7-8 days?....
14 days is what I usually do. Like Mick said, time is on my side...yes it is.
If everything goes well, an ale should be done most times in 7 days, give or take. But there is no harm in letting them set. This beer gets better two weeks from brewing and peaks around 3-4 weeks. After that it starts to fade. When I compete with this beer, I brew it @ 9 days before the drop off deadline. The beer is super fresh when the judges get it and it gives me an advantage over older beers.
Typically the time listed for dry hopping is how long the hops should be in the beer, not days after brewing. So if you want to dry hop for 3-4 days like HighVoltageMan mentions earlier in this thread, you would add them 3-4 days before packaging. But if you want to add them at high krausen/krausen receding, then counting backwards from packaging isn't going to work. In that case, you'll probably want to package 3-4 days after dry hopping, or at least start fining/cold crashing if that's your plan. Some people dry hop 7-14 days without negative effects, so if you don't want to package after 3 days, you've got some wiggle room. Hope that all made sense
I can’t cold crash so that’s out. I worry about oxygen if I don’t dry hop while there is still some action. Just don’t want to leave them in too long either. I also wonder about temps. When I used s04 after 4-5 days I let the temp rise to clean up. Does that affect dry hopping? Right now my plan is to dry hop at day 5 while letting temp rise and then day 10 keg. I’ll let it sit in the keg under pressure for a week before I drink it.Typically the time listed for dry hopping is how long the hops should be in the beer, not days after brewing. So if you want to dry hop for 3-4 days like HighVoltageMan mentions earlier in this thread, you would add them 3-4 days before packaging. But if you want to add them at high krausen/krausen receding, then counting backwards from packaging isn't going to work. In that case, you'll probably want to package 3-4 days after dry hopping, or at least start fining/cold crashing if that's your plan. Some people dry hop 7-14 days without negative effects, so if you don't want to package after 3 days, you've got some wiggle room. Hope that all made sense
If you can't crash/fine, I would recommend bagging the hops (boil the bags to santize). I don't think the temp change will affect dry hopping, as long as you're staying in the ideal range for your yeast. Are you doing a small batch? The krausen might be receding already before day 5...you'll have to keep an eye on it. I've done 1 gal with S04 at OG of 1.050 and it was done in 3 days.
Sunfire is correct. If you can't crash cool, then bag them. There will be a lot of floaties if you don't as least use a bag. The alternative is to skip the dry hop. This beer has a lot of flavor and aroma just from the whirlpool.
Get those hops in there man!!!!
Yeah I got to. I’ll probably boil the bag and then Star San it. Will be hazy but oh well. Looking forward to getting this rolling Sunday morning.
