[How to] Adding home made hop extract at bottling time

[Parky]

This is a follow on to my hop-bursting Cascade SMaSH brew day posting here http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,8884.0.html

It describes a method of adding a home made hop extract at bottling time to boost hop aroma, and is based on the article here http://beerandwinejournal.com/hop-aroma-extract/

I had intended to dry hop the Cascade SMaSH to add an extra bit of hop freshness, but had some reservations about the possibility of the dry hops imparting any grassy flavours. The SMaSH had a very light flavour to begin with, and I wanted to ensure that the citrus notes of the cascade were firmly in the forefront.

The pics below show my first attempt at using this method, and I was very pleased with the results, giving the SMaSH a lovely citrus bite to the aroma and flavour. I've since started using a French coffee press (as in the article above) and find it's more effective at filtering out the hops than the hop bag, so I'll be using that in future.

I think this method would work well with American ales and IPAs, where aroma and flavours are key, although it may work with other styles, or even for adding some freshness to kit brews.

Note: These quantities are for a 5L batch, so scale up as appropriate. Water – 100ml; Hops – 5g; Priming sugar – 30g sucrose.



Step 1: Boil 125ml of water for 10 mins to remove oxygen and sterilise (on my hob this gives a final volume of 100ml). Similarly, boil a hop bag for 10 mins (if you're using one) to sterilise.



Step 2: Weigh your hops and add to hop bag. Take the 100mls of water off the heat and place hop bag so that the hops have maximum exposure to the water. Place lid over the pot to minimise losses of hop oil from steam, and leave for 15 minutes.



Step 3: Weigh out your priming sugar addition and remove the hop bag from the water.



Step 4: Add the sugar to the hop extract and stir to dissolve.



Step 5: Add the sugar and hop solution gently to the bottling bucket.

Step 6: Transfer beer from primary fermenter to bottling bucket in your usual way, allowing the beer to mix with the sugar and hops.



Step 7: Stir gently and allow the beer and priming solution to rest for 30 mins while you're getting your bottles ready. Gently stir again before bottling.

(Letting the beer rest at this point isn't strictly necessary, but I've found it allows the sugar solution to dissolve in the beer more thoroughly and uniformly).

[Will_D]

Hey Mr. Parky,

This looks a really great way to prime and 'dry' hop a beer for bottling!

Nice Technique

[Qs]

Does this not add bitterness?

[irish_goat]

Does this not add bitterness?

Not a lot, it's essentially the same as a whirlpool addition, but will be fresher.

[Qs]

I always wonder about whirlpools too. Beersmith adds a fair amount of IBUs for whirlpooling but other sources claim its negligible.

[biertourist]

I always wonder about whirlpools too. Beersmith adds a fair amount of IBUs for whirlpooling but other sources claim its negligible.

Not at all negligible when using normal whirlpool processes.

Even if you only whirlpool for 10 minutes and then rest for 10 minutes you're still keeping the hops at elevated temps at which isomerization occurs.
If you whirlpool for 20 minutes and rest for 15 obviously it's even worse; some breweries are making IPAs with 100% whirlpool hop additions and still end up with significant bitterness levels.


Adam

[irish_goat]

Even if you only whirlpool for 10 minutes and then rest for 10 minutes you're still keeping the hops at elevated temps at which isomerization occurs.
If you whirlpool for 20 minutes and rest for 15 obviously it's even worse; some breweries are making IPAs with 100% whirlpool hop additions and still end up with significant bitterness levels. Adam

Depends on how quick you can chill as well though. My outside tap water is really cold so it chills quick enough.

With the above method the heat will drop a lot quicker as well so you shouldn't get too much isomerization either.