"Hop Tea" method for adding aromatics

Dennisusa · Feb 7, 2012

Results of my Hop-Tea test: Failed quite badly.

Methodology: I added a hop tea infusion directly into the serving kegs of a recent 12-gallon all-grain pale ale batch that had received no dry hopping whatsoever. The consensus among all my friends was - disappointingly low aromatics. Doubly painful, as I'd used 6 oz blend of highly aromatic hops (cascade, amarillo, centennial). I did not try vodka-infusion or any of the other suggestions in this thread. This test was limited purely to the hot water, french-press tea-infusion method I described above. Once again, a perfectly reasonable hypothesis fails to pass a simple real-life test.

unionrdr · Feb 7, 2012

When I made hop teas,it was because I used cooper's cans before I'd started using plain DME in the boil for hop additions. I just made a hop tea,then stirred in the cooper's can & brewing sugar. I didn't think it'd work as an aeromatic,but wasn't 100% sure that no aroma would come from adding to secondary. I wondered about that myself,as that French press method is pretty strong they claim.

Magnanamous · Feb 28, 2012

I am really disspointed that the tea technique didn't work for the last poster. Anyone else have any positive results?

Also, I have read a lot a post differentiating "flavor" and "aroma." I have only a rudimentary understanding of human physiology

but I thought that flavor was experienced in only four or five categories whereas aroma was a whole vast spectrum. I would question the ability for anyone to be able to differentiate between hops without olfaction.

unionrdr · Feb 28, 2012

you also have to remember that our senses of smell & taste are linked at the roof of the mouth. They do work together to some degree.

bigbeergeek · Mar 7, 2012

Dennisusa said:
Results of my Hop-Tea test: Failed quite badly.

Methodology: I added a hop tea infusion directly into the serving kegs of a recent 12-gallon all-grain pale ale batch that had received no dry hopping whatsoever. The consensus among all my friends was - disappointingly low aromatics. Doubly painful, as I'd used 6 oz blend of highly aromatic hops (cascade, amarillo, centennial). I did not try vodka-infusion or any of the other suggestions in this thread. This test was limited purely to the hot water, french-press tea-infusion method I described above. Once again, a perfectly reasonable hypothesis fails to pass a simple real-life test.

How did you prepare the tea? How much water combined with the 6 oz of hops? What was the water temperature? How long was the contact time? Was this prepared in a french press? I'm curious because I'm going to do my first hop tea in the very near future and I've read my share of positive reviews around the interwebs -- yours sticks out as an example of what not to do. So, what did you do? :mug:

Dennisusa · Mar 7, 2012

bigbeergeek said:
How did you prepare the tea? How much water combined with the 6 oz of hops? What was the water temperature? How long was the contact time? Was this prepared in a french press? I'm curious because I'm going to do my first hop tea in the very near future and I've read my share of positive reviews around the interwebs -- yours sticks out as an example of what not to do. So, what did you do?

BATCH DETAILS (purely from memory):

Pale Ale, Size: 10g, OG: 1.05, FG: 1.015, ABV: 5.0%, IBUs: 35, WYEAST 1056, Force-Carbonated in 2 Corny Kegs, Served on tap.

HOP TEA PROTOCOL:

2 large press-pots (~4-6 large cups each), Pre-boiled water to minimize O2, cooled to approx 175F, Added 3oz to each sterilized press-pot, gentle stir, steeped approx 2 hrs until room temp with strainer covering the tea, siphoned one into each Corny, smell- and taste-tested by multiple beer geeks so final opinion was not just mine.

I'm hugely disappointed and baffled why it failed. I'm not saying I got no aroma, but relative to the amount of aromatics I'd put it, it was a dud. I'd tried this once before on a keg that had been standing and had de-carbonated because of a leeky poppet - and I just took advantage of the an already open Corny (I'd peaked in to see what was going on) and it worked with just 1 oz. I felt I needed to repeat the process to confirm my technique and findings but could not. Surely I must have done something wrong this time, but for the life of me can't figure out what it was. Did I make the water too hot, let it steep too long? I don't know, but I think you should go for it and like me, eliminate dry hopping or anything else that could cloud your results. Please share your results on this forum

One word of caution, alpha acids will isomerize in water well below boiling temps (down to ~ 180, if memory serves me), so adjust IBUs if you're steep temps and times are a factor.

unionrdr · Mar 7, 2012

I was thinking that 4-6 cups of water might not have been enough volume for 3oz of hops.?...since 1oz seemed to have worked better.

flatrockbrewing · Sep 6, 2012

We make hop teas using fermented beer and they add aroma, flavor and some bitterness. Depending on the level of bitterness we want in the tea we warm up the beer a bit around 110-120. A half hour steep time does the trick.

Calichusetts · Sep 6, 2012

My system of brewing means all hop additions are from 20 minutes or less (hop bursting or late hopping) along with a massive flameout and whirlpool addition. Finally, I would dry hop. Even with this system my first time using a hop tea really made a difference. I add it to the secondary before I rake.

I just got my blinged out 8oz french press and might consider a second tea at bottling. I use the 170 - room temp steeping method.

unionrdr · Sep 7, 2012

I was just wondering if the op left it to steep before pressing? 2 hours is a bit long for flavor at boil temps. But at 170F or so,I'd think that 30 minutes or so would be the max before pressing.

ArcLight · Sep 7, 2012

unionrdr said:
I was thinking that 4-6 cups of water might not have been enough volume for 3oz of hops.?...since 1oz seemed to have worked better.

+1. Thats *A LOT* of hops in 4-6 cups.

According to Designing Great Beers by Gordon Strong ( page 78 bottom left column - page 78 top right column) the water can become saturated and additional alpha-acids wont be absorbed, so that additional hops will have minimal impact.

Perhaps a better test is to make 3 batches of hop tea, and add them in, but that's a lot of extra water, so you will need to have less in your initial fermentor.

MisterTipsy · Sep 7, 2012

All hail the Grand Master VII.

BridgewaterBrewer · Dec 20, 2012

One would think it will extract better with vodka than water. Here's a very detailed description of a procedure you can try but it's more work.
http://www.stempski.com/hop_vodka.php

bthedlin · Dec 20, 2012

flatrockbrewing said:
We make hop teas using fermented beer and they add aroma, flavor and some bitterness. Depending on the level of bitterness we want in the tea we warm up the beer a bit around 110-120. A half hour steep time does the trick.

How much hops do you add per volume of beer and how much water do you steep them in?

I recently brewed with a hop spider for the first time and had very disappointing results. I think the mesh bag I used on the spider was too fine and the oils didn't make it through. Tastes like an old IPA. I am thinking of adding a hop press to try to save the batch.

unionrdr · Dec 20, 2012

The problem comes in where the op already has the beer in primary. I was attempting to give him a way to add some hop flavor without adding too much extra volume.
I mentioned straight away that I did hop teas in the BK with the boiling water I was going to use to mix up the kit-n-kilo with. Since he's already past that point,another way was needed.

Komp09 · Jan 28, 2013

Hey all, not to dig up an old post but does anyone have anymore feed back on these methods of making a hop tea? Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone's worked out a successful volume to hop ratio and temperature when using the french press method.

bthedlin · Jan 29, 2013

Komp09 said:
Hey all, not to dig up an old post but does anyone have anymore feed back on these methods of making a hop tea? Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone's worked out a successful volume to hop ratio and temperature when using the french press method.

From my experience, the volume doesn't play that big of a role. With more water, you might get a slightly higher extraction rate but you will just be diluting the beer that much more. Think of it as a coffee press, less water the stronger it is.

I have had decent results using the press and making a hop tea. It's not something I would add to my bag of hopping techniques but I did save a beer. I brewed a beer that was under hopped and had plans for the drain. I did a hop press and it added some unique hop flavors. But I would save the precious hops and add them to flameout or whirlpool. Just my own opinion.

Haussenbrau · Jul 10, 2013

I am a firm believer that a great IPA is hopped at every opportunity possible. That means stating with a first wort hop addition and finishing with a hop tea priming and everything in between that includes dry hopping. Remember a great IPA has a a great hop depth that can satisfy all of your sences.

mdennytoo · Oct 17, 2013

Are you supposed to use whole leaf or pellet? I tried this once with pellet and got the aroma I was looking for, but in making it the screen plugged up and fluid started squirting up the sides. It was really hard to press and I went ahead and let hop debris get into my bottling bucket. Mostly, there weren't but a few specks in each bottle. Do you just press really slow?

mdennytoo · Oct 17, 2013

slowly?

bthedlin · Oct 18, 2013

I had no problems with that issue. You may either need a better press or try less hops and liquid in the press and do two pressing if necessary.

Mike37 · Oct 18, 2013

I have a Keurig K-cup brewer with the fine mesh basket attachment so you can use your own coffee. Would I be able to make a decent hop tea with this thing?

The hops wouldn't be steeped per se, because the hot water (~170F) just gets pumped through the basket. But I suppose if I make one cup, wait 15 minutes, and make a second cup, it would let the hops soak a bit. Thoughts?

ultravista · Nov 23, 2013

flatrockbrewing said:
We make hop teas using fermented beer and they add aroma, flavor and some bitterness. Depending on the level of bitterness we want in the tea we warm up the beer a bit around 110-120. A half hour steep time does the trick.

How much fermented beer and hops would I need to add flavor & aroma to a 4.5 gallon batch? My Chinook is around 12 AA>

Sevenal · Dec 17, 2013

Found this on the net
Digging it a lot
One oz hops (I like the bittering Varities) more grapefruit taste.
The aroma hops leave me with floral experience
Anyway one oz hop in a French press
Add 2 cups of vodka( I like the lemon Burnetts )
Let stand for 20 minutes
Press into a small neck liqure bottle ( I use Patrone bottles )
Same hops, which are changed from pellets to mash now
Add 2 cups of water and let stand for 20 minutes
Press and add to the hopped vodka
Place lop on bottle , cork etc and shake
Place in fridge for 5 days , ok four if you must
Let the particulant cold crash - don't stir it back up
Carefully place it in the freezer untill frozen
Remove from freezer, place bottle upside down in one quart mason jar
The first 45% will be hop Vodka
Notice the frozen ice acts as a strainer for remaining particulant
Put frozen concoction in another jar for hop water
Just before it melts to the point where the course particulant falls through the neck of the bottls dis guard the last 15 % or so ( I drink it ) cloudy stuff
The hop vodka can be used to make a simple craft IPA or IBA
Same with the hop water bring a couple buddies over to kill the hop water with a cheap six pack of old Milwalkee
. You will be amazed how good that can taste!
It also make a good addition to the secondary just prior to legging or bottling.
The hop Vodka is the real thing, as it really extracts the majority of the hop oil with the liqure. I would not try to sip it -STRONG and your toothbrush will taste like that from now on!
Just add to taste to your favorite BMC for a sudo craft beer on the cheap.
What I have learned form doing this is flavor profile of different Varities of hops.
It is a real tutorial of what each hops brings to the party when brewing.
This is serious fun and a great way to use last years hops.
If you want to have a citrus flavor try the bittering hops first.
Another thing I have discovered is, if you have a brew that is close but falls short of your taste, add HOP vodka and really brighten it up.
Enjoy!

Singletrack · Oct 25, 2014

Calichusetts said:
My system of brewing means all hop additions are from 20 minutes or less (hop bursting or late hopping) along with a massive flameout and whirlpool addition. Finally, I would dry hop. Even with this system my first time using a hop tea really made a difference. I add it to the secondary before I rake.

I just got my blinged out 8oz french press and might consider a second tea at bottling. I use the 170 - room temp steeping method.

Old post, but I see you are "active." Do you still do this?

I see some were using the bottling sugar solution to make a hop tea, and I am considering trying this with whole hops. I'm wondering how much sugar I will lose in the process. I'm concerned I may under-carbonate. Any help on that question?

Calichusetts · Oct 27, 2014

Sometimes...did it too batches ago. I am not planning on doing it this time on my IIPA. I'd be a little hesitant to do it with the bottling sugar as you have no idea what makes it through to the bucket but people have done it.

Zeekdaman · Jun 16, 2016

Great idea! I will def try this. Thanks. Did they carbonate correct...no sugars lost in the steeping?

Haussenbrau · Jun 16, 2016

Zeekdaman said:
Great idea! I will def try this. Thanks. Did they carbonate correct...no sugars lost in the steeping?

It carbonated fine. Like I said before; it is important to add hops at as many places as possible. I will add more to this discussion in the near future.

SRJHops · Nov 3, 2018

flatrockbrewing said:
We make hop teas using fermented beer and they add aroma, flavor and some bitterness. Depending on the level of bitterness we want in the tea we warm up the beer a bit around 110-120. A half hour steep time does the trick.

Hi flatrockbrewing -- I know this post is seven years old, but I've been searching for someone who makes hop tea out of fermented wort/beer. It seems like the best way to do it. (Why would I want to add water to my beer?)

I'm working on low oxygen brewing for my NEIPA and want to try hop tea instead of the 2nd dry hop charge. My plan is to put one ounce into each bomber (25 of them) and bottle right from the fermenter. I'm not interested in bitterness -- just aroma (some more flavor is fine, but the current flavor is pretty good). My question is how did you decide on 110-120? I was planning on 170 and steeping for 20 mins. That is my whirlpool temp, so it seemed like a good plan. But if I just want the aroma, maybe I'm better off at 110?

Not sure how much water the hops will absorb, but thinking of using 30 ounces of wort and 2 ounces of Cryo hops (probably Simcoe and Citra).

I'd appreciate any thoughts and suggestions...

Schlenkerla · Apr 27, 2019

Off topic - Tagging this for a later read....

"Hop Tea" method for adding aromatics

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