Dry hopping

[needabrew]

I have two all grain brews behind me and they both taste great (a smoked ale and an scottish 80 shilling). So for my 3rd I got a bit adventurous. I was aiming for a strong belgium ale with an IPA style hopping schedule. Starting at an OG of 1.072, fermentation it is now close to complete at 1.012.

When I pitched my yeast at the end of my brew day I added hops in a hop sock (20g citra and 20g chinook) to my fermenter. I now have what seems to be an oily type residue on the top of the beer.

Is this usual for dry hopping?

Also I had a bit of a taste and it seems a bit tangy. I am a bit worried it might be infected, could the hops have introduced some wild yeast? Maybe it just needs more time to mature...View attachment ImageUploadedByTapatalk1428555032.532192.jpg

(Its a 15L batch)

It smells good though.

 

[Covrich]

You don't normally dry hop until the last few days before you bottle. Have you put them in with the yeast?

 

[needabrew]

Yep. This photo is after taking the hop sock out though...

 

[Covrich]

If you dry hop at the same time you pitch your yeast I think you will lose a lot of the aroma of the dry hop (which is the main purpose) because it will degas these as it ferments.

I don't think you will have ruined it, the tangy taste might be because the hop taste is a bit strong still?

 

[Covrich]

Should also ask, how long was the hops in there for?

 

[needabrew]

Sure, I took the hop sock out after 3 days. I take your point about the aroma loss due to the degassing. Makes sense.

Also thanks for keeping my hopes up....

 

[clibit]

The oily residue is the the thing you want. Aromatic hop oils from the dry hopping. The tang will come from that. The beer is green, young, once it's conditioned and carbonated I'm sure it will taste great. And hoppy, like an IPA...

 

[needabrew]

Phew that's a relief

 

[Hopping_Mad]

If you still want it hoppy (...although I wouldn't want to overpower the malt for a Belgian ale) try again when fermentation has finished for a couple of days before bottling. That's my usual modus operandi.

I love pale hoppy ales, but I had to drink Leffe in France last week and I rather started to enjoy it after a week. The hops and malt are more in balance there. Bloody strong stuff though - had to sip that and not guzzle!

 

[needabrew]

If you like leffe, try a bottle of chimay blue. If it hasn't already blown you mind. My personal favourite, it is 9 % and makes you delerious in a good way. Needs to be served cold of course. I will let you know how my brew develops...

 

[needabrew]

Ok so I thought I should update you on how it went. The beer has a strong malty flavour but with a tangy bitterness that is very unusual. A bit fruity too. Never had a beer like it before. Not sure the belgium style ale and IPA hybrid will take off! But its quite drinkable and in a way reminds me of a stout, a challenging flavour that is not for everyone but when you get a taste for it then it keeps you coming back.

 

[needabrew]

If anyone wants to have a go at following this experimental brew I wrote it up on my blog:
www.yeastyeastyeast.blogspot.com

View attachment uploadfromtaptalk1432234888466.jpg

Cheers