Best technique or time to add hops for flavor

[okiedog]

What do you do to maximize hops flavor in your beers? Is it best to add flavor hops with 30, 20 or 15 minutes left in the boil? Or do you get more flavor from whirlpooling, dry hopping, or some combination of the above? I have seen recipes for flavor hops additions any where from 10 to 30 minutes. What is the "sweet spot" for getting the most (or best) flavor out of your hops?

 

[Vandulus]

I typically will add flavor hops at 12 minutes or less in the boil and sometimes throw more in during whirlpool right before cooling the wort. In fact I stopped adding bittering hops altogether and just use high quantities of late additional +whirlpool hops for all of my IBUs. This seems to really bring out the hop flavor more.

 

[wingnutbrew]

I normally do a small 10 to 5 minute addition with about 25% of my flavoring hop bill then quickly cool wort to 170F or so and then add the rest and let set for 30 to 60 minutes. I have read, and by experience know that the hops will not impart any additional bitterness at lower temps.

You don't actually have to stir a whirlpool the entire time. I put my hops in a paint straining bag that I stir around every few minutes.

After it's done I heat back to 180 then quickly chill.

I used to add all in at whirlpool but I seem to like the final product better with some late boil additions - that would be a matter of opinion.

 

[jfolks]

Whirlpool + dry hop is the way to go.

 

[okiedog]

I typically will add flavor hops at 12 minutes or less in the boil and sometimes throw more in during whirlpool right before cooling the wort. In fact I stopped adding bittering hops altogether and just use high quantities of late additional +whirlpool hops for all of my IBUs. This seems to really bring out the hop flavor more.

When I first started brewing, I would add bittering hops at 60 min, flavor at 30 and aroma at 15 min. Now, in addition to FW hopping, I add hops at 15 min. for flavor and and 0 min. for aroma. I also dry hop for IPAs and other hop forward beers.

 

[okiedog]

I normally do a small 10 to 5 minute addition with about 25% of my flavoring hop bill then quickly cool wort to 170F or so and then add the rest and let set for 30 to 60 minutes. I have read, and by experience know that the hops will not impart any additional bitterness at lower temps.

You don't actually have to stir a whirlpool the entire time. I put my hops in a paint straining bag that I stir around every few minutes.

After it's done I heat back to 180 then quickly chill.

I used to add all in at whirlpool but I seem to like the final product better with some late boil additions - that would be a matter of opinion.

I tried whirlpool hopping once or twice: ~170F for flavor, and ~150F for aroma. Do you raise back to 180 for sanitation, or to improve cold break? Also, have you had any clarity or chill haze problems?

 

[okiedog]

Whirlpool + dry hop is the way to go.

So.. you skip all late boil additions? Do you add bittering hops at the beginning of the boil, then whirlpool and dry hop all flavor and aroma hops?

 

[SteveHeff]

During the last 10 minutes of the boil, then during flameout/whirlpool.

 

[wingnutbrew]

I tried whirlpool hopping once or twice: ~170F for flavor, and ~150F for aroma. Do you raise back to 180 for sanitation, or to improve cold break? Also, have you had any clarity or chill haze problems?

Yes I raise back to 180 just in case any nasties may have gotten in. Sometimes it will drop all the way to 150 and dont want to take the chance. I am closely monitoring and as soon as it hits 180 I am immediately chilling.

If you are using a lot of hops, boil or whirlpool, you will have haze.

I believe any chill haze is coming from proteins depending on what grains you are using and best combated during mash or finings at late boil.

I never put a lot of emphasis on clear beer as it doesn't really take away from flavor or aroma from my experience. I have vegans that drink my beer and they appreciate me not using finings derived from animal products.

 

[bonecitybrewco]

Just did my first batch using only FWH and whirlpool addition at 170 and it has the most hop flavour of any beer I've done yet. I was blown away at the difference. The bitterness is smoothed right out and the hop flavour was impressive. smell out of the fermenter is crazy and I imagine after I add my dry hops it will only get crazier. I'm impressed enough that I may switch to doing this from now on for all my IPA's and other hoppy beers

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Hop addition at 170 is typically called a hop stand and maximizes hop flavor extraction (and some aroma) without adding any bitterness. Hotter than 180 and the hops isomerize and you lose some flavor. Cooler than that and you start to lose the ability to extract flavor as the temp drops. That's why dry hopping at ferm temps takes days and hop stands are usually 30-60 min.

Dry hopping extracts mostly aroma plus a little flavor. Using both a hop stand and dry hopping will give you max flavor and aroma together. As for heating a hop stand back up to 180, my understanding has been that hops have a kind of natural antibacterial property so heating isn't necessary. If this were a problem, we would see a lot more infections from dry hopping.

 

[drunkinThailand]

So how to adjust a recipe for this idea? lets say a recipe has 1 oz at 30 min, 1 oz at 15 min and 1 oz at 5 min (just to keep the numbers simple) and I want to try it moving all the hops to whirlpool after cooling to 170, what would I do?

Also, I have been trying to increase the lasting power of my hops aroma/flavor in the bottle (usually great 1-2 weeks then fades fast) so it lasts longer until i can drink all the beers, how does moving the boil hops to whirlpool hops affect this?

 

[dmtaylor]

0-5 minutes and/or whirlpool for maximum flavor and aroma. People don't realize that flavor and aroma are essentially one and the same thing when it comes to late hop additions.

 

[dmtaylor]

So how to adjust a recipe for this idea? lets say a recipe has 1 oz at 30 min, 1 oz at 15 min and 1 oz at 5 min (just to keep the numbers simple) and I want to try it moving all the hops to whirlpool after cooling to 170, what would I do?

Also, I have been trying to increase the lasting power of my hops aroma/flavor in the bottle (usually great 1-2 weeks then fades fast) so it lasts longer until i can drink all the beers, how does moving the boil hops to whirlpool hops affect this?

Use about 1.5 as much whirlpool hops as the other late hop additions if you don't want to affect bitterness. So in your case this would be about 4-4.5 oz whirlpool. This will also increase your flavor and aroma to maximum IPA-like levels, so if you don't want that much hop character then maybe keep some at like 15 minutes and use less in the whirlpool.

I am not sure of the impacts on shelf stability. Any hoppy beer is going to drop off fast with age.

 

[wingnutbrew]

Hop addition at 170 is typically called a hop stand and maximizes hop flavor extraction (and some aroma) without adding any bitterness. Hotter than 180 and the hops isomerize and you lose some flavor. Cooler than that and you start to lose the ability to extract flavor as the temp drops. That's why dry hopping at ferm temps takes days and hop stands are usually 30-60 min.

Dry hopping extracts mostly aroma plus a little flavor. Using both a hop stand and dry hopping will give you max flavor and aroma together. As for heating a hop stand back up to 180, my understanding has been that hops have a kind of natural antibacterial property so heating isn't necessary. If this were a problem, we would see a lot more infections from dry hopping.

First off, IMO you're correct that the chance of infection is minimal at best and I used to not heat back up to 180. But even though it is covered for the majority of the whirlpool/stand it is uncovered repeatedly to stir and, even though minimal, it is exposed to bacteria. Where in simply adding hops for dryhopping there is almost no exposure to air or bacteria and the hops lay on top for days where if some nasties did jump in they would have a hard time propitiating. *edit: Sorry this is assuming you are fermenting in a carboy, a lot of people ferment in buckets where there is open air for a moment while adding dryhops.

My thinking is that it doesn't take but a few minutes to heat back up and you also give it one last shot to extract a little more flavor in the process. Again, there may be no need to incorporate this procedure but I see nothing but benefits from doing so.

I do like seeing that more people are using the whirlpool/hop stand method.

 

[jfolks]

So.. you skip all late boil additions? Do you add bittering hops at the beginning of the boil, then whirlpool and dry hop all flavor and aroma hops?

As far as quality hop flavor/aroma goes, dry hopping and whirlpool/hopstand/whatever you want to call it are the best ways to go. Whether or not you add bittering hops at the beginning of the boil is up to you (and may be guided by style). For west coast IPAs, I like to get about 30 ibus from a 60 minute addition, and the rest from flameout. For New England IPAs, i get 100% of my IBUs from flameout addition (about 1/2 lb per five gallons to get 60ish IBU)

 

[okiedog]

0-5 minutes and/or whirlpool for maximum flavor and aroma. People don't realize that flavor and aroma are essentially one and the same thing when it comes to late hop additions.

Do you whirlpool at 170F?

 

[timdillon36]

The beer I am drinking now and that I took to a party last sat and my hop head friends took a sip, looked at me and said, You made this? 1/2 Oz FWH and 3 Oz each FO WP and 2 dry hops.

NEIPA that looks like, well I wish I could load a pic but dirty pond water or v8 If it was orange ish. Doesn't bother me in a pint glass but all I served it to drank it from the bottle. Bottled from the keg.

 

[dmtaylor]

Do you whirlpool at 170F?

Heck yeah, for IPAs and pale ales, definitely.

 

[drunkinThailand]

is this only for pale ale and ipa or will this be good for any style of beer? hoppy brown ale? hoppy porter? hoppy other styles???

 

[dmtaylor]

Absolutely, this works for any hoppy styles like that.

Cheers.

 

[okiedog]

So, I can whirlpool at 170F and get both flavor and aroma, and forget about the 150F whirlpool for aroma?

 

[jfolks]

is this only for pale ale and ipa or will this be good for any style of beer? hoppy brown ale? hoppy porter? hoppy other styles???

Probably most appropriate for IPAs, but if you want a beer BURSTING with hop flavor (of any style) hop stand and dry hop is the way to go

 

[bonecitybrewco]

So, I can whirlpool at 170F and get both flavor and aroma, and forget about the 150F whirlpool for aroma?

Based on my recent results absolutely. Combine a 170 hop stand for 30 mins with a dry hop and holy cow.

 

[okiedog]

Sounds like a winner!