Judochop
Well-Known Member
FACT: Hop aroma and flavor are the first things to fade in a beer as it is aged.
QUESTION: As these aromas and flavors fade from obviousness, do they still leave some kind of imprint on the beer that would not have been there otherwise?
In other words, if the plan is to brew a big, English-style Barleywine, which, once bottled, wont see the light of day for at least 12 months, is there any point in putting those 2 ounces of Fuggles in near the end of the boil? If all flavor/aroma is just going to dissipate into nothingness by the time the bottle is drunk, why not save yourself the $$$? Or, do those few hops make some difference to the overall impression of the beer way down the road?
Thoughts? Itd take some serious dedication to do a side-by-side experiment to find out. Has anybody done one, or heard of anyone doing one? Results?
QUESTION: As these aromas and flavors fade from obviousness, do they still leave some kind of imprint on the beer that would not have been there otherwise?
In other words, if the plan is to brew a big, English-style Barleywine, which, once bottled, wont see the light of day for at least 12 months, is there any point in putting those 2 ounces of Fuggles in near the end of the boil? If all flavor/aroma is just going to dissipate into nothingness by the time the bottle is drunk, why not save yourself the $$$? Or, do those few hops make some difference to the overall impression of the beer way down the road?
Thoughts? Itd take some serious dedication to do a side-by-side experiment to find out. Has anybody done one, or heard of anyone doing one? Results?