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Author Topic: First Dry Hop  (Read 1936 times)

Offline kylebures

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First Dry Hop
« on: April 03, 2014, 06:15:46 pm »
I have been brewing for almost two years, and have made over a dozen batches but recently began using a secondary fermenter and on my last batch did my first dry hop.  On my first several batches using a secondary the fermentation would usually subside in about 6-7 days and I'd proceed to bottling, but when I used the dry hop method this time it has now been in the secondary for 12 days and is still bubbling about once every 45 seconds in the airlock, and doesn't seem to be slowing down now for several days.

Does dry hopping extend the fermentation time, or is it the strain of yeast that is particularly active (WLP320 American Hefeweizen Ale)?

I also notice a lot of hop sediment still in suspension in the secondary - is there a better way to contain or a way to strain this out when I move to bottling?

Is the dry hop pay off worth it?

Thanks!

Offline fmader

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2014, 06:41:41 pm »
First off... Yes, dry hopping is boss!

Secondly, how long did you have this beer in the primary and what temp? Have you used this yeast strain before? Some strains take longer to clean out than others. My beers are typically in a fermenter for three to four weeks. Remember this rule of thumb, the calendar doesn't determine when the yeast is done, the yeast determines when the yeast is done. My first barlywine took 39 days to finish up.

The hops shouldn't have an effect on the rate of fermentation to my knowledge. I would make sure the primary fermentation is complete before adding dry hops. As far as hop debris goes, there are several methods that can be used. I used to and many dry hop in mesh bags. I now just pitch them directly into the beer. I will either cold crash it prior to bottling or kegging or zip tue a sanitized elf stocking to the hose going into the keg or bottling bucket. There is a risk of oxidation but I haven't had an issue.

How much dry hops did you use?
Frank

Offline kylebures

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2014, 06:50:32 pm »
Thanks, Frank!

I like your rule of thumb.  I've come to realize that every beer goes by its own clock.  I've not used this yeast before.

I dry hopped with 1 oz of Saaz, but had the brew in the primary for 4 days at 66 degrees before moving.

This was also the first batch I've had the fermentation "explode" through the airlock...

I guess it is a beer of many firsts.

Excited to see how it turns out, but I'll let my patience prevail.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2014, 07:14:17 pm »
Very few beers are completed in the primary in 4 days.  Most times you should take readings for 3 consecutive days and determine no further gravity change occurred in order to satisfy yourself that fermentation is completed.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline fmader

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2014, 07:14:57 pm »
I forgot to mention that I currently have a beer fermenting with this strain. It does go off. I had to empty my blowoff basin. It fermented at 65 degrees for 12 days. I turned it up to 70 Wednesday to help clean it out. I plan on racking tomorrow onto cherry concentrate. If I were dry hopping, I'd wait, but I'm expecting a secondary fermentation with the cherries anyways, so I feel safe to move it. I'll take a gravity reading first and if it's a little higher than if like it to be, I might hold off to rack it got another few days.
Frank

Offline jamminbrew

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2014, 09:37:10 pm »
4 days, in my opinion, is way too early to transfer to secondary. If you pull the beer off the yeast too early, you could wind up with off flavors and a stuck fermentation. Like the others have said, leave it be for a while. I rarely even use secondary anymore, even when dry hopping.

I love dry hopping. adds a different dimension to a beer. I've enjoyed experimenting with beers that aren't traditionally dry hopped, like German wheat, tripel, stout,to name a few.

Airlock activity is a poor indicator of fermentation progress. Could just be CO2 just coming out of solution, and not actual fermentation.

Welcome to the forum, this is a great place to learn!
In caelo cerivisiae nil, hic igitur bibimus.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: First Dry Hop
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2014, 05:51:34 am »
Currently, I leave the beer in primary for ~ 3 weeks, to get nice and clear. Then I rack to a purged keg, dry hop for 7 days @ 65 -68F, then to the kegerator. Dry hopping on clear beer away from the (bulk of the) yeast gives a longer lasting, better dry hop characer IMO.
Jon H.