HopShots, anybody used them?

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Gustatorian

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I'll be using 7ml of CO2 extracted HopShot this week and I was wondering if people have had any experience with them? Apparently you get 10 IBUs per 1ml, is this a safe estimation or is utilization different?

I've also been told that the extract can migrate to the sides of the BK and stick, decreasing utilization...does anyone have a remedy for this?
 
I've also been told that the extract can migrate to the sides of the BK and stick, decreasing utilization...does anyone have a remedy for this?


Gustatorian,

I used Hop Shots a few times. The first time was a bit of a disaster - I added them straight to the brew kettle. That resulted in a sticky mess. After that, I dissolved the Hop Shots in vodka. I put a few ounces of vodka in a jar, put the Hop Shot in, put the lid on, and shook the heck out of the jar. I kept on shaking until the Hop Shot was fully mixed with the vodka - no more "tar balls". Then I dumped the hopped vodka into the kettle.

PlinyTheMiddleAged
 
Gustatorian,

I used Hop Shots a few times. The first time was a bit of a disaster - I added them straight to the brew kettle. That resulted in a sticky mess. After that, I dissolved the Hop Shots in vodka. I put a few ounces of vodka in a jar, put the Hop Shot in, put the lid on, and shook the heck out of the jar. I kept on shaking until the Hop Shot was fully mixed with the vodka - no more "tar balls". Then I dumped the hopped vodka into the kettle.

PlinyTheMiddleAged

Awesome! I'll try that! How many ounces of vodka per mL of HopShot would you use?
 
I use Hop extract for all of my beers now for bittering. I find it is very neutral Based on the 10 IBU's in a 1.050 5 gallons of wort I figured the Alpha of 1 ML is 2.89%(I use that calculation in my homebrew recipe calculator when designing recipes 1ML=1 oz). For my low IBU beers I will use 2-3 ml, for my IPA's I'll use the 5 ml typically.

I bought a large can of hop extract from Yakima Valley hops and split that into 30 - 5 ml that I have stored in my freezer. It works really well and keeps the vegital matter out of my beer. It is very sticky but with a good hard boil I don't get the sticky mess.
 
I use Hop extract for all of my beers now for bittering. I find it is very neutral Based on the 10 IBU's in a 1.050 5 gallons of wort I figured the Alpha of 1 ML is 2.89%(I use that calculation in my homebrew recipe calculator when designing recipes 1ML=1 oz). For my low IBU beers I will use 2-3 ml, for my IPA's I'll use the 5 ml typically.

I bought a large can of hop extract from Yakima Valley hops and split that into 30 - 5 ml that I have stored in my freezer. It works really well and keeps the vegital matter out of my beer. It is very sticky but with a good hard boil I don't get the sticky mess.

Can you send me the link as to where to buy it from the can? In Beersmith, 1ml definitely doesn't mean 1oz. 1oz of hopshot per beersmith gives you a crazy amount of IBUs in a normal gravity beer.
 
Gustatorian,

I used Hop Shots a few times. The first time was a bit of a disaster - I added them straight to the brew kettle. That resulted in a sticky mess. After that, I dissolved the Hop Shots in vodka. I put a few ounces of vodka in a jar, put the Hop Shot in, put the lid on, and shook the heck out of the jar. I kept on shaking until the Hop Shot was fully mixed with the vodka - no more "tar balls". Then I dumped the hopped vodka into the kettle.

PlinyTheMiddleAged

Also, does the vodka volatize out of the boil?
 
Also, does the vodka volatize out of the boil?


I looked through my notes and couldn't find exactly what I did - I believe I used about 1.5 to 2 ml per ounce of vodka. That gave me enough room in the small canning jar that I used to shake the mixture until the oil was dispersed. From memory, I used about 4-6 ounces of vodka for 8 ml of HopShot.

And I assume a vast majority of the vodka evaporated over the course of the 1 hour boil.

Anyway, it did eliminate the tar balls of hop oil in the kettle. And when I use HopShots again, I'll do the same. It did ruin the canning jar lid - it was impossible to wash ALL of the hop oil residue off of the plastic liner of the lid so into the trash it went. The jar itself cleaned up fine.

PlinyTheMiddleAged
 
Can you send me the link as to where to buy it from the can? In Beersmith, 1ml definitely doesn't mean 1oz. 1oz of hopshot per beersmith gives you a crazy amount of IBUs in a normal gravity beer.

Here is the link to the bulk Hop Extract, you can buy a big pack of syringes from Amazon: http://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/CO2HOPExtractCan_p/extractco2cans.htm

For iBrewmaster I created a hop with the following settings: Alpha 2.75, Beta 6.00 and HSI: 50%. I played around with these settings until I could get a 5 gallon batch of 1.050 wort to equal 10 IBU's when I enter in 1 oz for the amount. I've never had my beers tested but I feel like the IBU's in the finished product match what iBrewmaster gives me.
 
Try it without the vodka first, I've never had an issue with a sticky mess after the boil was over and I have used up to 7 ml in a double black IPA.
 
I have used them 3 times, (I use them when i want to control the amount of bitterness, but no flavor, like for one of my strawberry beers (3ML 60, 10lbs pale 2 row, .5 oz citra at flame out, secondary over strawberries)

I heat up some water (to like 150 degrees) and then put the syringe in the measuring cup. It goes easy, never a sticky mess, i just stir it in with my paddle.
 
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