English Bitter and Dry Hopping

[NathanW9]

Hi all, just a quick one, i put down a English Bitter this arvo

EB Can

1kg LDME

250g Dex

English Ale Yeast - Brew Cellar

12g Fuggles Hops

 

Now the only difference from last time i made this is i used Goldings Hops instead of Fuggles - thought i would try something different this time but i can't remember if im supposed to dry hop at pitch or after a few days[crying] I dry hopped at pitch so can't change it now so when does everyone dry hop with there EB?

[Hairy]

I have dry hopped at pitch and after a few days. I haven't really noticed a difference.

 

Some people say that a vigourous ferment can drive off the aroma but I am not sure if it is a major issue in 23 litres batches.

 

Having said that I now dry hop after a few days. Just one less thing to do on brew day.

 

I wouldn't worry about, it should be fine.

[Guest]

Hi Nathan.

 

I generally throw my dry hop addition into the fermenter after the primary ferment has slowed significantly, & almost always once it has seemingly ceased. That time frame can differ depending on the yeast I am using, & the Original Gravity of the brew in question.

 

In some circumstances a brew can primary ferment very quickly & be finished within 2-3 days. Others can take much longer.

 

I am an advocate of using airlocks on your fermenter, as this (when used properly) will give you an indication of fermentation progress & the C02 still being produced, along with the pressure of gas still contained within the fermenter.

 

4-5 days after primary fermentation has begun on an Ale brew, is often a good time to look at throwing in your dry hop additions.

 

Anthony.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I don't use the airlock for any reason other than as a seal. Most of the time they don't bubble because the seals on the lid and the airlock itself aren't tight enough and the gas escapes that way rather than through the airlock.

 

As such, using airlocks as an indicator of fermentation progress isn't advisable and it causes a lot of confusion and unnecessary panic for new brewers, and the age old questions like, "My airlock isn't bubbling, is the brew fermenting?"

 

I will agree with the time frame on throwing in the dry hop additions though, not that there's any harm in throwing them in when the yeast is pitched. I reckon it will be fine Nathan.

[Guest]

Hiya Ottoman! [happy]

 

Most of the time they don't bubble because the seals on the lid and the airlock itself aren't tight enough and the gas escapes that way rather than through the airlock.

Might I suggest you do a few more hard 180's in the bus exchange while warming up the bus in the morning, before starting your route. After a few weeks, I reckon that training might help you tighten the FV lid sufficiently so that the airlock works as it is designed to! [lol] [biggrin]

 

Anthony.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I deliberately don't put the lid on very tightly. I have done before and it made precisely no difference to the airlock activity at all; all it achieved was to make it a royal pain in the arse to get off again. Plus it's not just the lid seal, it's also the little rubber grommet that sits in the airlock hole itself. The only time I ever had it bubble was when I brewed the SMOTY ale and it went off like a volcano. [lol]

[AdamH1525226084]

I am an advocate of using airlocks on your fermenter, as this (when used properly) will give you an indication of fermentation progress & the C02 still being produced, along with the pressure of gas still contained within the fermenter.

 

I don't see the point Lusty.

 

The DIY fermenters don't have an airlock, and most new brewers coming here will be people who have the DIY kit, right? Like me.

 

I make my wort up, then after 2/3 days dry hop, maybe at the same time as krausen collar comes out, which I use depending on the brew (for example, I won't use it with the Gluten Free beer I'm putting on tonight as I expect very little krausen). You can tell if there's CO2 easily as you will become faint if you stick your head in too far [lol] The FV is see-through as well so you easily tell what's going on.

[PhilboBaggins]

I've tried at pitch, day 3, day 4, day 5.

 

I've settled on day 3 now as it's still producing a bit of gas and it's less of a risk to open, but at pitch is okay too.

 

Only thing I would suggest is to get a bit more heavy handed with your dry hopping, especially with the Brit hops as they are really subtle and harder to notice in smaller amounts. Minimum 1g per litre in my opinion. I won't even tell you how many gpl is going in my Galaxy IPA dry. [lol] [lol]