Mash hopping

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

As I've said, many times, I've only been brewing since 2020,( the only good thing I saw from covid) Ive still got a ton to.learn.
Recently, I read a article in BYO magazine that mentioned mash hopping,and that itv was an old technique being "recyled".used to add a layer of flavor to lighter ales and lagers.
I'm always looking for ways to improve yet love reviewing history of beers and the techniques used to brew them, so with the amount of experience here, I thought a discussion might be fun and informative .

 

[mashpaddled]

The ongoing research is focused on how mash hops can increase thiol content which in turn can increase hop flavor and unlock different flavors in a beer.

The unanswered question today is the same as it was last time everybody thought mash hopping was an interesting idea: how much does it take to have an identifiable effect on the beer?

You'd have to brew side by side with and without mash hops in a series of increasing the amount of mash hops to figure out when, if ever, you noticed a difference and if that difference is worth the cost. Then, to be really fair, you'd have to compare the best mash hop beer against the same recipe with other hopping techniques.

Would the mash hopped beer beat out the same beer with a little extra hops late boil or post-boil? It seems nobody really knows. All the side by side experiments I've seen were on IPAs but none of them suggest an identifiable difference. Saying it results in a different flavor in lighter beers seems to be theoretical at best.

 

[Tomahawk47]

Many years ago I mash hopped CAP’s and Cream Ales. It was hit-or-miss as far as flavor goes. When it worked, it was very nice – a good smooth and mellow flavor. But I seem to recall that 2 ounces of hops were all that the recipe would accommodate. Any more and it seemed like I would get an underlying harshness. Also, it seemed that it worked for some hops but not for others but I cannot say which those were. I can tell you now that a 20 minute addition (before flame-out) gives me about the same depth of flavor. And I can vary the amount to get the desired flavor without that harshness. I have never gone back to mash hopping because it didn’t seem worth the effort for a hit-or-miss result.

Doing some more thinking - Hallertauer worked well for the Cream Ales. It was the Cluster for the CAP's that I had the most trouble with. Hallertauer with Cluster did not work well. Damn, it's hard to remember these brews 20 years ago (and 4 computers).