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  • When do you dry hop?

    We have been having discussions about when is the optimal time to dry hop your brew recently among the staff. So I thought I would take a quick survey and see what the masses are doing. Fermentation temperatures or chilled temps? Also, is there any actual data regarding aroma extraction warm vs. cold? Are there process concerns that force you to one method or the other?
    I appreciate any and all input.
    Cheers,
    Brandon

  • #2
    We typically dry hop our IPA initially right at the tail end of fermentation and then again a few days later after D-rest. Both are done at ~65-68 F temp. I pretty much adhere to the dry hop warm. Pellets are used and they are usually allowed to warm up to room temp exposed to air prior to adding to beer.

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    • #3
      We follow pretty much the same procedure. We used to dry hop cold (cool) in ruh and never had decent hop aroma. Then we had to push a beer (an IPA) for packaging and we just said, scre wit, dump them in the fermenter and recirc for an hour. That beer was light years above and beyond any other. From then on we dry hop while the beer is still in the fermenter but not blowing gas, recirculate, then sometimes we'll dry hop in ruh also. We now get better hop aroma from 1 day contact time this way than we did before with a week of contact.

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      • #4
        Dry hop

        Darel when you say recirc how are you doing this? we dry hop at 60 degrees after fermentation and harvest of yeast and let sit for a week with very good results but if I could speed this up it would be great

        Laughing Dog

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        • #5
          All my dry hopping is at fermentation temps, but usually in a secondary. I usually crash chill after removing the hops.
          Brewing Network had a show discussing dry hopping, and that is the way they recommended (think it was Brew Strong). Don't remember if Vinnie was on that show, or I heard him talk about this method somewhere else.
          -Lyle C. Brown
          Brewer
          Camelot Brewing Co.

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          • #6
            I also found dry hopping in the fermentor warm gets better aroma. Sucks for yeast cropping though.
            I also have dry hopped finnished beer in the server tank with whole hops in a mesh bag. The last pint in the tank is always the best of those batches! If I were to do this for distribution I would want at least a week on the dry hops before packaging. Also- after 21 days or so the hops will strat to break down and give a vegatable/grassy character so there is a max time.
            Brewmaster, Minocqua Brewing Company
            tbriggs@minocquabrewingcompany.com
            "Your results may vary"

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            • #7
              So for those who transfer their brew to a secondary, do you chill first to drop the yeast out and prevent foaming during transfer? After that do you allow the temperature to come back into the 60F range?
              Cheers,
              Brandon

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Valleybrew
                We typically dry hop our IPA initially right at the tail end of fermentation and then again a few days later after D-rest. Both are done at ~65-68 F temp. I pretty much adhere to the dry hop warm. Pellets are used and they are usually allowed to warm up to room temp exposed to air prior to adding to beer.
                So I take it you are adding the hops via the prv? I'll add pellets to the fv via the prv when the beer still has about 1-2 days of good fermentation turn left. At what point of your fermentation do you deem it safe to introduce hop pellets?

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                • #9
                  You want dry hop magic at the pub?,,listen up!

                  Cheat it all.

                  Option 1- 2 large water filters in line to the tap with one packed with whole leaf KILLER FLAVOR hops,,and the second to catch particles. 1/4 # per 5 gallon dispense. Use really good hops! Advertise the special option.


                  Option cheat big-
                  You may not like this answer and you can doctor it to perfection.
                  You can brew your own brews or even dispense even Natural light to win this one.

                  Here's the big ez magic,,,yet seasonal? (Fresh is the game,,,but dried works ok,,,it's just got flakes and chunks in the glass and a different flavor.)

                  One fresh cone of really good hops in even 12 oz of Natural light is a whole new animal,,sometimes over the top in hop flavor. Use super good fresh hops,,,maybe from the freezer or fridge or field.

                  Imagine a fresh hop cone floating uncrushed in your pint of brew at you own pub with your beer as the base.

                  Do you think folks that like fruit chunks in their fruity bev might want to try a beer with a fresh hop cone in it? I know they do!!!!!!!!!! Want another market share?

                  Hello out there!

                  'Tis the season!!

                  Get yer hops on!!!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Laughing Dog,
                    I've got a really big brewery and really old too, so I don't expect to be much help to most of the guys here. However, my cellarman removes the porthole at the top of the tank, dumps in the pellets (up to about 300#), replaces the porthole then hooks his fassing pump to the bottom valve of the tank then in to the top valve (two 3" valves in each tank). We recirc this way for an hour or two to distribute the hop material, then we'll let it sit for a day or two, centrifuge, then send it to filtration. On occasion we'll follow this procedure with half the hopping at the end ferm, and the other half after the beer has been fassed. I still believe most strongly in the preceeding procedure, we don't really gain much hopping in ruh.

                    D


                    Originally posted by Laughing Dog
                    Darel when you say recirc how are you doing this? we dry hop at 60 degrees after fermentation and harvest of yeast and let sit for a week with very good results but if I could speed this up it would be great

                    Laughing Dog

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                    • #11
                      You can dryhop while active ferment is still churning to get the same effect as recirculataing with a pump. Make sure you have plenty of headspace in the tank or you will get a beer gyser out the PRV opening. I dont harvest from batches done this way though. You want the ferment to be active but not really cranking. 3rd or 4th day depending on your situation.
                      Big Willey
                      "You are what you is." FZ

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by BigWilley
                        You can dryhop while active ferment is still churning to get the same effect as recirculataing with a pump. Make sure you have plenty of headspace in the tank or you will get a beer gyser out the PRV opening. I dont harvest from batches done this way though. You want the ferment to be active but not really cranking. 3rd or 4th day depending on your situation.
                        But if you do that, then you are volatilizing some of your hop aroma. A tank should be bunged right after dry hopping.

                        We usually dry hop on day 6-8 after we dump yeast. Beer is still at fermentation temp and then sits warm for a few days after dry hopping. But definitely bunged right after all the hops are in.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by TakeAHike
                          We have been having discussions about when is the optimal time to dry hop your brew recently among the staff. So I thought I would take a quick survey and see what the masses are doing. Fermentation temperatures or chilled temps? Also, is there any actual data regarding aroma extraction warm vs. cold? Are there process concerns that force you to one method or the other?
                          I appreciate any and all input.
                          Cheers,
                          Brandon
                          I've been mulling over dry-hopping a lot lately, my instinct has always been that the tail-end of your ferment is the best time to add more hops; you've got fermentation activity to circulate the hops, the majority of CO2 blowoff is finished so you won't lose too much aroma, the ferment is at its warmest stage so you'll accelerate contact between the hops and the beer and the physical presence of the hops in solution will create nucleation points to blow off CO2 and make the final fermentation environment less stressful for the yeast. I figure that must be a win/win/win situation.

                          Realistically though I've never seen any data to actually support warm- hopping. I suggest befriending someone with access to a GC/MS.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by kai View Post
                            i've been mulling over dry-hopping a lot lately, my instinct has always been that the tail-end of your ferment is the best time to add more hops; you've got fermentation activity to circulate the hops, the majority of co2 blowoff is finished so you won't lose too much aroma, the ferment is at its warmest stage so you'll accelerate contact between the hops and the beer and the physical presence of the hops in solution will create nucleation points to blow off co2 and make the final fermentation environment less stressful for the yeast. I figure that must be a win/win/win situation.

                            Realistically though i've never seen any data to actually support warm- hopping. I suggest befriending someone with access to a gc/ms.

                            do i have to bung always my tank ? I have seen when you add the hops always starts to blow off co2 but i dont know if this makes you lose arma.

                            What do you do guys usually?

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                            • #15
                              The problem with dry hopping while fermentation is still active is that, even if tank is closed up and co2 is not escaping, you will lose a lot of hop aroma as the yeast crash because the hop resins stick to the yeast and drop out with them. It's best to drop out as much yeast as possible before you dry hop. I've had beers with absolutely fantastic hop aroma after 2 days of dry hopping that lost nearly everything after cold crashing.

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