Another Fix article

The link is for another good article from Dr. Fix about adding hops to the first wort.

Thought you might be interested.

http://brewery.org/library/1stwort.html

I gonna try this for my Oktoberfest this weekend. I'll be adding all the bittering hops (I'm using Hallertauer, an aroma hop, for bittering) to the run-offs in the brew kettle. I want to see how the quality of the bitterness will be, if I add the hops before the hot-break happens.

Kai

It really does sound interesting. I was thinking of doing the same thing with and Oktoberfest. We will have to compare notes.

I have been thinking about FWH for a while and read that it is mostly benefitial for styles that focuss on hop aroma and flavor. An Oktoberfest doesn't really fit this requirement (though I welcome a tad of hop presence in taste and aroma). But as I said, I'm primarily looking for a change in the quality of the bitterness.

I'll also plan to try a pilsner with FWH. But that I want to do try after I brewed a regularly hopped pilsner.

Kai

Kaiser said:

I gonna try this for my Oktoberfest this weekend. I'll be adding all the bittering hops (I'm using Hallertauer, an aroma hop, for bittering) to the run-offs in the brew kettle. I want to see how the quality of the bitterness will be, if I add the hops before the hot-break happens.

Kai

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I've never tried FWH'ing, and not to hijack, but I did use Hallertau Hersbrucker as the sole hop in my Weihenstephan and Aventinus clones (just a bittering addition). The jury is still out, but I'm optimistic.

Baron von BeeGee said:

I've never tried FWH'ing, and not to hijack, but I did use Hallertau Hersbrucker as the sole hop in my Weihenstephan and Aventinus clones (just a bittering addition). The jury is still out, but I'm optimistic.

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Many aroma hops make for good bittering hops as well, due to the low co-humulone percentage. Many (smaller) German breweries praise the fact that they only use aroma hops for bittering. But for most big breweres (here and there) this is to expensive.

Kai

I was thinking Hallertau was popular for bittering based on how frequently it shows up in recipes. I may try a comparison with Perle at some point (which I've used before and like, but can't perform a mental side-by-side comparison), but OTOH I've got this 1.5# bag of Hersbrucker to deal with. BTW, if you need any Hersbrucker at some point...

Baron von BeeGee said:

but OTOH I've got this 1.5# bag of Hersbrucker to deal with. BTW, if you need any Hersbrucker at some point...

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I'll get back to you on this when I brew a beer where I can use it.

Kai

Hey, I am new to all of this home brewing and this whole topic just went over my head. I am guessing that means I shouldn't worry about it yet, but if someone could give me an explanation of what is being done and what the effects are in laymen's terms that would be helpful. Are you saying that you put all of the hops in at the beginning before the water starts boiling? I know that this is a lame question to those who know what they are doing and have done their research and I apologize.

OldManK said:

Are you saying that you put all of the hops in at the beginning before the water starts boiling? I know that this is a lame question to those who know what they are doing and have done their research and I apologize.

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This technique applies to AG or partial mashed where you have wort from sparging the grains. The idea is to put the aroma hops into this hot wort, where they will be steeped for a while. They are then brought to a boil with all the wort. Additional hops may be added once the wort came to a boil.

This is an interesting subject since common sence dictates that flavor and arom are lost during long boils. However FWHed beers seem to have hop flavor and aroma. If you want to know more do a Google search on "FWH" or "First Wort Hopping".

There is nothing you have to worry about for your brewing.

Kai

First wort hopping is stupid. Waste of hops.















































J/K I've been meaning to try it. I'm all about improving my beer.

ANY ONE WHO DOES NOT BREW THE WAY I DO IS NOT THE BREWER I AM

Dude said:

First wort hopping is stupid. Waste of hops.



















































J/K I've been meaning to try it. I'm all about improving my beer.

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LOL - Dude you are evil and I say that as a man who happens to have a wonderful beer buz going! Too bad you don't live around here, I would have to get you drunk or something!

Brewpastor said:

Too bad you don't live around here, I would have to get you drunk or something!

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Careful their Dude...I'm not sure BP's intentions are entirely honorable.

El Pistolero said:

Careful their Dude...I'm not sure BP's intentions are entirely honorable.

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Exactly what I was thinking! That doesn't make me...you know...naw, it doesn't. whew

Look guys, I am protestant. Need I say more? Unless Dude has an Alter Boy outfit...

I'm a Presbyterian married to a Catholic. Which means I go to mass. Can you go to hell for staring at the nicer female butts when everybody's kneeling? These are the questions the priests don't like fielding. And every question I asked during our pre-marriage counseling. My shin still smarts to this day.

Baron von BeeGee said:

Can you go to hell for staring at the nicer female butts when everybody's kneeling?

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You can, and you will.

Sorry to hear about the shins...mine have c[FONT=&quot]alluses[/FONT] from years of nunnel abuse.

Mmmm...nuns. That's a whole nother (is nother even a word? it is here...fido) issue. SWMBO has a hot cousin who's some sort of pseudo-nun. An 'ordinary' or something like that (that can't be right, but it's all I can come up with at the moment).

Dude said:

First wort hopping is stupid. Waste of hops.

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Dude,
don't confuse FWH with mash hopping. People usually refer to mash hopping as wasting hops. FWH hops is still boiled and you get IBUs from it.

Kai

Dude said:

First wort hopping is stupid. Waste of hops.

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So, my Oktoberfest is done with the primary fermentation now (finally a lager that made it in less than 10 days ) and I gave it a taste. Although I hopped it to 24 IBU, I can hardly taste any bitterness. The bittering hops were added before the hot break and the amount of alpha acids that fell out with the proteins must have been significant. I can hardly taste the bitterness and may decide to boil some hops in the 2qts of Speise (gyle) that I plan to use for priming in order to raise the bitterness by 5 IBU.

I'm not sure if the quality of the bitterness is different since it's quantity is to low to evaluate this.

So I guess FWH is not supposed to be done with the bittering hops. That's also what other sources on this subject suggest.

Kai

Getting the thread back on track here....

Anyone have any idea what Percentage of Utilization one may enjoy by using this FWH method?

I've done FWH once, and it came out great. I can't say that it tasted different then a brew with the usual hop schedule, but it worked.

glibbidy: I'm not sure what the percentage was, but all the sources I had looked at pegged the utilization as equivilent to a 15~20 minute addition (15 to 20 minutes remaining in the boil that is.)

I have made a bells 2 hearted ale a couple of times and the last time i FWH the beer. I think it gave the finished beer much more aroma and flavor. This beer is done with all centennial hops. I'd say do it for the ipa's.

Darth Konvel said:

I've done FWH once, and it came out great. I can't say that it tasted different then a brew with the usual hop schedule, but it worked.

glibbidy: I'm not sure what the percentage was, but all the sources I had looked at pegged the utilization as equivilent to a 15~20 minute addition (15 to 20 minutes remaining in the boil that is.)

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So it sounds like it could be a considerable amount if if you consider about 5% utilization coupled with a low AA hop. This might be fun to try sometime just for giggles.

To clear things up, for the brew I did the FWH'ing on - the porter I currently have on tap I think - I did a FWH, and a seperate addition for bittering.