Optimal Temp for Secondary Carboy over 7 weeks b4 dry hop? 1st AG

[lswhi3]

Hey guys,

My first AG IPA has fermented from 1.068 to 1.014 in 5 days, and I've just racked it to secondary where i'm going to let it sit for 7 weeks before I dry hop it.

Just wondering, is a temperature around 15C-18C alright? The carboys currently sitting in a dark cupboard that averages around this temperature, but it might drop a bit.

Alternatively, I also have a fridge in the shed, and I could put it in there and bring it down to 5C or something of the sort.

What do you guys think?

Additionally, is there any optimal temperature for the dry hop?

I'm pretty much just trying to increase the aroma/flavour of the galaxy hops.

Cheers,

Luke.

 

[luggy]

Why such a long secondary, if you want to increase hop aroma you'd be better to do it for a week or less, a seven week dry hop seems counter productive

 

[lswhi3]

The post says "let it sit in secondary for 7 weeks BEFORE i dry hop it". The 7 weeks gives in time to mature, and then I'm dry hoping it for 3 days, then straight to bottle for 5 days, and then drinking it.

 

[Donske]

7 weeks is too long in the fermenter for an IPA, aim to package within 2 weeks, 3 tops.

Where did you get the 7 week number from out of curiosity?

 

[Dan Pratt]

Jedi.....

You seem to have your information around the wrong way.

Secondary ferment for an IPA can be for 1 week while dry hopping, bottle it and mature for 7 weeks in teh bottles, then open for consumption.

You could probably try one after 3wks and compare that to the 7 week samples.

 

[sp0rk]

I assume you're looking for the 7 week maturing and then dry hopping late so you don't lose strong flavours/aromas from the hops due to the aging
To be honest, I think you're better off working on your recipe so it doesn't need that maturing, a well made IPA should be ready to drink within a couple of weeks

 

[lswhi3]

This is the recipe I'm roughly copying: http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/clown-shoes-galactica-double-ipa-clone-homebrew-recipe

I've modified the hop additions to
60min columbus 28g (15%)
30mins galaxy 22g (13%)
20mins galaxy 28g (13%)
7mins galaxy 28g (13%)

Took me about half an hour to cool down.

Am planning on dry hopping 40g of galaxy for 3 days before I bottle.

If you have a look at the IBUs, it looks as if its going to be well over the maximum threshold, so its not gonna be much to my liking. I definitely need to work on the recipe, and next time I'm going to consider doing a 60min boil and then adding the rest of my hops at flame out. This is especially so given I don't own a wort immersion cooler as of yet, so it take me about 20mins to cool down in the ice bath. However, in order to try and save the batch given the ridiculous bittering, think 6 weeks will be good to lower the tone of the hop bitterness, and then the dry hop might be able to resurrect some of the flavour?
Cheers for the feedback guys, let me know what you think!

 

[Donske]

This is the recipe I'm roughly copying: http://www.craftedpours.com/homebrew-recipe/clown-shoes-galactica-double-ipa-clone-homebrew-recipe

I've modified the hop additions to
60min columbus 28g (15%)
30mins galaxy 22g (13%)
20mins galaxy 28g (13%)
7mins galaxy 28g (13%)

Took me about half an hour to cool down.

Am planning on dry hopping 40g of galaxy for 3 days before I bottle.

If you have a look at the IBUs, it looks as if its going to be well over the maximum threshold, so its not gonna be much to my liking. I definitely need to work on the recipe, and next time I'm going to consider doing a 60min boil and then adding the rest of my hops at flame out. This is especially so given I don't own a wort immersion cooler as of yet, so it take me about 20mins to cool down in the ice bath. However, in order to try and save the batch given the ridiculous bittering, think 6 weeks will be good to lower the tone of the hop bitterness, and then the dry hop might be able to resurrect some of the flavour?
Cheers for the feedback guys, let me know what you think!

2 things I see straight away mate, firstly Columbus early isn't for everyone, I'd bring it forward to 30 for my tastes, secondly, Galaxy before 10 minutes can be harsh, I'd be bring it forward to 10 minutes and whirlpool personally, those changes will smooth the bitterness quite nicely and allow you to package considerably sooner.

Edit: just read the link, now the silly secondary time makes sense, you're using an American recipe, I really don't agree with the common theme of letting beer sit in primary/secondary for months that is persistent on American brewing sites, package when ready, not before and certainly not after.

 

[Steve]

You're going to consider doing a 60 min boil next time? How long did you boil this one? You only need to let it sit in secondary for about a week (with the dry hops) and then bottle. 15-18 degrees is fine for secondary. What yeast did you use and at what temp to bring it down that fast in 5 days? The dry hopping will give you aroma and wont resurrect flavour. Im confused. Why do you think 6 weeks will be good to lower the tone of the hop bitterness?

 

[lswhi3]

Edit: just read the link, now the silly secondary time makes sense, you're using an American recipe, I really don't agree with the common theme of letting beer sit in primary/secondary for months that is persistent on American brewing sites, package when ready, not before and certainly not after.

Why don't you agree with the American method? Have you used it before?

 

[Donske]

Why don't you agree with the American method? Have you used it before?

If you subscribe to the notion the hoppy styles are best consumed fresh, which from all accounts and my own personal experience holds true then leaving a hoppy beer in secondary for extended periods doesn't make sense.

 

[JaseH]

My IPA's are always in the bottle/keg around 2weeks after pitching. No set time of course, but generally I dry hop once the gravity gets close to bottoming out, make sure it gets a few days for the yeast to clean up, then cold crash for a couple days then into the keg/bottles. No transferring to a secondary. I see no reason for an IPA to spend that amount of time sitting around. Maybe a big malty stout or something, but even then I'd just mature it in the bottle/keg.