Rethinking Dry Hops: Quicker, Colder … and Better?

[HerbMeowing]

"... studies show an improved character (both in extraction and in quality) with short dry-hop times at cold temperatures."

who knew?


"https://beerandbrewing.com/rethinking-d ... nd-better/"

[Beer-lord]

I've tried this with mixed results after reading Scott Janish's book. I think once I get below 55, certain hops don't 'speak' to me as much. The newer hops like Sabro and the experimental hops as well as others like Denali, Cashmere and a few I can think of, seem to give me more aroma at about 65.
I've been trying to dry hop at 65 for 3 days then drop down slowly to cold crashing temps and this has been working pretty well. I've tried a 20 minute WP at 170 vs. no WP with a larger dry hop and it's pretty much the same to my tastes.

[HerbMeowing]

I've tried this with mixed results ...

how well do you think this technique would work with c-hops?

[mashani]

Time / Temperature / PH all will change the mix of what compounds are extracted from the hops. Higher temperature, and/or more time will extract things that lower temperature / less time will not. My guess is by the time you dry hop, PH is unlikely going to vary enough to matter unless you are making a sour, especially when making the same beer over and over again and just tweaking temperatures or times.

Anyways, this could be good or bad depending on the hop and what you want to get out of them. Which would explain Beer-Lords experience with warmer temperatures and those specific hops.

So, I would say this technique is ultimately hop and taste specific, and it would be just a matter of experimenting with a specific hop to see which way you like that hop better. Obviously the author of the article like his specific results with his hops at a lower temp. But I would say YMMV, especially if the tastes you like or the hops you choose are different then his.

[Beer-lord]

I've tried this with mixed results ...

how well do you think this technique would work with c-hops?

It does seem that certain hops work better with colder temps but I've not kept a list of them. There's a podcast I heard about 5 months ago I'll need to find again to find out.
I'm brewing a Centennial pale tomorrow with 80% Centennial and 20% Comet so maybe I'll get it down to between 55-60 for 2 days then cold crash for 2 more and see what happens.

I also seem to remember the podcast mentioning that this is something we might not notice as much on the homebrew scale but that is confusing to me.

[HerbMeowing]

imma gonna try putting the LBK back in fermentation chamber with an ice bottle and a hop sac for a few days and see what-the-what-the

sometimes it's the sum-total of all the little things we do that matter most ...

[MadBrewer]

I have heard a lot about this lately, seems to the trend like a lot that comes up in the brewing world. Haven't done any of it myself, in fact I don't even remember the last time I dry hopped in the traditional sense. Almost every single hoppy beer I keg hop, so there is usually great aroma and hop character the entire time I pour from that keg. The hops always seem very fresh, upfront yet balanced. It's amazing how the standard used to be dry hop for 2 weeks, which I never did anyway...few days maybe and I usually did so at mid ale temps rather than higher. So I can see where the benefits play into this, maybe not for every hop but in general.

[swenocha]

I think once I get below 55, certain hops don't 'speak' to me as much.

If your hops are speaking to you, you may have drank too many hoppy beverages...

[Beer-lord]

Guilty as charged!

[MrBandGuy]

I almost always do 3 days warm, 2 days cold crash. If I’m reading this right, the suggestion would say the 2 day cold crash/dry hop is sufficient. Next time I brew my ipa that works as a pale ale, I’ll try it out!(So if it doesn’t work well, it’ll still be a good beer.)


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