No flavor when dry hopping

[Buckzilla]

When dry hopping in the keg for 7-10 days, full fermentation time I’m not getting the flavors from the hops just the bittering from the boil. Been having to dry hop in the keg and then getting the flavors… assuming the oils are coming out as I’m shaking the keg during the carbonating. Seems like I’m wasting hops in the dry hop. Any tips on getting the flavors out of the dry hopping when you shouldn’t be agitating it in the fermenter or just skip dry hopping in the fermentor and dry hop in the keg only.

 

[Minbari]

should only dry hop for about 2 days max after primary fermentation is finished.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

should only dry hop for about 2 days max after primary fermentation is finished.

There's lots of confusion around dry hopping. Well, at least I'm confused. I've heard to keep it short but I've also heard it's better to dry hop right after the kreuzen drops. Basically after after active fermentation but while fermentation is still going on. But if you dry hop 2-4 days after pitching and only dry hop for 2 days then your ferment is less than a week. Unless you're talking about a Kveik yeast, that does not sound like enough time for the yeast to complete their magic. So which way to I lean, dry hop later in the ferment and keep the dry hop period short or dry hop earlier and extend the dry hop period. Or maybe throw a couple dice and use that for the dry hop day ?

 

[Minbari]

There's lots of confusion around dry hopping. Well, at least I'm confused. I've heard to keep it short but I've also heard it's better to dry hop right after the kreuzen drops. Basically after after active fermentation but while fermentation is still going on. But if you dry hop 2-4 days after pitching and only dry hop for 2 days then your ferment is less than a week. Unless you're talking about a Kveik yeast, that does not sound like enough time for the yeast to complete their magic. So which way to I lean, dry hop later in the ferment and keep the dry hop period short or dry hop earlier and extend the dry hop period. Or maybe throw a couple dice and use that for the dry hop day ?

I guess I look at it very simply. let fermentation do its thing. then dry hop two before packaging. you want the aromas and some of the oils to come through.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

I guess I look at it very simply. let fermentation do its thing. then dry hop two before packaging. you want the aromas and some of the oils to come through.

@Minbari, how long is your standard ferment? Do you watch the gravity so see when fermentation stops or do you let it go for a specified number of days?
Currently I don't have a Tilt to monitor gravity so I just give it two weeks, including cold crashing).

 

[Minbari]

@Minbari, how long is your standard ferment? Do you watch the gravity so see when fermentation stops or do you let it go for a specified number of days?
Currently I don't have a Tilt to monitor gravity so I just give it two weeks, including cold crashing).

I do monitor it, then add a few days to let the yeast finish up. but even if you do it for a specific number of days. once those days are up, then dry hop for two days, cold crash and package. the extra two days wont effect the outcome

 

[Donoroto]

When dry hopping in the keg for 7-10 days, full fermentation time I’m not getting the flavors from the hops just the bittering from the boil. Been having to dry hop in the keg and then getting the flavors… assuming the oils are coming out as I’m shaking the keg during the carbonating. Seems like I’m wasting hops in the dry hop. Any tips on getting the flavors out of the dry hopping when you shouldn’t be agitating it in the fermenter or just skip dry hopping in the fermentor and dry hop in the keg only.

Agitation is not needed. Even a month after fermentation, you should get hop florals.

Too long might reduce the aromas and flavors. And adding hops after the end of fermentation risks adding oxygen (that tired yeast may not scavenge) which can reduce aromas and flavors, plus add off-flavors.

How much hops in how large a batch, of which hops?

 

[Craigerrr]

Technically you won't be getting much actual flavor from dry hopping. You will get some, but dry hopping will primarily give you hop aroma. Having said that,aroma and flavor do play together on the senses, increased aroma will also enhance flavors.
If you are looking for more hop flavor you should be adding hops after the boil in a hopstand, or whirlpool. For how long, and at what temperature will affect the flavor and bitterness imparted.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

It would be helpful to see the hop schedule. There are several reason dry hopping can end up underwhelming. Did have any whirlpool hops? Did you have any oxidation? Oxidation reduces the hop aroma and flavor dramatically. The devil as always, is in the details.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I dry hop after cold crashing.
Usually for 3 days before I can get them to drop and then keg.
I also purge through the cone with CO2 while adding them and continue purging for a few minutes before closing up the fermenter.
Then purge again to agitate them the next day.

 

[Daniel Parshley]

Technically you won't be getting much actual flavor from dry hopping. You will get some, but dry hopping will primarily give you hop aroma. Having said that,aroma and flavor do play together on the senses, increased aroma will also enhance flavors.
If you are looking for more hop flavor you should be adding hops after the boil in a hopstand, or whirlpool. For how long, and at what temperature will affect the flavor and bitterness imparted.

Agree. This has given me the best results. Whether it is at shutoff or at 180-170 F, the results have been good, and better than in the ferment or dry hop. I slow (delay) the cool down for additions at 180-170.

 

[Craigerrr]

Agree. This has given me the best results. Whether it is at shutoff or at 180-170 F, the results have been good, and better than in the ferment or dry hop. I slow (delay) the cool down for additions at 180-170.

For a Hazy, I usually WP at about 82C for about 20 minutes.

 

[Buckzilla]

I’ve been trying dry hopping but there is so much conflicting info so it’s hard to tell what is right or not. This is my most recent recipe.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1483575/brut-madaria-saaz-citra

Saaz and Citra in the boil. No problem I’m getting all the flavor and bittering. I move to my fermentor and add the Mandaria for dry hopping. Stays in the fermentor for usually 7 days it gets down to 1.003 pretty fast with the Glucoamylase. I then cold crash for about 2 days. I then move to the keg and taste, this is where I get no flavor from the Mandaria. same with any other beer I make when dry hopping. No oxidation, clean, crisp but bitter. I fix this easily with hopping in the keg but I think it’s a waste of hops.

I usually don’t have this issue if I add those hops at 10 min boil or after the boil bringing it down to 70f.

Yeah I’m probably not doing it right but again there is so much conflicting info and I think I’m wasting my time trying to figure it out.

 

[Megary]

Not to sound snarky, but if you keep doing it the same way it’s not surprising the results are similar, right?

Try dry hopping towards the end of fermentation, or do multiple dry hop additions, or increase the amount of dry hops you add, or all 3. Dry hopping is a mystery and you can go bat shit crazy reading all the “proper“ ways to do it. Forget what everyone else does, you have to find what works best for your tastes and your brewhouse. Keep at it.

Good luck!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

A couple of thoughts about the beer.

1. Noble hops don't have the punch of American hops. They fit a more subtle aroma rather than a stronger aroma from Citra, Mosaic and even Cascade. I wouldn't expect much in the way of aroma at the amounts of hops you used in the beer.

2. No whirlpool hops. Whirlpooling hops help with both aroma and flavor. I find that the whirlpool has a bigger impact on flavor and aroma than dry hopping. I typically whirlpool at 160-165F and let it steep for @ 20 minutes. I usually estimate 3% utilization for bittering, Brewers Friend has an adjustment for this in the recipe builder. I usually use a generic hop for bittering, like Magnum or Perle in the 60 minute addition because the only thing I'm going for there is bitterness, not flavor or aroma and I save the aroma/flavor hops for later additions.

3. Not enough hops. I have used 12-16 ounces per 5 gallons for an IPA and 9-12 ounces for Pale Ales. It looks crazy, but it works really well. Most, if not all, of the hops on the hot side are in the whirlpool. I will add a some generic hops addition at 60 minutes, but often 70-80% of the hops are in the whirlpool. The whirlpool addition adds the majority of bitterness. I used dry hop as kind of way to add a little bit more aroma, but I mostly rely on the whirlpool for aroma/flavor.

Play around with hop amounts and addition times to get to the level of flavor and aroma you want. Keep in mind some hops have bigger impact on flavor and aroma than others. Noble hops (Mandarina Bavaria included) will be more subtle in character.

Here is an example of one of my beers. I'm trying my hand at a cold IPA. The first try was okay at 14.5 ounces of hops (7.5 gallon batch), but I thought the flavor and aroma needed to be brought up so I raised the whirlpool hops from 8 ounces to 12 ounces. I backed off the 60 minute addition to keep the bitterness in check and left the dry hop alone. I plan on brewing the beer this coming weekend for a competition in early August.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1485064/coldest-ipa-ever-

Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[Buckzilla]

A couple of thoughts about the beer.

1. Noble hops don't have the punch of American hops. They fit a more subtle aroma rather than a stronger aroma from Citra, Mosaic and even Cascade. I wouldn't expect much in the way of aroma at the amounts of hops you used in the beer.

2. No whirlpool hops. Whirlpooling hops help with both aroma and flavor. I find that the whirlpool has a bigger impact on flavor and aroma than dry hopping. I typically whirlpool at 160-165F and let it steep for @ 20 minutes. I usually estimate 3% utilization for bittering, Brewers Friend has an adjustment for this in the recipe builder. I usually use a generic hop for bittering, like Magnum or Perle in the 60 minute addition because the only thing I'm going for there is bitterness, not flavor or aroma and I save the aroma/flavor hops for later additions.

3. Not enough hops. I have used 12-16 ounces per 5 gallons for an IPA and 9-12 ounces for Pale Ales. It looks crazy, but it works really well. Most, if not all, of the hops on the hot side are in the whirlpool. I will add a some generic hops addition at 60 minutes, but often 70-80% of the hops are in the whirlpool. The whirlpool addition adds the majority of bitterness. I used dry hop as kind of way to add a little bit more aroma, but I mostly rely on the whirlpool for aroma/flavor.

Play around with hop amounts and addition times to get to the level of flavor and aroma you want. Keep in mind some hops have bigger impact on flavor and aroma than others. Noble hops (Mandarina Bavaria included) will be more subtle in character.

Here is an example of one of my beers. I'm trying my hand at a cold IPA. The first try was okay at 14.5 ounces of hops (7.5 gallon batch), but I thought the flavor and aroma needed to be brought up so I raised the whirlpool hops from 8 ounces to 12 ounces. I backed off the 60 minute addition to keep the bitterness in check and left the dry hop alone. I plan on brewing the beer this coming weekend for a competition in early August.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1485064/coldest-ipa-ever-

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Thanks. This was very helpful and I’ll try whirlpooling