Worried I might have over hopped

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
newbeerpig

newbeerpig

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Messages
130
Reaction score
11
Location
Northern California
I brewed my first five gallon batch this weekend and I did it using the late addition method of the malt extract. This is a kit recipe and designed for a full boil but I am only able to do a partial. I started with my steeped grain juice about 3 gallons of liquid, got it to a full boil, added half of my malt extract and then after 5 minutes added my bittering hops to the boil and continued to boil for 45 minutes. Then I added the rest of my malt extract and some flavoring hops and let it finish boiling for 15 minutes. I didn't want to over boil the malt but I am not sure if not I will have an overly bitter beer. Any thoughts? :(
 
um ammounts of hops, acid percentage, and other details would be nice... other wise i got nothing and im pretty sure others will tell you the same... but your times sound ok, its how much you added an of what strength we are gonna need to know

Cheers
 
Most likely not over hopped if you where using a kit, and not taking the hops from pound bags blindly.
 
Most of my beers tasted underhopped to me, so I've actually started boiling just the runnings from the partial mash (grain juice as you put it :D) and not adding any extract until the last 10 minutes - in an effort to get better utilization from my bittering hops. Usually my partials are 4-5 lbs of grain and a 3 gallon boil, and it seems to increase the hop bitterness by not adding any extract at the beginning.

Point is, you probably didn't overhop your beer, considering the wort you put your bittering hops in was likely substantially higher in gravity than the end product. Higher gravity reduces hops utilization. So don't worry about it, unless you dislike well-hopped beers you actually may wish it had more once it's finished up.
 
Unfortunately I was using a kit with pellet hops so I don't know the ratios, the kit didn't come with a recipe either so I am at a bit of a loss, just trying to see if the idea of holding the malt back with a reduced amount of water would be similar to a full boil using all of the malt and the same hops schedule.
 
I think you're going to have a good beer. As someone else mentioned - unless you blindly added hops that weren't included in the kit - you roughly followed the recipe, but you did a late extract addition.

Without knowing the exact recipe & ingredients, as well as the type of hops, it's hard for anyone to make anything more than an educated guess.

My guess is you're going to have a pretty good beer. I've done batches just the way you describe when I'm trying for more aroma & flavor rather than bittering.
 
I wonder if it is possible to "overhop". Usual hop boiling times are about 20-30mins but often you add hops at 30 mins then 15 mins then flameout. The theory is that like with spices you get more flavor from adding the hops in parts rather than all together.
This being the case i suspect that 30 mins is the optimum boiling times to extract all the bittering oils and i wonder if boiling for longer doesn't make much difference.
 
I'm a real newb here but I've seen several conversions where it seems were talking ranges like 1/4 ounce difference in hops use between the partial boils and full boils. Not enough to ruin anything, IMHO.
 
strider said:
Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew
Click to expand...

OK, you my friend are in "time out"!
angrymouth.gif
And give yourself 16 lashes with a wet noodle.....
To the OP, you are fine. Don't worry.
 
"Over hopped"? What is this "over hopped"? That is like saying a woman is too good looking or giving away a winning lottery ticket because you already have enough money.
 

Similar threads

Hoochin'Fool
No chill, hop bittering question...
Replies
1
Views
224
mac_1103
mac_1103
Lazer_Lad
Apartment Brewing with Mediocre Stove Top
Replies
29
Views
1K
z-bob
z-bob
Lollim96
Can someone please explain AG brewing in mash tune that don’t have elements? Like cooler tuns?
Replies
13
Views
1K
marx2k
M
P
Steep to convert - Steeping grains
Replies
5
Views
417
hottpeper13
H
Gadjobrinus
Late hops - less IBUs than if just steeped? BS not adding in steeping time?
Replies
5
Views
411
Gadjobrinus
Gadjobrinus
BrewSwag 300

Latest posts

Back
Top