I am fermenting an IPL (India Pale Lager) based on an English IPA style using Sothern German Lager yeast (WLP 838) because of it’s lower attenuation. I want to dry hop this beer when it goes to the 2ndry. I usually lower the temp of my lager 2ndry to 32* for 21 days, but I have read that dry hopping should not be at that low of a temp. Why not? Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated. (unless they have to do with spelling!)
i don’t know but would guess hop oils are more soluble in warmer liquid.
Stone has noted that they dry hop at warmer temperature. It takes less time at warmer temperatures in my experience.
I rack out of primary, add dry hops and let it sit at around 60 or cool room temp for about a week then to the keezer.
I don’t think it makes a huge difference, but warmer is usually abit faster. But is that doesn’t fir your plan, not a big deal.
I like to dry hop in a keg (either the serving keg, or a “Bright beer” keg that functions as a secondary). I used to put the beer in my kegerator right after adding the hops and found that it took a long time to get it where I wanted it-- it was either too grassy or woody or just not hoppy enough, for a week to several weeks.
Since then I have started keeping the dry hop vessel at cellar temps and noticed a much more pleasant hoppiness. I am interested to see if this improves when my cellar gets into the mid 60s in the summer. Right now it’s at 56.
In the past I’ve always dryhopped the day I kegged and it went into the cold, but I’ve never been happy with it. After reading some of this and thinking about it, I’m going to try transfering from the fermenter to a Co2 flooded keg, add my hops and seal it for a couple of days before carbonating it in the cold. Maybe it will be more of what I’m looking for. 8)
After years of trial and error, my latest way of doing this is:
- Primary until fermentation is complete, let the yeast drop
- Rack to a keg containing a sure screen. Dry hop in the keg with leaf hops loose or pellet hops in a nylon bag. Purge the headspace with CO2 and add enough head pressure to seal the keg.
- Store this keg at cellar temps for 10-14 days.
- Do a keg-to-keg transfer to my serving keg. Carbonate and serve.
Somehow this is clear as mud.
To Dry Hop a Lager (which should be kept at COLD temps)
just do it…?
do it before cold crashing?
Don’t do it…?
I do not desire to vary the temps (warm up) on my cold lager to accomodate
the apparent better result from dry hopping at higher temps.
BUT, I do want to have dry hop results for my lager… :-\
It just doesn’t matter all that much. Dry hop it cold if that’s easier for you. But I’d recommend that it you dry hop it, don’t use Saaz!
plan on Sterling for my dry hop…since I like the results
that New Belgium gets using sterling in 2 below…
Thanks Denny