High Altitude Hop Additions

[Singletrack]

I brew in the mountains at about 7000 ft elevation. Water boils at a little under 200 F. When I brew someone else's recipe, I usually bump up the hops a bit based on experience, but I never really know if my beer tastes like the recipe intended. For those who brew at altitude, what do you do about hop adjustments based on your elevation?

I'm not trying to exclude flat-landers. Any science-based suggestions? If you think an adjustment is appropriate, should it apply to bittering additions only, or would it apply to late additions and hop stands too?

 

[Beernik]

I live at 5500 feet. My wort boils right about 200F. I've never tried to correct for elevation.

There is always the Garetz equation. I don't know how accurate it is. His formula is generally regarded as calculating unrealistically low IBU numbers.

Now that I think about it, I think I checked the formula once and it was 30% - 40% lower than the Tinseth method. I decided my IBUs were definitely not that low.

 

[Singletrack]

I was thinking of using only the temperature/elevation adjustment from the Garetz formula. This would increase my IBU hops by 25%.

At 5500 ft, the adjustment would be 20% more hops.

Do these seem reasonable?

 

[Beernik]

20% seems like too much. On a 40 IBU beer, that's 8 IBUs.

It seems like a lot.

On the other hand, I'm not sure I could drink two beers and say "This is the 40 IBU beer and that is the 32 IBU beer."

 

[Singletrack]

Agree. Adding 25% seems excessive. Maybe Garetz owned a hop farm!

 

[Beernik]

I suspect that Garetz was basically doing hop stands at different temperatures and measuring IBUs. I doubt that he was going to different elevations and doing boils at elevation and measuring the boil temperature and IBUs.

So Garetz formula is going to say that doing a 200F hop stand at sea level is the same as having a 200F boiling temperature at elevation.

I don't think many would argue that's a good assumption.

 

[Singletrack]

Great point! I run a thunderous boil in my rarefied air. My utilization may be much higher than a placid hop stand.

 

[rlmiller10]

I suspect hop age has a bigger affect then altitude. I brew at 5000 ft and have never taken that into account (but never had the same beer at low altitude so see if there was a difference either).

I am increasing my hops by about 25% now if I am using left over 2013 hops.

 

[tgmartin000]

My water boils at about 202 here in Denver. According to the aforementioned equation, I only get about 80% of the utilization. So I add about 20% more bittering to compensate.

 

[Singletrack]

I brewed a steam beer (aka California Common) over Thanksgiving and went ahead with an extra 25% of northern brewer hops. I like a lot of hops, so I'm sure I will enjoy it regardless. It still seems like an excessive adjustment, so I'm actually hoping I find this beer a little too hopped for the style.

 

[Singletrack]

My water boils at about 202 here in Denver. According to the aforementioned equation, I only get about 80% of the utilization. So I add about 20% more bittering to compensate.

What do you do about late hop additions and/or hop stands? Do you increase all hops by 20%, or just the initial bittering addition?

 

[Singletrack]

No flatlanders with an opinion about this?

And highlanders? Really? Ya know, the unexamined beer is not worth brewing...or something like that. Even folks down at 5000 ft (I'm looking at you Denver) may want to start thinking about how your elevation may affect your beer.

 

[Singletrack]

My Steam beer (imperial Steam, I suppose, at 6.8% ABV) is exceptional, IMHO. I really enjoy this style, and I think mine kicks Anchor's ass. If you have not brewed a Steam, you are doing it wrong. Brew it.

However, the additional hops on this were beyond what is needed. It is quite bitter, and I like it, but next time I will add only 10% extra hops. Then, I will dry hop it with more Northern Brewers.

The bitterness may fade, of course, so check back in a couple months for an update. You may have to remind me.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I think I need to start increasing my bittering hops, I moved out to denver from connecticut and have brewed 14 batches so far, but on my lighter styles where I have been shooting for 30-40 IBUs they have been coming in a little sweet. My German pils I just brewed came out more like an excellent Helles.

 

[Singletrack]

I think I need to start increasing my bittering hops, I moved out to denver from connecticut and have brewed 14 batches so far, but on my lighter styles where I have been shooting for 30-40 IBUs they have been coming in a little sweet. My German pils I just brewed came out more like an excellent Helles.

Ha! ...and aha! Using my 20 to 25% extra hops, I brewed a Czech pils that tastes more like an IPA, sans aroma hops. This was a tasting prior to lagering, so I'm guessing I will love it after that. Still, I think I could back off a bit on the extra hops if I want to keep it "to style."

Sounds like you should bump up 10% to see if that is better. Nothing wrong with an excellent Helles btw. Just need to rebrand it.

 

[Brettomomyces]

Yep, it's getting a rebranding. It finished a tad high for a pils so that definitely added to the perceived sweetness, but not by this much. I tend to like my beers in the 50+ ibu range and kind of noticed a difference. Then when I brewed this guy I really noticed it. I use beersmith's automatic settings for the IBUs. All my hops are brand new from farmhouse or yakima valley.

I think I'm going to increase my bittering IBU's by 10% for the next beer I make and see where that gets me.

 

[Singletrack]

I think my error was increasing all hop additions. Next time I may try increasing the bittering hops only.

 

[bondra76]

Hmm interesting.

I live at 6,000 feet. Never have taken the altitude into consideration. Water profile's always been the primary change I've made for hops.

Thanks for posting this thread; Definitely will follow this one.

 

[butterpants]

7000' brewer here. I don't compensate. I gather the only way truly tell if it's as penetrant a problem would be to do a very specific and verified clone with a single hop source simultaneously at 0' ASL and 5000'. Then have both brews analyzed at the same lab for IBUs.

Now I'm way too pragmatic to believe this will ever happen.... and with alpha acids isomerizing below 100C and my beers coming out tasty and winning medals.... well seems to be a moot point. Just sayin