Estimating when to dry hop based on activity

4Bentley

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I have started a Brut IPA using Safale 05. The OG is 1.053. New recipes call for adding dry hops around 1.02 rather than waiting till fermentation stops. Does anyone have experience estimating when this occurs based on activity in the fermenter, rather than getting out the equipment, sterilizing it, and risking contamination?

Thank you in advance.
 
Thank you for the reply. So would you add hops at peak krausen, when krausen subsides, or some other time?
 
I try to wait for yeast to drop otherwise some of the hops will drop out with it and not be as effective.
 
Just started playing with the same approach. I think the last batch suffered a bit because I dry hopped too early. The batch attenuated much more than expected so I think the hop aromas and flavours ended up being fermented away. So I'll be moving it to latter in process next time. Question is whether it's in that last gasps of active fermentation or just add it directly to the keg.

For yours you could also split those dry hops 40/60 and do one in the earlier more active phase and the larger one just before the end.

Does Brut IPA care about clarity? I find dry hopping during active fermentation will leave some haze even without the grain bill changes of a NEIPA.
 
I added hops at the end of day 5. Krausen was about half gone and yeast had mostly dropped. I was getting bubbles about every 3-4 seconds. I hope I didn't add them too soon. It is now day 7 and still bubbling about once every 5-6 seconds. I presume this is from the AMG as previous batches had slowed more by now.
 
She'll be right.
 
Thank you everyone. Cross your fingers. It is in the bottle. The FG is 1.000 where it is supposed to be. It is very clear, and tastes good so far. Still getting used to tasting as it goes in the bottle. Warm flat beer is hard to judge. It isn't as bitter as other recipes, which is good. Trying to lessen the bitters.
 
This turned out perfect, thanks. Nice and dry, clearer than my previous batches. I also added a little more sugar to make it on the high side, like champagne. Been having trouble with carbonation after cold crash. Measuring sugar by weight definitely helps.
20190204_160826 (1).jpg
 
Nice job. Looks delish. And as long as you like it it's fabulous. Brew on
 
Damn, that looks good, congrats!
 

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