Big dry hop query...

[gedburg101]

Hi,

I brewed a NE style IPA on Saturday and he's bubbling away nicely.

I plan on adding my first dry hop today whilst fermentation is still ongoing but I have a question. Due to loads of hop debris in my kettle I got quite a bit less than the 19l I intended and ended up with about 14l.

I was planning on dry hopping in two charges of 85g each. Should I adjust this to reflect the reduction in the volume in the fermenter?

Cheers

 

[pms67]

Didnt it just up your OG? Could you have added more water back to make it up? (sorry,im just starting biab)

 

[MyQul]

As Pms67 say, just top your FV up to 19L. You can do top up any stage

 

[gedburg101]

Will that not affect the ABV?

Would I need to use boiled water?

 

[JapanBrew]

I wouldn't add the hops while it's in prime fermentation. Wait till it slows.

 

[Simonh82]

It depends if the lower volume was due to boil off or absorption from hops.

If there was extra boil off then you can top up but it will lower your abv. If it was due to hop absorption then topping up is less appropriate.

Personally I would just chuck in the hops. You are going for maximum flavour so I would go for it.

 

[gedburg101]

I wouldn't add the hops while it's in prime fermentation. Wait till it slows.

Apparently it's a feature of the style.

Apparently it adds something...

 

[DoctorMick]

Apparently it's a feature of the style.

Apparently it adds something...

Yep, apparently the yeast activity helps the hops "circulate" in the wort and also changes the complexity of the flavour. It's not something I've done as yet but it's certainly an interesting subject.

I'd stick with the original hop quantities anyway, can't see it'll do any harm.

 

[gedburg101]

Done. Fingers crossed...

 

[Leon103]

Didnt it just up your OG? Could you have added more water back to make it up? (sorry,im just starting biab)

I don't see how his og would be higher?

 

[Leon103]

Done. Fingers crossed...

Hopefully fermentation as finished

 

[pms67]

I thought if you used the correct amount of grains but too little water you got a more concentrated wort? But as i say,im still learning myself.

 

[YeastFace]

Yep, apparently the yeast activity helps the hops "circulate" in the wort and also changes the complexity of the flavour. It's not something I've done as yet but it's certainly an interesting subject.

I'd stick with the original hop quantities anyway, can't see it'll do any harm.

Have read a few articles about it, it's called biotransformation if anyone fancies a read.

 

[Leon103]

I thought if you used the correct amount of grains but too little water you got a more concentrated wort? But as i say,im still learning myself.

From reading the op it sounded like the liquid was there just covered in hop debris

 

[gedburg101]

Hopefully fermentation as finished

Nope, during active fermentation, but that was my intention. Adding next dry hop on day 6. 85g simcoe...

 

[gedburg101]

I thought if you used the correct amount of grains but too little water you got a more concentrated wort? But as i say,im still learning myself.

Mostly caused by hops absorbing wort.

Will be using a hop bag or spider in future.

 

[geetee]

I don't see how his og would be higher?

You need to adjust volume in conjunction with gravity reading.

If he has the correct amount of extract and less water then the OG would be above target. The thing to do is check the gravity if it is well above target then you can liquor back by adding boiled water ( not if you have yeast in , cool first).

if your gravity is what you expected and volume low then you have less extract i.e lower efficiency. Absorption onto hops should not dilute/concentrate the wort to a large extent, you just lose volume

 

[terrym]

Unless I misunderstand what you are doing, my only comment is that if you are adding 170g hops total to 14 litres of brew (equivalent to adding 280g to 23 litres) you will find the hops completely overwhelming. But that's my opinion. It all down to personal taste at the end of the day. :thumb:

 

[gedburg101]

Unless I misunderstand what you are doing, my only comment is that if you are adding 170g hops total to 14 litres of brew (equivalent to adding 280g to 23 litres) you will find the hops completely overwhelming. But that's my opinion. It all down to personal taste at the end of the day. :thumb:

I know what you mean. The recipe called for 170g for 19l. I am going for a really "juciey' beer though.

 

[DoctorMick]

Unless I misunderstand what you are doing, my only comment is that if you are adding 170g hops total to 14 litres of brew (equivalent to adding 280g to 23 litres) you will find the hops completely overwhelming. But that's my opinion. It all down to personal taste at the end of the day. :thumb:

280g, whilst high in my mind, isn't considered ridiculous for big hoppy beers anymore, punk IPA uses over 300g and that is fairly low ABV. For a 23l American IPA I'd consider 200g a minimum, the only reason I wouldn't always go to 300g is because I'm tight. :lol: