should dry hop or not. This is a rookie question, I know, but why would you NOT dry hop? I know BJCP guidelines for some classic styles like ESB call for very little aroma hop additions. I don't brew to guidelines, though, I just wanna brew something I want to drink and I want to taste the hops!
Are there reasons not to dry hop (assuming what you're brewing is a hop-forward style. I would maybe consider not dry hopping an American hefe or blonde ale. But even then...)

 

[brian_g]

I've only brewed a couple of batches, but I like hops and I like hop aroma and I've dry hopped every time. I see people stating that they've never dry hopped before or debating whether they should dry hop or not. This is a rookie question, I know, but why would you NOT dry hop? I know BJCP guidelines for some classic styles like ESB call for very little aroma hop additions. I don't brew to guidelines, though, I just wanna brew something I want to drink and I want to taste the hops!
Are there reasons not to dry hop (assuming what you're brewing is a hop-forward style. I would maybe consider not dry hopping an American hefe or blonde ale. But even then...)

I think some people are afraid of infection risk using unboiled hops. Others just don't want their beer to have that much hop aroma.

As far as dry hopping an American hefe or blonde ale, I think it would be interesting to dry hop a lighter beer. Most of the time IPAs are dry hopped. I think it would be interesting to see what would happen if a beer with low IBUs had a lot of hop aroma and flavor without the bitterness. I think people get it in their head that if it smells hoppy, it must be supper bitter. But that doesn't need to be true at all.

 

[z987k]

some of us like to let the malt shine in certain cases.

 

[Clayton]

For me as a brewer, when I first started out I was making all kinds of beer just experimenting, making things I liked and just doing whatever.

then later part of my goal to become a good brewer was to be able to correctly recreate other peoples master work , because only after understating style types, and being able to correctly make a style can truly be ready you create your own masterpieces

It is amazing how much better a brewer you will become in the pursuit of consistency and accuracy.

 

[z987k]

it is amsing how much better a brewer you will become in the persute of consistancy and accuracy.

:rockin:

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I've done a lot of split batches in the past with dry hops in half and not in the other half. And sometimes I like it better without. So that's why. Also, some hops are not so great for dry hopping. Depends on your tastes. If you haven't done it, try doing a few split batches and see what you think of them side by side. Doesn't require much extra work other than racking into two carboys for secondary instead of one. And, it can really help you nail down what those dry hops are doing. It's not the same tasting the beer before dry hopping as it is opening two identical beers but with one with dry hops and trying them side by side.

Maybe you want all of your beers hoppy. But maybe you don't want all of them to specifically have dry hop character. Maybe you want that from additions in the boil, not in the fermenter. But then again, maybe you love dry hops and wanna add them all the time. One of the joys of homebrewing is the freedom, I think.

 

[Hang Glider]

I wouldn't want to dry hop a coffee porter...and I LOVE hops!
It all depends on the beer style.
This is a diverse group, and you'll get lots of opinions - if you love hops, and are only interested in hoppy beers, then by all means, stick with that!

 

[david_42]

One reason is some people don't want all of their beers to taste/smell the same. I love chocolate, but I don't put it in scrambled eggs.

 

[desertbronze]

One reason is some people don't want all of their beers to taste/smell the same. I love chocolate, but I don't put it in scrambled eggs.

You don't what you're missing ...

 

[thejerk]

A lot of very good answers there. My inquiry obviously came from inexperience, as I've only brewed a couple of times and all three batches were pretty much the same recipe for an ESB (trying to get it right, still).