So I've seen this graph around here that says you lose the flavor of hops after about 30 minutes (and aroma in even less time), so when considering bittering hops, is there really anything to consider other than alpha acids? Is any hop different than any other in a 60 minute boil besides the AA content? If you have two different hops that are both the same AA%, will it affect the beer differently? I've heard people say "this is a great hop for bittering" but I don't really know what that means if all it imparts is alpha acids.
Bittering hops questions
- Thread starter phuzle
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There are many factors that will impart flavors in hops. Everthing from the soil they are grown in to the weather conditions of the year they are grown to how they are stored after harvest. Different hops impart different flavors even if they have the same aa. This is all part of the fun of brewing. Learning all the different aspects of what effets flavor of a brew and the hardest part which is consistency. Making the exact same brew time after time with no change in flavor. Welcome to my world. LOL
I believe the general consensus is for the most part that for a bittering addition that it doesn't matter what hop is used. HOWEVER, there is some wiggle room, particularly with lighter beer styles where it is possible to tease out some slight differences due to the lack of other competing flavors.
Yes, I understand everything you said regarding flavor. But I am not talking about flavoring hops, I am talking about specifically 60 minute additions for the sake of this discussion. From what I understand, all the flavor will break down from the 60 minute hop addition.
Not all flavour is lost.
I don't want to speak for djsethall or pjj2ba, but I think they are both getting at the idea that there can be noticeable differences and it isn't just a matter of matching IBUs. Whether it is enough of a difference to worry about for a homebrewer, probably not. We can enjoy each batch for its uniqueness. But the difference between say 3oz of a 5% AA EKG and 1oz of some 15% high alpha hop like Pacific Gem is surprising in a simple pale ale. Tbh, I didn't expect it to be as different as it is.
For the most part you are correct. I know some hops will still have some residual flavor even after your 60 minute boil but I'm not really sure which one's those are. There is however a difference between the bittering of different hops. Some come across as smooth and some are a little bit harsh. For me I generally stick with hops from the region of the style I am brewing but I like to use my left over hops from previous batches for the bittering additions whenever possible. For example, say I am brewing a stout and I have some fuggles and nuggets left over from a previous brew. Then those would be the hops I would use for bittering additions. I wouldn't use magnum or cascade however. In smaller or lighter styles of beer they may have more impact as stated earlier but for the majority of my brews this is my approach. FWIW, I do not have a vacuum sealer so my left over hops are pretty worthless for flavor and aroma additions.
