What is the purpose of dry hopping?

The purpose of dry hopping is to enhance the hop aroma without adding significant bitterness. This process involves adding hops to the beer during fermentation or conditioning, rather than during the boiling process, when hops are typically added to extract bitterness. Because the hops added during dry hopping do not undergo the same cooking process, the bitter compounds do not dissolve as much. Instead, the volatile oils from the hops are preserved, which contribute to the beer's aroma and flavor profile. This is particularly important in certain beer styles, such as IPAs, where a strong hop aroma is desired without overwhelming the palate with bitterness.

The other options focus on different aspects of brewing: increasing bitterness is achieved through hops added during the boil, carbonation is a result of fermentation or forced carbonation, and clarity refers to the removal of particulates from the beer, which is unrelated to the purpose of dry hopping.