I'm doing a bit of kit hacking with a Mangrove Jack's IPA pack (adding some extra steeped grains, hops and DME to the recipe) to try increase the ABV and freshen up the flavour profile.
The kit itself comes with some hop pellets for dry hopping, and specific instructions for when to add them to the primary (check SG after 7 days, aiming for 1.025 or below, dry hop for 3 days).
Trouble is, as I've added quite a bit to the recipe I'm not sure what time frame or SG I should be aiming for.
I've successfully done this before by just waiting for the fermenter to settle down and stop bubbling, but I'm 12 days into fermentation and it's still going strong.
Any rule of thumb or calc that I can use to decide when to dry hop? Should I just wait to have stable gravity for a couple of consecutive days and then dry hop?
Although the recipe calls for a 3-day dry hop, I'm happy to dry hop for a bit more (last ale I did a week and was pleased with the result). I just don't want to risk throwing hops in there and then fermentation continuing for a couple of weeks, causing flavour problems.
Any thoughts welcome. Cheers!
I would hold off another 2 weeks, leave the beer to finish fermenting and let it condition a bit before dry hopping then bottling. 3 days dry hop would definitely be on the shorter side of dry hop time. I normally do about 5 days myself and aim to bottle on day 5 as well.
yaeh just wait til it's all done fermenting and settling and then dryhop for the last 3-5 days before bottling/kegging
Cheers both. That's kind of how I'm feeling - want to let it do its thing until it's good and ready.
Reckon I'm ok to just dry hop straight into the primary after that time? The bulk of the wort is from kit, so don't think there's much need to rack to a secondary for dry hopping.
you'll be fine. just try not to kick up the trub