what does FWH mean

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first wort hopping (adding hops to the mash or something like that... for AG brewers only).

-walker
 
I understand it to mean First Wort Hops\Hopping. People add hops to the first runoff of wort during the sparging process.
 
First Wort Hopping is different from mash hopping.. there's probably a better term for that though I forget what it is.

In what little I've read about it (and I can't stress that enough) the results seem to be pretty lackluster.

If you add hops to the mash then at best you receive flavor and aroma from them but I expect, and others generally seem to agree, that whatever oils (flavor) you get will quickly be cooked off during the boil.

As for FWH, the expectation is, again, that you'll get some additional aroma or flavor but, again, the oils would be quickly cooked off during the boil and little if any aroma would remain. The upside of FWH over mash hopping is that whatever happens or doesn't happen with the aromatic oils the hops at least are present in the kettle (and not in the mash tun) so you will definitely get a bittering effect, if nothing else, from them. If you feel like experimenting with it go ahead, I don't think it could hurt anything.. I just don't think it'll help. If you want hop flavor then you need to add flavoring hops toward or at the end of the boil not before it begins... of course, dry hopping is another option.

edit: here's a good, recent thread about it with some opinions from a few of the more experience brewers:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7548
 
First Wort Hopping

An old yet recently rediscovered process (at least among homebrewers), first wort hopping (FWH) consists of adding a large portion of the finishing hops to the boil kettle as the wort is received from the lauter tun. As the boil tun fills with wort (which may take a half hour or longer), the hops steep in the hot wort and release their volatile oils and resins. The aromatic oils are normally insoluble and tend to evaporate to a large degree during the boil. By letting the hops steep in the wort prior to the boil, the oils have more time to oxidize to more soluble compounds and a greater percentage are retained during the boil.
Only low alpha finishing hops should be used for FWH, and the amount should be no less than 30% of the total amount of hops used in the boil. This FWH addition therefore should be taken from the hops intended for finishing additions. Because more hops are in the wort longer during the boil, the total bitterness of the beer in increased but not by a substantial amount due to being low in alpha acid. In fact, one study among professional brewers determined that the use of FWH resulted in a more refined hop aroma, a more uniform bitterness (i.e. no harsh tones), and a more harmonious beer overall compared to an identical beer produced without FWH.
 
Thanks for all the input. I found a clone recipe for AleSmiths IPA which uses FWH. Now I know what to do. Thanks
 
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