Newbie dry hopping question

[matt91]

Hi everyone, I've been a member for a little while as a reader, gaining valuable information off the more experienced, but this is my first time posting, I'm hoping to one day become a more regular member as I really want to get into more serious brewing in the future including full boils. Anyway, onto my situation...

So this is my second brew, it's a kit lager brew, the only alterations being that I used a lager yeast instead of the provided ale yeast and i decided to dry hop. Now when I did (admittedly somewhat lacking) research into dry hopping I read that some people do it in the primary fermenter. I've since read that this usually occurs after most fermentation has occurred and usually they are only in there for a week or so. But what did I do? I put them straight into the wort after I'd topped it up to 23 litres and then left it to ferment.

Because it's going to be in the primary fermenter for a few weeks longer (it's been in there a week and I plan to lager it in the primary fermenter) should I open the fermenter and use a strainer to collect the top layer of hoppy slurry from the wort to prevent it leaving behind a grassy flavour which I've read can occur if they're in there too long? If so, at what point should I skim it from the top?

The hops in question are 25 grams of hersbrucker hop pellets. The smell coming out of the airlock smells really good and I'm really looking forward to giving it a try.

Any and all help is really appreciated.

 

[HBHB]

I'd probably be tempted to just let it run now that they're in there. One thing that may help alleviate some of the grassy notes is to drop the temperature down to a fairly cold level once the gravity is stable after doing a diacetyl rest. (i'm assuming you're fermenting the lager under temperature control and that's why it's going to be in the fermenter for a few weeks?)

Best way to approach dry hopping is to wait until airlock activity is pretty much slowed right back to nearly 0. For ales, as an example, it's typically done from around day 5 - day 7 and left at fermentation temperature for about a week.

The majority of lagers are typically done at about the Diacetyl rest stage for anywhere from about 3-7 days. BUT - it's your beer and you do it to achieve the strength of aromatics and flavour you want according to your taste. Subtle flavours and aromas, use less hops/shorter period of time. Bigger/bolder flavours, use more &/or longer period of time. Temperature plays a big role in not only the amount of volatile oils absorbed into the beer, but also the amount of grassy/vegetal notes you can get. Removing the beer from the yeast cake will also play a role in increasing the effect, as the yeast tend to have a chew on some of the flavour compounds as well.

Best bet while you're progressing through various stages of your brewing development is to have a plan and know your steps before you do them. Have an outcome in mind for the colour, bitterness, flavour and aroma you're looking for and then work out exactly what you can do to achieve that then write it in an old kids exercise book as a brewing record with all the details so you can avoid repeating a bummer beer or replicate the steps for a cracker beer.

Hope it goes well. Enjoy.

Martin

 

[yum beer]

I would consider racking to secondary vessel, leaving the hop debris behind and let in condition for a few weeks before bottling.
If you cant transfer to a secondary then maybe crash to as low as you can for 5 days or so then bottle.

In future, generally you don't want to be dry hopping a lager, the hops will tend to leave a grassy taste that is too prominent in a delicate brew.
Read up on hop boils for adding flavour and aroma and look at doing it that way.

DO NOT OPEN THE TOP AND ATTEMPT TO SCOOP THE HOPS OUT....LEAVE YOUR LID SEALED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Tasting regularly will be your best friend at the moment. Draw a little from the tap each day and see how the hops taste, when you get what you want, bottle.

 

[mosto]

What hops did you use?

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

25 grams of hersbrucker pellets.

 

[matt91]

Thanks for the advice, I do have the ability to rack to a secondary so I think I will do that within the next couple of days. Fermentation has slowed right down so primary fermentation should be about finished. Would that be the right time to rack to secondary or should I wait a bit longer?

 

[yum beer]

Let it finish fully before transferring.