when to add hops?

[SusieB]

Just brewing Festival American IPA and wondered about best time to add hops? We normally wait a full 2 weeks before bottling (from a bucket). Should I be adding the hops after 5 days or wait longer? also I use a heat pad would it be better to turn heat pad off when hops are added? and should I be leaving the heat pad on for the full 2 weeks anyway? The bucket is in a bedroom. Any advice much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[klaus]

Not familiar with this but here are the instructions:

9. After 5 days, add the Hop Pellet sachet but DO NOT STIR (the hops will break up and disperse naturally). Now leave the beer to ferment with the hops for a further 5 days.​

I doubt you need a heat pad at all - if the temp is at least 18C you are fine. The temp range quoted "20°C - 25°C" is on the high side, but the beer will ferment even at 18C. Take a gravity reading on day 10 and the following day see it's on target and not moving further.

 

[SusieB]

Thanks for that. Given I tend to leave my brews at least 14 days does that not alter timings? Wondering if 2 weeks on a heat pad is too long? should I be turning it off after 5 days? Never had a bad brew yet but it may be luck not judgement!

 

[klaus]

Unless the room is really cold, i.e. less than 18C I would dispense with the heat pad (I normally wrap the FV in an old sweater if absolutely necessary). And as you keep the brew in FV for longer the yeast has plenty of time to clear up any remaining sugar. This is what I have been doing with kits and AG forever. Unless you do something really silly it will turn out fine. There's science behind brewing but it's also a natural process which will carry on regardless ...

 

[Beermonster66]

Hi SusieB, the wisdom I have gleaned from this forum over the past couple of years is that 14 days is ideal, even though it looks like your brew has fermented out sooner. This gives the yeast time to clean up after itself. I have a batch of MJ Nelson Sauvin on the go. Airlock stopped bubbling after 1 week but I'm leaving it for 2 weeks. Leaving your brew on a heat pad to maintain temperature will not do it any harm. IMO, dry hops should be added 2-3 days before bottling.

 

[SusieB]

Thank you yes it seems logical to perhaps add hops later than 5 days in and closer to bottling.

 

[The Baron]

I will give you my take on this SusieB.
I would add the hops after 5 days as IMO the hops need to be added whilst the main fermentation has died down but still active, this helps to prevent oxidisation as co2 is still being produced you then need to have the ability to cold crash the beer if you have added the hops straight into the Fv (i.e not in abag) so that you can drop out the yeast and hop residue so as it is not transferred to the bottles and this will give a cleaner beer too.
You can also add the hops in a veg bag like you get at the supermarket @ 30p so that you can remove them and keep the beer clearer. If you do this you will need a couple of stainless steel dessert spoon in the bag also to weigh the hops down and suspend it in the beer with fishing line so that you can remove them if you can not do a full cold crash down to 2c approx
I would do the bag method if you can not get the beer temp down as low as this.
You will get several different takes on this so read them all and do which suits you best is my advis
Ps make sure everything bag/spoons etc are clean and sanitised

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

I'm kicking myself because (and I've discussed this on a previous Thread) the Admirals Reserve I am doing had Powdered Hop sachet

It said " add after 4 days" and I just did it this morning.

I can't get over it though as to me it is counter intuitive to expose the fermenting beer to the air.

Probably will be ok , otherwise they wouldn't suggest it but still kicking myself even though an hour later the airlock is bubbling away

 

[An Ankoù]

It said " add after 4 days" and I just did it this morning.

I can't get over it though as to me it is counter intuitive to expose the fermenting beer to the air.

I shouldn't worry unduly about that. Don't you know that many, many breweries used open fermenters for decades. I used to visit Eldridge Pope in Dorchester regularly and the hostess/tour guide rejoiced in showing us the open fermenters with thick layer of yeast and sometimes she could point out little footprints where a mouse had run across. Nothing wrong with their Dorchester Bitter or Royal Oak or, indeed, the Thomas Hardy Ale.

Actually there is something very wrong. The blaggards sold the brewery to make a quick shilling and the beers are no longer brewed.

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

I shouldn't worry unduly about that. Don't you know that many, many breweries used open fermenters for decades. I used to visit Eldridge Pope in Dorchester regularly and the hostess/tour guide rejoiced in showing us the open fermenters with thick layer of yeast and sometimes she could point out little footprints where a mouse had run across. Nothing wrong with their Dorchester Bitter or Royal Oak or, indeed, the Thomas Hardy Ale.

Actually there is something very wrong. The blaggards sold the brewery to make a quick shilling and the beers are no longer brewed.

Cheers Ankou ... Darleys Brewery was in my home town Thorne and was the same. Also been on Brewery tours in a few places too

I will " get over it" but probably will still add the powder at the start next batch or not at all

Maybe try each one in sequence and see if my "audience" on Friday nights notice a difference

Thanks again jt

 

[The Baron]

I would add the hops @ 5days next time but as AA has said some brewers dry hop at the end that is why I said this is my take on it. As long as you are careful with the exposure of the beer to Air and not splashing with the hops it will turn out ok, as I said I have my method and my reasons but so do others who swear by their method either way with a good sanitised routine you should be ok