Dry Hopping in a Secondary

[leigh1919]

Hi -

Am doing a US style IPA in the new year, and want as much aroma as possible. So, I'm planning to dry hop using something like Cascades or Amarillo - as you do.

So what I'm thinking of doing is, after fermentation (about ten days usually), racking into a secondary vessel (which will be a King Keg), and adding the hops in a bag. I'll then leave it in there for some time before bottling. Some simple questions:

1. When do I fine?
2. How long should I be dry hopping for? and would i deduct this time from the 'conditioning' the beer usually does in bottles - ie one week dry hopping, two weeks cool conditioning?
3. I should boil (sterilise) the muslin bag
4. IS there any way of calculating how much hops to use?

I noramally put the majority of my aroma hops in at flame-out, however, for this IPA I want as much as possible!
if this system works, could I apply it to all beers, or are there any styles that it really won't benefit it from?
thanks lads

[rick_huggins]

Hi -

Am doing a US style IPA in the new year, and want as much aroma as possible. So, I'm planning to dry hop using something like Cascades or Amarillo - as you do.

I've only dry hopped once with GW's Hooky Dry Bitter (with great success IMO)

So what I'm thinking of doing is, after fermentation (about ten days usually), racking into a secondary vessel (which will be a King Keg), and adding the hops in a bag. I'll then leave it in there for some time before bottling. Some simple questions:

1. When do I fine?

I wouldn't, just do 2 wks at 21, then 2 weeks in the shed

2. How long should I be dry hopping for? and would i deduct this time from the 'conditioning' the beer usually does in bottles - ie one week dry hopping, two weeks cool conditioning?

I racked into Cornie after 2wks, then dry hopped directly.

3. I should boil (sterilise) the muslin bag

No comment except it wasnt me!
4. IS there any way of calculating how much hops to use?

I noramally put the majority of my aroma hops in at flame-out, however, for this IPA I want as much as possible!
if this system works, could I apply it to all beers, or are there any styles that it really won't benefit it from?
thanks lads

Dunno mate but I'm a hop a holic too, and this is the hoppiest brew I've done... although it depends.... When I drink from my German Schhhhhhhhh tein it's dead hoppy.... When from a pint glass it's still good, just not as good.


SO...... Long and short... .I dry hopped from FV1 into Cornie.. with great results IMO

[leigh1919]

cheers mate, will see i I get any more points of view!

[leigh1919]

Can the hops be added directly into the wort - Ie without a bag?

[delta9]

Can the hops be added directly into the wort - Ie without a bag?

Yes of course, loose hops and pellets go straight into the boiler... Then you use your hop strainer to keep the spent hops behind and then the good stuff into the fermenter.

You can get get boil bags too (that go into the boiler)... I guess people use these because they fear the hops will get stuck in the strainer (or they don't have a hop strainer)