Cold Crash Dry Hop

[BlackDuck]

I cold crash every batch for about 3 days. I'm thinking of trying a cold crash dry hop addition. There would be a 7 day dry hop. Then, dry hop some more and put it in the fridge immediately. What are the thoughts on this? Will the cold crash addition really do anything since the temps will be in the mid 30's the entire time they are in the fermentor?

[Beer-lord]

My meager hop knowledge is that the oils from the hops aren't released nearly as much when cold. In fact, I've seen numerous recipes that suggest raising the fermentation a few degrees when adding dry hops.
All that said, when I dry hooped 2 kegs, I definitely noticed the difference. I would just suggest you try it out (but not in the Pliny).

[gwcr]

Most of what I've read on dry hopping says you will get the best results at fermentation temp (64-68F) and that's all I've ever done. Some have good luck dry hopping in the keg at 40F as well, but that's usually for a 2-3 week period.

[Beer-lord]

My 2 cents based on 2 kegs dry hopped vs. some of my hoppier beers (a la Maharaja) is that the dry hopping at 64-72 temps gives more in your face aroma while the keg dry hopping was more muted. It's hard to explain but the keg dry hopping was definitely more subtle and I used 2 oz which is a pretty decent amount.
Those 2 oz dry hopped while fermenting vs. dry hopped in the keg tell me that my personal taste likes the 5-7 day fermentation dry hopping more.

[BlackDuck]

Thanks guys...I guess i'll throw that idea out the door then. I'll keep the 7 day addition, then go with a 5 day addition, then cold crash. I'm adjusting my 4 Point Pale Ale that uses the 4 C hops. I entered this into the Ohio State Fair this year and the judge that scored it a 43 said the only thing that needed improvement was the aroma. I also adjust the hop schedule in the boil slightly too. Just getting ready so when the Pliny is done, I've got a recipe to back it up with.

[Kealia]

I actually just listened to a podcast from Jamil on dry hopping and somebody asked this question.

The short answer was that dry hopping at colder temps takes much longer to impart the same aroma than dry hopping at fermenting temps. That might be why dry hopping in the keg works when it stays for weeks or months at a time. It doesn't get "grassy" because things are moving much slower.

So.....just reinforcing what others have already said with another POV.

[mtsoxfan]

Timely topic Duckster... since I am pretty much the only beer drinker, and I'll have two kegs + on tap, I was wondering how I could keep the hop balance over a longer period of time. I, too, thought dry hopping the keg, as it is still tapped. It would definatly be over a period of weeks, so it may (or not) work for me. i thought of putting it in a fine mesh bag with ss bolt so it wouldn't mess with clarity too much. Not that that bothers me....

[ScrewyBrewer]

For my Ales I dry hop a week starting at the end of primary fermentation and then cold crash the fermentor for another week before kegging. Lagers are a whole 'nother animal, like my Hammerfest Marzen, I haven't had to dry hop one yet. These guys do get a long cold crash in cleaned corny kegs for at least 4-6 weeks before gassing them.