Delay racking an extra week to dry hop?

[discokingdave]

Hi,

I recently posted a help request about an overly high fermentation temperature for my first all grain brew(http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=56037). Pleased to say that, 2 weeks after putting it in the primary, I checked today and the FG is 1.012 (OG was 1.054 - target alcohol was 5.2% so at 5.5%, I'm not too far off) and there were no funny smells or tastes, so it looks like there were no terrible problems.

However, I was expecting to be able to smell/taste a bit more of the Columbus/centennial I used for aroma - they are definitely there but a bit more subtle than I had hoped. I had originally planned to bottle next weekend (i.e. after 3 weeks in the primary) but am now wondering whether to wait an extra week so that I can go to my local supply shop and get some more hops so that I can dry hop for a week in the primary - next weekend is the soonest I will be able to get more hops.

Any suggestions on whether I am being impatient and those flavours will emerge a bit more strongly in due course? If not, is leaving in the primary for 4 weeks dangerous? Advice gratefully received.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[nbpicklesno2]

Rack it, condition it and free up the fv for the next brew. Learn from your mistakes and make the next one better.

The more you mess about with one brew, the less beer you'll be making and it may never end up the way you wanted.

 

[ProjectBeer]

APAs are better drunk young, but saying that it depends what you want. If you dry hop for 3-5 days after 3 weeks in primary, I don't think that should be too much of an issue.

 

[MCJones87]

couple of points from me - have you tasted the brew after its been dry hopped rather than just smelling it? How does the taste compare to the smell?
I believe dry hopping for too long can lead to some undesirables in your flavour profile - most notably grassy tastes. as already suggested I would prime, bottle and condition it but keep note of it for the next time you try a similar brew.

 

[RZH]

I've brewed a few hoppy beers now and I was initially concerned about the lack of hop character straight out of the FV, especially when considering the quantity of hops I put in. I quickly learned that conditioning/carbonation boosts this massively. After 3 weeks in the bottle the beer you'll be drinking will be almost unrecognisable to the one you're sampling now -- in a good way.

 

[ProjectBeer]

Wait...I don't think he's dry-hopped yet, has he?

 

[RZH]

Wait...I don't think he's dry-hopped yet, has he?

Not as far as I can tell.

 

[MCJones87]

Not as far as I can tell.

...might be right there! in that case ignore me!

 

[discokingdave]

Awesome, will plough on without the dry hops - will learn more that way and touch wood conditioning will bring out some of the flavour. Thanks all.

 

[ProjectBeer]

If you're brewing an APA I wouldn't skip the dry hops as you want the aroma it adds, just my 2 cents