Can BIAB brewers use FWH (First Wort Hops)?

[Elysium]

I have seen so much (and mainly positive things) about this, but I am a BIAB brewer.

How do BIAB brewers add these so-called First Wort Hops? Do they use this technique at all?

 

[Jimmyjim]

I use FWH in quite a few of my recipes as BIAB'er.

Pull the bag, let it strain, fire up the burner and drop in the FWH amount.

Easy as that.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Yup. The critical part is adding hops to the wort at sub boiling temps, not running off on top of them.

 

[BigPerm]

The only real constraint would be to add them after you've done all your rinse steps, for no other reason than not gunking up the bag. If that's not an issue for you, you could add them as early as you wanted with no problems.

 

[Clarke]

I use a colander in my brew kettle

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_27718_-1?ICID=CRT:200095005

I put my bag in the colander mash in the kettle there is a small space around the colander and the kettle where the water acts as a thermal barrier, I use a sweatshirt, sleeveless vest and winter jacket to insulate the outside, when mash is done I pull the colander and drain, then put the colander in my bottle bucket and sparge, I put my FW Hops in the kettle as I sparge into the kettle. Once I get my desired volume I start to heat for the boil, I have started to only FWH and then add the remainder of my hops the last 10 min to flame out mark, enough to meet my desired IBUs.

 

[sasky7777]

Not being a BIAB brewer take this as an just an opinion. FWH are added as you fill you boil kettle and as you heat up to the boil. Couldn't you add the FWH as you drain your bag after mash out and before you start the boil. It is the same principal, you just have your full boil volume collected and aren't waiting for the kettle to fill. You should be extracting compounds from the hops in the same way.


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[Elysium]

Not being a BIAB brewer take this as an just an opinion. FWH are added as you fill you boil kettle and as you heat up to the boil. Couldn't you add the FWH as you drain your bag after mash out and before you start the boil. It is the same principal, you just have your full boil volume collected and aren't waiting for the kettle to fill. You should be extracting compounds from the hops in the same way.


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I am not sure if a lot of BIAB brewers do a mash-out. There are some threads here on it saying it is slightly useless to do. So, I guess for me that is not an option. I always skip it and get really good sugar extraction.

So, my option is to toss the FWH in the kettle while it is getting ready for the boil.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I am not sure if a lot of BIAB brewers do a mash-out. There are some threads here on it saying it is slightly useless to do. So, I guess for me that is not an option. I always skip it and get really good sugar extraction.

The point of a mash out is not to increase the amount of fermentable sugars. It is, alternately, to exert more control over the fermentability or (less often) to prevent problems with running off. The latter is not applicable to a BIABer, but the former is. It's not nearly as important as when one fly sparges, but it is a factor to consider.

So, my option is to toss the FWH in the kettle while it is getting ready for the boil.

Right. Ideally, I'd say add them as soon as you've removed your grains and you're starting to heat to a boil.

 

[Heavywalker]

You can just throw them in after you mashed and sparged your grains. However I would allow them to sit for around 30-45 min before putting any heat to the kettle (think of the amount of time it takes to fill a boil kettle from the mash tun). The extraction and oxidization that takes place with the hop oils needs some time to happen, and tossing them in and bringing the wort to a boil right away will defeat the purpose of FWH.

I would add the FWH after I you are through with the grains and make sure the temp is around 160-165, then allow to rest for 45 minutes, then bring wort to a boil and brew as normal.

 

[Calypso]

Is there a reason not to just add them into the bag while you're doing your mash? My last batch of IPA, I tossed them in at the same time as the grains. Still fermenting, so I can't tell you how it turned out.

 

[Clarke]

Is there a reason not to just add them into the bag while you're doing your mash? My last batch of IPA, I tossed them in at the same time as the grains. Still fermenting, so I can't tell you how it turned out.

not if that is what you choose to do, it is a legit technique:

http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/1122-mash-hopping-techniques

 

[Heavywalker]

Is there a reason not to just add them into the bag while you're doing your mash? My last batch of IPA, I tossed them in at the same time as the grains. Still fermenting, so I can't tell you how it turned out.

It would seem to me that once you remove your grains you will be removing the remaining hops as well. You wouldn't get the full 60 min boil and your utilization will not be nearly as good.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Adding them to the bag would probably be more akin to mash hopping. Adding them to the kettle while you mash would give you something more like FWHing.

 

[dobe12]

I BIAB, but also sparge in a second smaller pot. So, when my sparge is sitting for a few minutes, I toss my FWHops in the first runnings and get the flame going. After 5min or so, I pull the grain from the second/sparge pot and combine runnings. I then bring it all to boil. So my FWhops are sitting for about 20-25min or so, starting at 145-150F and up to a boil.

Personally, I don't FWH much any more. I haven't noticed a big difference in my beers with and with out. I much prefer a big hit of hops during the last 5-10min, a big addition at flame out, and a nice dry hop.

 

[Calypso]

Adding them to the bag would probably be more akin to mash hopping. Adding them to the kettle while you mash would give you something more like FWHing.

Ahh, good point, good point. I may try that next time, depending on how this IPA turns out.

 

[Zzyzx3]

I have been doing BIAB for about a year, and anytime I need to use first wort hops I do it as I am heating up the wort just after draining the bag. As long as you do it before the wort is boiling, you should be good to go. The BIAB method is really only different during the mash, but hop additions should be the same when comparing to other methods.