Dry Hopping

[beernut]

I may need a little help with this one.    I have put down a partial using a 1.5Kilo of Coopers unhoped LME
3Kilos of Vienna light grain and 1Kilo of crystal 60gr of Hallertau (ger) @60min 25gr Hershbrucker @15min and 15gr of Saaz @5min pitched Saflager S3 at 14 degrees C. OG 1042 and after two weeks 1010 and still counting. Fermenting at a constant 12 degrees C. 23Litre brew.   As I am about to rack into a secondary my question is, after a taste this beer is still very sweet with quite pronounced fruity esters.  I am looking to dry hop to see if I can get the IBU's up a little as I suspect my Hop bill may have a bit short.  Any ideas.

[Wildrover]

Others might want to correct or add to this but its my understanding that dry hopping will add aroma but not flavor.  In order to bitter up the beer the hops need to be in the boil for at least an hour.  So, I would think dry hopping might help hide some of the taste via a enhanced hop smell but not an enhanced hop taste.

It also might be that your yeast simply isn't done yet and you need to let it ferment some more.  Two weeks sounds like a lot but its not impossible, or even improbable given the right conditions.  Let it mellow for a little while longer and see what happens.

$.02 

[BeerSmith]

Hi,
  Dry hopping will add some flavor - especially aromatics and other fragile oils.
 
  Unfortunately it will not add any real bitterness.  Here's an article on it:

   http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2008/05/21/dry-hopping-enhanced-hops-aroma/

  If you want to drive the bitterness, consider boiling some DME with some hops for 30 minute to an hour and make a hop tea infusion you can add to your beer.

Cheers,
Brad

[beernut]

Thanks guys.     The idea of doing a boil with some DME and hops might be the go.  I have some Northern Brewer hops at around 7.8% which might balance it out all guess work here on in.  I will give it a few more days as suggested but activity is slowing down and I wouldn't expect the FG to go much lower.

[UselessBrewing]

Add the hop tea to the primary and rouse the yeast a little. The CO2 scrubbing from the yeast consuming the addition of sugars will help with the sweetness and increase the IBU all at the same time. I did some quick calculations and 1/2 oz Norther boiled for 60min to should add about 13-15 IBU.

[beernut]

Well brew has been in the secondary for over a week now, did what Brad said and yes sweetness has evened out.  Fruity taste still there but diminished somewhat.   I guess best to rack it into a keg and leave it in the fridge for a few weeks.  Stabilized at 1008.   Come drinking it, will be interesting.


Cheers,

Brian