Should I Dry Hop IPA Again After Unstuck Fermentation

[merrydown]

TL/DR: After restarting a stuck fermentation for an IPA that had been significantly dry hopped already, I am wondering if I need to dry hop a second time.

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I am a newbie, I made an Evil Dog IPA kit a few weeks ago and then made a 2 can kit IPA I found here: http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=20223 The poster said he fermented down to 1.008.

With the same ingredients, my OG was 1.052 Unfortunately for me, the fermentation stuck at 1.020

I had figured it was almost stopped so dry hopped at 1.020 rather than leaving it to 1.010 as I had before. I used about 50g each of Citra and Centennial as I like a hoppy and bitter IPA.

After 3 days I recovered the hop bag and tested the SG again pessimistically. It was still at 1.020.

When I realised it wasn't going to ferment any futher without help I tried:
-Agitating it. No change.
-Adding yeast nutrient. No change.
-Adding a stuck fermentation yeast Gervin GV7 - recommended to me by my nearby brewstore. It's a hardcore, but non-killer wine yeast that will ferment ale sugars, even maltotriose (although very, very slowly for that). No change though.

I then did what I guess I should have done first. I tasted it. It tasted like a lowish alcohol session IPA, good bitters, I wouldn't want it much more bitter. It wasn't sweet. Nearly enough hoppy aroma / flavour too I think. I am not experienced enough to judge from a lukewarm uncarbonated brew if the aroma would be good once bottled, conditioned and chilled.

So I guess the high SG was due to unfermentables in the Light Malt. Hmm, weird the poster got his down so low, perhaps I missed something.

Soooo, I added 800g cane sugar which I hoped would take the ABV to 6.4% if it ferments the new sugar out. I gave it a gentle but thorough stir. Within 5 hours, it has started fermenting like a gatling gun as you might expect heh heh!

The question is, will all the mucking about, delay, use of an aggressive wine-yeast and extra fermentation after dry hopping, take the hoppy flavour away? Should I dry hop again?

Imagining I should, I have ordered some German Huell Melon Hops. With an Alpha of just 5.5% and stating distinct fruit characteristics including honeydew melon and strawberry flavours.

I figured I'd taste the brew at 1.020 - ish [pressuming that is just before the FG this time] and if it wasn't very hoppy, dry hop with 25-50g of the Hull Melon to fruit up the flavour without adding significant additional bitterness.


UPDATE 26/06/17 SG 1.018 now and It tastes like an ale, hoorah. I am going to go ahead and hop it with the Huell Melon hops and a little Centennial for a couple of days I think the aroma will benefit. Hopefully it won't get noticably more bitter.

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If anyone out there has any similar or relevant experience I'd appreciate your opinions in advance. I appreciate that I might well have created a bit of a car-crash drink here. I'd just like to make the most of my experimental second attempt :)

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Dr_Unkenly]

Dry hops don't really add any perceivable bitterness. It's mainly on the aroma side. A cheeky extra 50g certainly isn't going to ruin your beer.

There's nothing wrong with leaving your dry hops in for a week or even a bit longer. I have been known to go 10 days or more due to laziness/business.

Huell melon is a lovely hop. It has quite a delicate flavour. If you haven't already added it, I would save it and use it in something else where it can really shine. If you have already added it, you may have created something really special. Make sure you give the beer a good sniff as you're gulping down that sweet, sweet nectar.

 

[merrydown]

Very interesting and helpful reply thanks!

I am delighted to hear your positive comments on the Huell Melon! Opinion seems to be split, to the point that I was becoming concerned while I waited for them to arrive.

I'll update when I am done. Fingers crossed.