paradoc

Recipes 

Greetings... I've searched this forum and haven't found an answer to my question, perhaps because "hop extract" brings up every thread thread that mentions hops and extract!

My question is: How does one make hop extract at home, and how do you use it in your brews?

Brewers like Russian River often use hops extract in their brews. It sure seems like a great way to be able to simplify the hops additions, particularly the aroma additions.

Note: I'm not talking about hopped malt-extract.

Apologies if there are other threads on this topic... but I couldn't find them.

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barroomhero1234

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Hop extracts are used for 1. Bittering and 2. to lower vegetale matter in the boil kettle. I have never herd of making your own extract at home. From what i've herd is that its really sticky. Its made for bittering because it is not a specific hop, so to use for aroma seems weird to me, it is usually just some of the highest alpha rated hops around. This is what i have herd, i've been wrong before though!
Cheers!

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david_42

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Two different beasties: Hop extract for bittering, hop oil concentrate for aroma. Both can be made by steam extraction or using liquid CO2 under pressure. You then have to isomerize the alpha and beta acids. Concentrate the hop oils using a low-temperature distillation rig.

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Paddle_Head

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I've never done it, but know a bit about those ingredient that David describes perfectly.

Assuming you have Acids, then chances are they have already been isomerized. See if it says it on the label. Assuming so, there is no need to introduce them to the beginning of the boil. You should get the full level of acid (also should be on the label) at full utilization since the mechanism of isomerizing during the boil will be unnecessary.

For the oils, I'd also assume you want to add at flame out. Again, these are what you normally are extracting from the hops during your boil. No need to add heat that could blow off the volatiles.

david_42

Recipes 

I've never tried making it. Way too much trouble since hop extract is $30/oz and that will do a lot of bittering. I've used hop oil, mainly to perk up old IPAs and such. I use it in the glass.

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Remember one unassailable statistic, as explained by the late, great George Carlin: "Just think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of them are even stupider!"

"I would like to die on Mars, just not on impact." Elon Musk

futurefjp

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I have to do something with a pack of freeze dried vacuum packed hops that has been taken out of the freezer by mistake...nice fruity hops too(Northern Brewer) type too. I've decided to make an extract under pressure...I'll lose all the aroma but should concentrate the bitterness...then i may freeze the extract as icecubes??

jwatkins56550

Recipes 

With the addition of hydrogen in the process makes the un-skunkable tetra hop.

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futurefjp

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hi jwatkins:

What does un-skunkable tetra hop mean to a layman?

Germelli1

Recipes 

If your beer is in UV light in clear bottles...it will NOT skunk

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futurefjp

Recipes 

i thought all light was bad for brewing? brown bottles, etc...