At what point should I be concerned?

[Golddiggie]

Nothing to do with a batch going south, or airlocks not moving, etc... More of a personal dilemma with home brewing...

I went to my brew-buddies place this evening so that I could dry hop my brew (first time dry hopping)... As I was weighing the whole hops that are the addition (1/2oz EKG, 1/2oz Fuggles) I couldn't help but get a nose full... mmmmmm lovely... GREAT combination (props to those that mentioned it in another thread I had asking about dry hopping)... We both smelled the combination before it all went into the carboy/primary... There was a bit left in the bag (gallon ziplock) which I proceeded to close up and bring home. Keep in mind, I got all I could out of it without sticking my hand in there and scraping it out.

I've since left the bag open in the kitchen, so that the aroma can permeate the rest of my apartment...

So the questions of the evening... Should I be concerned that I can't seem to get enough of this aroma? How long will it last in the brew before it fades too the point where you don't have it? Can you be a 'hop head' for just the flavor/aroma part, and not the bitterness? Or am I just a freak of nature? :rockin:

This batch (my ESB) will be bottled up on Thursday, so just under a week with whole dry hops... I don't know if I'll be able to resist more than two weeks before chilling one down for testing. If the brew comes out anything like I think it will, I've found my house ale... :rockin: I'm giving serious thought to dry hopping with this combination more now... Luckily, I have another 1.5oz of each whole hop left...

 

[awsmith4]

I seriously consider buying extra hops every time I go into my LHBS so I can just walk around and sniff them.

 

[mcwilcr]

Can you be a 'hop head' for just the flavor/aroma part, and not the bitterness? Or am I just a freak of nature? :rockin:

I hope so because that is definitely high on my list of what makes a good hoppy brew. lots of things can be bitter but nothing tastes quite like a well flavor hopped beer. it's freakin great :rockin:

 

[Golddiggie]

We need to get J&J to make an array of air fresheners that are different epic flavor/aroma hop combinations... I'd buy my favorite by the case, or maybe a pallet at a time.

Right now, Fuggles/EKG is on my list for a 'must have'...

I have a feeling that I'll be brewing the house ale every couple of months (at least)...

BTW, I used Target for bittering, and Fuggles for flavor in the batch... Knowing I was going to dry hop later, figuring it would be either Fuggles or EKG.. Loving the combination though...

I might have to get one of those breather masks and put a piece of each hop into it... Probably safer than shoving hop pieces into my nose. :rockin: Def. safer than sticking my head into the ziplock bag...

BTW, buy your hops in bulk... That way you have some 'extra' to play with... Collect the dust from when you weigh them out before adding and let them make your place smell great...

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Won't be long till you're growing your own hops.

 

[Golddiggie]

Won't be long till you're growing your own hops.

I only hope so... I won't be doing it where I live now, but next place I move to I'm going to try like all hell to get some hops planted.

Do they smell this GOOD on the bines? If so, I'll be putting them as close to windows as I can and keeping them suckers open as much as possible.

 

[rycov]

i like the smell and flavor of hops more than the bitterness. (some is necessary, but i don't like overly bitter). i hope they smell as good on the bines. i have some coming in for this year, and i cant wait to smell them straight of the plant!