Probably a Dumb Question/Secondary Fermentation

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by MarkAvery, May 13, 2014.

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  1. MarkAvery

    MarkAvery Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2013 Massachusetts

    I'm about to switch a Imperial IPA to my secondary and was going to dry hop it. Do i also need to add another round of yeast? Or do i just transfer it and add my hops and call it a day? I feel like i should add yeast again for more fermentation. Thanks in advance!
     
  2. CavemanBrau

    CavemanBrau Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2013 Iowa

    What is the measured FG?
     
  3. ericj551

    ericj551 Pooh-Bah (1,638) Apr 29, 2004 Canada (AB)
    Pooh-Bah

    As long as the beer is done fermenting, no yeast in necessary. If it's not done, don't transfer it yet.

    Personally I prefer to dry hop in the primary, especially in an IPA/IIPA. It's not worth the risk of O2 pickup in the secondary for me.
     
  4. mattbk

    mattbk Savant (1,111) Dec 12, 2011 New York

    As long as you added enough yeast (for a DIPA you should have made an appropriately sized yeast starter) you should not need to add any more. Skip the secondary. Add the dry hops to the primary when you are just about done with or completely done with primary fermentation.
     
  5. MarkAvery

    MarkAvery Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2013 Massachusetts

    That seems to be the conscencise(sp?) I already did a DIPA and dry hopped it in the primary and it turned out awesome, but i just thought moving it to a secondary would help out. Thanks for all the info guys!
     
  6. MarkAvery

    MarkAvery Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2013 Massachusetts

    Makes sense to me. Thanks for the info!
     
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  7. MLucky

    MLucky Initiate (0) Jul 31, 2010 California

    There are only a few relatively rare circumstances when you might consider adding more yeast after the initial pitch. Generally speaking, it's something you do only if something went wrong with the initial pitch.

    Also, I would add that most of us have come to the conclusion that transferring to a secondary fermenter doesn't have much benefit for most beers, and has some genuine drawbacks (mainly the potential for oxidation). So you might consider just leaving the beer in primary and dry hopping there.
     
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  8. ericj551

    ericj551 Pooh-Bah (1,638) Apr 29, 2004 Canada (AB)
    Pooh-Bah

    Agreed on the secondary. My most recent IIPA sat in the primary for a month, then 4 days of dry hopping. In the keg it's one of the clearest beers I've ever brewed, which is shocking to me considering I brewed it with over a pound of hops.
     
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