Dry hopping a pilsner

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Permalink Reply by Mike Neilson on August 2, 2009 at 5:48pm

Yeah the Style guys would say it wrong but I say if you like it hop's do it! and stick it up there arse!! Dont realy know about much about Hallertau but if you want it theres only one way to find out.

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Permalink Reply by denimglen on August 2, 2009 at 6:04pm

Two things that stick out to me here are -

Transferring at 3/4 attenuation? Why not let it ferment out completely before lagering? Removing the beer from the trub that early seems like you're asking for a stuck ferment, especially at cold temperatures.

How long do you plan to lager for? If it's any more than about 2 weeks I wouldn't dry hop at the beginning of the lager. You will most likely end up extracting too many tannins from the hops and have a tea-like beer.

While not being a lager brewer I would, personally, let it ferment 3/4 of the way, raise a few degrees for a diacetyl rest and to make sure it ferments out completely, then transfer. Lager for 4 - 6 weeks then in the last week or so add the dry hop, I'd start with about 30g and see how you go also going bagless is better I reckon.

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Permalink Reply by denimglen on August 2, 2009 at 7:31pm

"I don't see any point in dry hopping after lagering as you'd just be adding polyphenols etc back into the beer you had just cleared up..."

Good point, also dry hopping cold extracts less of the aromatic compounds I've found.

And on the other hand, if you dry hopped early and then removed the hops after the aroma compounds were extracted but before the bulk of tannins, maybe the hop aroma will have faded by drinking time?

On second thought, I would dry hop in a bag after transferring to secondary but before chilling it, leave it there for a week, remove the bag and hops then cold condition for 4ish weeks.

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Permalink Reply by Simon David kelly on August 3, 2009 at 10:58am

Thanks Mike, DG and Crabbey.

I think I've become addicted to hops after the IPA head to head ... 17 Armageddons in a day will do that to you :o)

I will leave this one without the dry adddition as I am looking to get an authentic pils this time around. Next time I'll to a split batch and hop the crap out of one half of it :o)

Thanks again for the good advice.

Si

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Permalink Reply by Dan on August 5, 2009 at 9:03pm

For lagers, I dry hop in the primary at around 3/4 attenuation, hops are usually in for a few days , attenuation finished then transfer to lagering vessel. Works for me.

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Permalink Reply by jamis on August 22, 2009 at 8:47pm

omg ! 17 armageddons in one day?! Hell you could worm a horse with that!! Well done.

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Permalink Reply by Simon David kelly on August 24, 2009 at 12:48pm

It was a good day at the Malthouse ... our table left a few grand lighter at the end of that night :o)

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Permalink Reply by Reviled on September 29, 2009 at 12:08pm

Bump...

Thinking of doing something similair to an IPA but as a lager... And am obviously wanting to dry hop it but not before lagering as all of the hoppy goodness would be well and truely gone by then...

So I was thinking, what about dry hopping in the keg? After the lagerings done, keg the beer, leave it to come to room temp and then dry hop for a week or so?? Whatdya reckon?

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Permalink Reply by JoKing on September 29, 2009 at 12:35pm

Chuck 50 - 100g in the keg... flavours come through after a week at 16 degrees. Chuck it into the fridge when you taste the dry hops. If you attach the bag to a tampon string, you can pull it out if the flavours get a bit grassy for you.

I think I showed you my keg hopper unit when you were down didn't I?

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Permalink Reply by Reviled on September 29, 2009 at 12:42pm

Yeah you did, that little mesh ball thingo, whered you get that again?

I wonder what all the hops will be like with lager yeast, do you reckon they will be more prominent?

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Permalink Reply by JoKing on September 29, 2009 at 12:54pm

Nah - depends on what malt you plan on using at the end of the day... as well as your FG. If you're around that 1.012 mark - you'll only need 25 - 50g. I got the mashy thing from Briscoes.

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Permalink Reply by Reviled on September 29, 2009 at 1:11pm

Either kolsch or golden promise most likely..

Do you know what that meshy thing actually is? lol, will help when I go asking for it...

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