Aromatic Hops Poll

When looking to add aromas to your beers, are you more prone to add the aroma hops at the end of your boil, or do you prefer dry hopping, or will you do both types of hopping on a single batch of beer?

I will add aroma hops in the last five minutes and sometimes dry hop. I've never dry hopped without adding aroma hops in the boil. Cheers!

It all depends on the beer that I'm brewing. Some beers might need no aroma hops. Some might require an addition just before the end of the boil, but not a dry hop. Some really require that hoppy aroma.

But I suppose, that if I am planning on dry hopping ahead of time, then I will always use a late aroma hop addition.

I just don't see the argument for dry hopping...I've only made a few batches, and have had wonderful success with just adding the hops for the last 2-5 minutes of the boil.

Is there any reason to fix something that ain't broken?

jdlev said:

I just don't see the argument for dry hopping...I've only made a few batches, and have had wonderful success with just adding the hops for the last 2-5 minutes of the boil.

Is there any reason to fix something that ain't broken?

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If you're happy, then there's no reason to change it.

I'm a huge dryhop fan, as I find that it provides more intense hop flavor than hops in the boil (or even flame out/whirlpool hops) do. I love IPAs and APAs with tons of hops, though. If I made English style ales or German lagers, I'd never dry hop. It's really about the style you're making and what the beer needs to bring out the characteristics it should have.

While I agree you shouldn't try to fix something that isn't broken, if you haven't tried dry hopping, then you may not know what you're missing.

Next time you brew a pale ale or an IPA try splitting the batch and dry hop one with the same hops you used as the late addition and leave the other alone. Do a side by side when they're done and decide which you prefer.

I will generally add aroma hops at flame out, not with 5 minutes left. I love dry hopping when style appropriate.

Just adding at flameout or a couple of minutes left adds plenty of hops aroma and flavor.

But for American IPAS and above, Dry Hop adds more on top of that! I'd even do it an American Pale cause it's awesome! Hell, I've even done it for a stout!