Too long?

[vav]

On October 22nd of 08, i brewed my first all grain, a double IPA. It's 9.5% Abv. It was in the Primary for about 5 days, and then i racked it into the carboy onto some whole leaf chinook and cascades. It's been sitting ever since. I havent touched it due to, well, laziness. It looks fine, lots of settled sediment on the bottom.

Think it's been conditioning too long? I figure it's fine since it's so high in alcohol.

Thoughts?

 

[chefmike]

Call it bulk aged... and relax.

Send me some and I will be happy to confirm my opinion!

 

[jjp36]

The conditioning is not a problem here. But has it been on the dry hop since October?

If so i suspect you'll have a lot of vegetal tastes because of the hops decomposing. I generally don't dry hop for any longer then 7-10 days.

 

[vav]

The conditioning is not a problem here. But has it been on the dry hop since October?

If so i suspect you'll have a lot of vegetal tastes because of the hops decomposing. I generally don't dry hop for any longer then 7-10 days.

Yep, the hops have been sitting on it since October, but they look no worse for wear, and i dont see any decomp. I was thinking i'll rack it into a bucket and taste it, then back into the carboy for a second dry hop, and then bottle and hope for the best.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

You may have the record for the longest dryhop in History!! Let us know how it tastes.

Eastside

 

[CiscoKid]

Think it's been conditioning too long? I figure it's fine since it's so high in alcohol.

I'm curious if you discover any herbal/vegetal flavors from it being on the hops so long. Let us know.

This was discussed a couple months back...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/dry-hopping-how-long-too-long-91441/

 

[vav]

Update: Racked it out of the carboy and into a bucket today. Hop aroma was actually quite pungent, but i DID get a small hint of grass/vegetation.

Protip: Dry hopping with 2 ounces of whole leaf in a 5 gallon carboy makes a hell of a cleanup.

Anyway, so i washed off some cones and, really, i couldnt find any decomp...i think i got lucky. This is the IPA that wouldnt die, apparently. I hit my gravity, my abv, and color dead on.

So, as i said, i racked it over into a bucket, but i'm re-hopping it...ounce and half of chinook and ounce of cascade, and i'll bottle on saturday. Will update this occasionally so we can all see (and if you're in chicago, taste) how it comes out.

 

[Homercidal]

Well, the high alc. might have helped, and anyway it might not be as bad as you taste after a few more weeks, although it's already been sitting for a while, so it might not ever go away completely. Some hops are known to give a grassy flavor. You might just have got some of that.

 

[vav]

Well, the high alc. might have helped, and anyway it might not be as bad as you taste after a few more weeks, although it's already been sitting for a while, so it might not ever go away completely. Some hops are known to give a grassy flavor. You might just have got some of that.

Yah, i'm not all that worried.

 

[vav]

Ok, so, after bottling, i let it condition in the bottle for 2 weeks.

On sampling the first bottle, i got some definate tannins...kinda like a Merlot, heh. Another 2 weeks really smoothed it out. It's just a TAD astringent in the bitterness, but honestly, this is the best beer i've brewed yet! Huge aroma, great mouthfeel, just delicious.

So that's what happens when you dry hop for 3 and a half months.

 

[KatoBaggins]

Thanks for letting us know how it all turned out. Give us another update in a couple of more weeks. It may even be better.

 

[fixie]

Damn. That is the longest dry hop I have ever heard of! Glad to hear it taste good.