BYO SMaSH beer recipe ambiguity?

[BeerdedBrewer]

So, I've searched some of the other threads, and I know that the typical primary (whether racking to secondary fermenter or not) should be at least 2 weeks, and the secondary length to suit the beer/style, etc. I've brewed a Citra SMaSH recipe from the July/August BYO.

I'm sort of left scratching my head at the fermentation directions which read: "After primary fermentation has died down, add the dry hop addition (which is 1 oz Citra pellets). After two days of dry hopping, rack the finished beer off the dry hops and bottle or keg."

Well, primary "died down" after day 3 or so, today is day 6, I went ahead and dropped the dry hops today, and was considering bottling on Sunday. From everything I've read that's too soon to bottle, and not long enough for the dry hop?

Should I take a gravity reading tomorrow, and if primary is indeed done, go ahead and bottle after 2 days of dry hop?

-befuddled brewbie :beard:

 

[BigPerm]

If your gravity is stable for two consecutive readings, preferably 2-3 days apart, you're good. You can go longer than 2 days on dry hops, but I don't like to go longer than a week because you start to pick up grassy flavors, IMO.

For hoppy beers, you want to package and carbonate rapidly to keep the volatile hop aromas intact for as long as possible.

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Gotcha, thanks BigPerm, "I mean Big Worm." lol :beard:

 

[user 141939]

I'm no expert. But i would wait until the beer tasted good before dry-hopping/bottling. Once you dry-hop you have to bottle and you could end up bottling before the beer was ready. I would have waited two weeks, tasted, and if all was good dry-hopped and bottled.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Yeah, that makes sense, hence the confusion with the lack of specific direction in the recipe. Nonetheless I tested/tasted yesterday. Down to 1.015, so almost, if not completely, done. Tastes pretty darn good to me. I'm going to leave it for the 2nd week, then bottle. Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[BigPerm]

If you dry hop after fermentation is complete (ie stable gravity readings), that should be plenty of time to mature. Hoppy IPAs don't need a lot of maturation time, so the quicker you package, the more time you'll have to enjoy those hop aromas you worked so hard to make. This is assuming you used an appropriate american ale yeast, of course. I dry hop about 2 days after the completion of fermentation. You can always rack off of the hops if you think it needs longer for some reason.

 

[BigPerm]

1.015 is a touch high for an IPA. Yeast? Mash/Fermentation temps? If it's still 1.015 tomorrow you can probably bottle. If not, you can always rack off into another fermenter, which is a great opportunity for another dose of dry hops!

 

[user 141939]

Thanks BigPerm. I am pretty new to the hobby myself. I'll keep that in mind going forward. I think you're approach would work better. Provided the brewer has enough experience to produce good beer quickly (e.g. proper yeast, temps, etc)

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

OK, good stuff. WLP001, ferm. temp about 76(temp. In my house) Decided just to let it ride til this Friday and rack and bottle. This way I'll be able to see first hand any potential loss of hop aroma, from too long of a dry hop period. So you are saying, in general, dry hopping should be only a couple days. This would jive with the recipe in BYO. Thanks!

 

[ross_daly]

I brewed that recipe on the 2nd and bottled on the 25th. I probably over-waited, but it won't really hurt anything and will probably end up with clearer beer. I dry hopped 2 days before bottling, cold crashed one day before bottling, and I'm really happy with the hydro samples that I drank!

 

[ross_daly]

Here's my brew log
http://because-beer.com/batch22/

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Cool, thanks Ross. Yeah the sample I pulled tasted pretty darn good. Sounds like I will lose some hop aroma due to the longer dry hop, but it will be a good learning experience. What exactly is cold crashing? Assume I would need a ferm. Chamber/fridge for that right?

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

never mind, I found a lively, lengthy thread on cold crashing, which coincidentally enough delved into dry hopping as well.

cheers! :beard:

 

[BigPerm]

OK, good stuff. WLP001, ferm. temp about 76(temp. In my house) Decided just to let it ride til this Friday and rack and bottle. This way I'll be able to see first hand any potential loss of hop aroma, from too long of a dry hop period. So you are saying, in general, dry hopping should be only a couple days. This would jive with the recipe in BYO. Thanks!

This is one of those topics where everyone you ask will give a slightly different opinion. So here's mine: I like to drop hop for between 3-7 days. There's some data out there that suggests you don't gain much with extra time after 2-3 days (assuming good contact). I personally don't go over 7 days, because in my experience you seem to start picking up more grassy flavors which are less appealing to me. For hoppy IPAs, I've recentyl started doing a double dry hop. One portion in primary at the end of fermentation, and then rack for another dose. Great hop aroma this way.

For next time, you should try to get your fermentation temps lower. 72 is as high as I'd push WLP001 (and even that is probably pushing it). But no sense worrying about it now!

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Yeah, I hear you on the ferm. temps, I'm going to have to invest in an old fridge and a temp. control in the near future. Pre-bottled sample had very good hop aroma and great flavor, so I think this is going to be pretty good. I'll know in a couple weeks! Thanks and cheers! :beard:

 

[BeerdedBrewer]

Somewhat delayed update, ahhh life. Beer turned out great, fragrant hop aroma, sufficient, but not overpowering bitterness balanced well with the smooth maris otter malt on the finish. Around 40 IBU, so closer to an English IPA style per the BJCP guidelines. The wife loves it, and she's not a "hoppy" beer fan, friends really like it to, down to 2 bombers. I'll definitely be brewing that one again in the Spring. Cheers!:beard: