CanadianNorth
Well-Known Member
Ok,
I just read this on beertools.com (http://www.beertools.com/html/articles.php?view=245), written by Eric Watson
1) First Wort Hopping:
Don't ! This was a technique adopted by German brewmasters in the early 80's under the premise that it produced a "finer bitterness" than traditional early kettle hopping. NONE do it anymore! The reason is that they found out that this method of hopping is detrimental to head retention. The current technique is to begin hop charges 10 minutes after the onset of a vigorous boil. Weihenstephan's professors contend that if you perceive a harshness in your bittering additions, it is a hop variety or crop issue, not the application of the hops themselves. This rings true in the traditional sense since German brewers have always maintained that the use of low alpha varieties (nobles) produces a finer hop character in beer.
and ((http://www.beertools.com/html/articles.php?view=249)):
Whether you knew it or not, adding the hops after a vigourous boil is attained is what is now practiced in all German professional breweries. It turns out that the albumin (that white scum) entrains hop constituants if it is present. This results in lower hop utilization and a reduction in head retention. In prior German studies, the practice of first wort hopping was thought to impart a "smoother" bitterness. What they did not take into account that this perception was due to a decreased alpha/beta utilization and loss of myrcene, cohumulone and other essentials in the albumin, not the supposed "more gentle extraction." They didn't even measure any other effects... such as head loss! Hard to imagine they made such a bad recommendation given the anal, engineering/quality based beer industry that exists in Germany! The current recommendation is that hops never be added before 10 minutes of VIGOROUS rolling boil has occured.
Is anyone familiar with this?
I was about to start some brews with first-wort hops, but this seems to imply that you shouldn't (or don't need to), assuming you remove the hot-break scum in your boill and let the beer boil for 10 minutes first.
any thoughts?
I just read this on beertools.com (http://www.beertools.com/html/articles.php?view=245), written by Eric Watson
1) First Wort Hopping:
Don't ! This was a technique adopted by German brewmasters in the early 80's under the premise that it produced a "finer bitterness" than traditional early kettle hopping. NONE do it anymore! The reason is that they found out that this method of hopping is detrimental to head retention. The current technique is to begin hop charges 10 minutes after the onset of a vigorous boil. Weihenstephan's professors contend that if you perceive a harshness in your bittering additions, it is a hop variety or crop issue, not the application of the hops themselves. This rings true in the traditional sense since German brewers have always maintained that the use of low alpha varieties (nobles) produces a finer hop character in beer.
and ((http://www.beertools.com/html/articles.php?view=249)):
Whether you knew it or not, adding the hops after a vigourous boil is attained is what is now practiced in all German professional breweries. It turns out that the albumin (that white scum) entrains hop constituants if it is present. This results in lower hop utilization and a reduction in head retention. In prior German studies, the practice of first wort hopping was thought to impart a "smoother" bitterness. What they did not take into account that this perception was due to a decreased alpha/beta utilization and loss of myrcene, cohumulone and other essentials in the albumin, not the supposed "more gentle extraction." They didn't even measure any other effects... such as head loss! Hard to imagine they made such a bad recommendation given the anal, engineering/quality based beer industry that exists in Germany! The current recommendation is that hops never be added before 10 minutes of VIGOROUS rolling boil has occured.
Is anyone familiar with this?
I was about to start some brews with first-wort hops, but this seems to imply that you shouldn't (or don't need to), assuming you remove the hot-break scum in your boill and let the beer boil for 10 minutes first.
any thoughts?