# Dry hopping



## Bonenose (20/3/17)

Hi,

Would like to know if instead of dry hopping can I get some of the same flavour by adding extra hops at the end of the boil? I ask as this would allow me a lot more freedom as far as when I can brew. As I am away from home for work it means if I want to dry hop I have to put down the brew the day before going to work then dry hop as soon as I get home so I can bottle/keg before going back to work. Really enjoy a hoppy beer and would like to do more but I am limited if dry hoping.

Note: Some beers I will dry hop just want to know if i can get away with not doing it all the time while I try and get my stocks up.

Cheers


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## LorriSanga (20/3/17)

Flame out hops will definitely add aroma and flavour. Also look in First Wort Hops, this will do the same.

Do your research for extra bitterness or "perceived bitterness that these processes can contribute and adjust your recipe accordingly if need be. 

Keg hopping is another option as well, never tried this myself tho.


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## ScottyDoesntKnow (20/3/17)

How long is your swing? I used to do 8 on 6 off. I'd brew one day during my break then let it ferment for however long I had left of my break plus the next 8 days at work. As soon as I got home again I would check gravity and make sure the beer had finished then dry hop and cold crash for 5 days and then bottle before going back to work. 
A 5 day dry hop is a pretty common time frame, you can even try splitting your dry hop up and doing half the hops at the start and the other half with 2 days left for even more aroma. Something to be aware of with extra hops at flame out is while the temperature of your wort is still so high, you are introducing extra bitterness from those hops. With dry hopping at ferment temperatures you are only adding aroma/flavour. 
Try not to rush it, I viewed working away as good thing for my brewing, it stopped me from tinkering and allowed the correct time to ferment and condition. Cheers


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## Yob (20/3/17)

Cube hop is another option, essentially it's flame out addition and dies a bloody good job, if fermenting fresh, I've not been needing to dry hop or keg hop.. Aged cubes can do with a boost though


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## Bonenose (20/3/17)

My swing is good for brewing so far everything gets roughly two weeks in the fermenter then bottled/kegged and can brew whenever I want on my week off. Want to try a few more recipes that dry hop but means I have very limited choice of brew day. Best day is Sunday when my wife is home and wants to spend time together.


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## manticle (20/3/17)

Different techniques have different results.

I generally prefer late hopping to dry anyway but they are different.


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## Dan Pratt (20/3/17)

Another method is doing a cooler whirlpool/hopstand addition. If you chill the wort at the end of the boil to below 80c and add a healthy 4-6g/L dose of hops for 20-30mins you will get that flavour and aroma to your beer.


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## Bonenose (20/3/17)

Awesome guys will do a bit of experimenting with late and whirlpool additions means I can do a few more brews without worrying too much about timing.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Hey guys, please go easy on me. I'm a first time brewer and I have what's probably a silly question. Today the brew is 4 days old and I've been instructed to dry hop today with galaxy hops. Now I've opened the bag and there's another bags inside of it, do I put that "teabag" in the brew too or open that up and put the hips in? I honestly have no idea what I'm doing.


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## wereprawn (23/3/17)

hazbenj said:


> Hey guys, please go easy on me. I'm a first time brewer and I have what's probably a silly question. Today the brew is 4 days old and I've been instructed to dry hop today with galaxy hops. Now I've opened the bag and there's another bags inside of it, do I put that "teabag" in the brew too or open that up and put the hips in? I honestly have no idea what I'm doing.


If you have temperature control, tear open the "tea bag" and drop in the hops. They will sink during the cold crash . If not, just drop the bag in. You can get 100g bags of hops for 6-12 bucks( depending on type and availability ) from proper home brew shops. Usually much cheaper and fresher than those tea bags.


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## Stouter (23/3/17)

I've tried a mesh tea ball dry hop in the FV and found that although they're S/S mesh, the clip pins weren't and became corroded. Bit pissed off with that.
Other experiment was with the pre-tea bagged hops from the supermarket into the FV. This gave a great result after putting in mid way into a 2 week ferment.
The quality of the hops was most likely questionable, not sure how old they were, the packaging process, storage, etc.
I might just use a hop sock cut into a smaller length next time.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Thank you for your reply guys. All I have I a starter kit (nothing special. Not sure what you mean by temperature control. I just have it in my pool room with the air con set at 22degrees.


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## manticle (23/3/17)

Can you drop that ambient temp to about 16?

By temperature control - many serious brewers use a fridge with an external thermostat so they can ferment ales around 18-20, lagers around 8-12 and cold condition any beer when fermentaion is done.


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## Droopy Brew (23/3/17)

MAte sounds like you are fermenting at ambient and cant cold crash so keep it simple and throw in the tea bag.
If you are fermenting for 10 days then with Galaxy, I would chuck it in at day 7 for best result. No earlier than 4 days before bottling to avoid grassy flavours.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Instructions on the brew stay to keep at between 20-25 degrees. I'll just drop the bag in I think. In 4 days apparently I'm supposed to transfer to another fermenter to let it "clear" then after clearing for 7 days I'm ready to keg? Does this sounds about right?


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## Mr B (23/3/17)

hazbenj said:


> Thank you for your reply guys. All I have I a starter kit (nothing special. Not sure what you mean by temperature control. I just have it in my pool room with the air con set at 22degrees.


The actual ferment temp can be a bit higher than ambient as it generates a little heat. Cant tell you exactly how much as I dont know, but you may be fermenting a little higher than ideal, style dependent.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Instructions on the brew stay to keep at between 20-25 degrees. I'll just drop the bag in I think. In 4 days apparently I'm supposed to transfer to another fermenter to let it "clear" then after clearing for 7 days I'm ready to keg? Does this sounds about right?


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Mr B said:


> The actual ferment temp can be a bit higher than ambient as it generates a little heat. Cant tell you exactly how much as I dont know, but you may be fermenting a little higher than ideal, style dependent.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

The digital thermometer on the side of the fermenter is reading at 23


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## Droopy Brew (23/3/17)

Dont transfer to another fermenter. It is an unnecessary process that will more than likely cause more problems (oxidation).
Let it go for 7 days. Put the hop bag in and check your gravity. Check the gravity again at 10 days and it should be the same. Bottle.

Unfortunately the instructions that come with kits often instruct you to do the wrong thing.


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Thanks droopy.
But im kegging, would you recommend clearing if I'm kegging?


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## hazbenj (23/3/17)

Thanks droopy.
But im kegging, would you recommend clearing if I'm kegging?


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## Aus_Rider_22 (23/3/17)

hazbenj said:


> Thanks droopy.
> But im kegging, would you recommend clearing if I'm kegging?


 Biofine Clear and 2 weeks undisturbed in the keg (not rocked or moved). First pour or two will be murky but should be clear after that.

If I am aiming for a clearish beer, I chill fermenter down to 0c, leave for 3 days or more before kegging. Before kegging, tip 10-30ml of Biofine Clear in, purge as best you can with CO2, then transfer beer into it through beer out post. Purge with CO2 and seal, put in fridge and leave at serving pressure for 2 weeks. Other ways of quickening up the carbonation rate but if you want clearer beer from the start you are best waiting IMO.


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