dry hopping a pilsner. turns out, bad idea

[commonlaw]

for some reason i thought it would be a good idea to dry hop the pilsner i was putting on for the superbowl. i got it into my head that the hop flavor would be gone so a little dry hop would do it good, especially since i had a ton of saaz still from hopsdirect. totally was not thinking about how delicate this style was. after a day of dry hopping i taste and the flavor is overwhelming. too flowery and grassy. did not think ahead. pilsners are supposed to be bracing and dry, and this one would have been but for the dry hop.

pulled the dry hop after 24 hours, but the damage is done. wish the guy at the LHBS hadn't been so nice in not saying anything when i said i was going to dry hop a pilsner, and had gently reminded me that it is not traditional and might not be a good idea.

the beer will be ok i guess, and the flavor will hopefully fade over time (too late for the super bowl tho). but it would have been way better with out the dry hop.

consider this a PSA--don't dry hop your pilsners!

 

[ChshreCat]

Is it kegged? If so, CO2 can scrub out aroma and some flavor. Leave your pressure as it is and pull the pressure release now and then. Might not be enough, but it might take a little out of it.

edit: actually, now that I think about it, you might need to move your gas to the liquid out for it to do anything. Then the CO2 bubbles through the beer each time.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I had the same experience long ago. Won't ever use Saaz for dry hops again.

 

[electric_beer]

I think Saaz was the biggest problem of the whole experience. Its a fantastic hop, but it is terrible to dry hop with! Lesson learned though I guess.

 

[krugulitis]

I think Saaz was the biggest problem of the whole experience. Its a fantastic hop, but it is terrible to dry hop with! Lesson learned though I guess.

I dry hopped my Belgian IPA with saaz and ahtanum and it turned out fantastic. What beer did you dry hop with saaz? I love the spicy character they have.

 

[2-0turbo]

I just late-hopped a pilsner, with only 1/2 ounce of Saaz at flameout in 10-liters, so I'm hoping I'll be okay. But, I'm curious how much you used and of course, I'll stay away from Saaz for dry hopping.

 

[krugulitis]

1 ounce saaz dry hopped, along with 1 oz ahtanum dry hopped for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[MattHollingsworth]

I just late-hopped a pilsner, with only 1/2 ounce of Saaz at flameout in 10-liters, so I'm hoping I'll be okay. But, I'm curious how much you used and of course, I'll stay away from Saaz for dry hopping.

You'll be fine with late hopping. The experience I had with dry hopping with saaz, though, was like getting a mouthful of grass clippings. Not for me.

 

[commonlaw]

I'm happy to report that the pilsner is much improved this morning. I still taste the dry hop, but it is not overpowering like it was last night. I think I got them out just in time, and it will probably continue to mellow. good thing i decided to stay up late and taste and check my carbonation, otherwise i would have been sucking grass.

2-0turbo, i agree with matt--late addition will be great. you get much different chemicals extracted during a dry hop than even a late hop addition.

I just don't think dry hop belongs in a pilsner--maybe saaz could be good dry hopped in another beer (perhaps something sweeter and with some other herbal flavors). But a pilsner needs to be clean, with great bitterness, and you want to taste the crisp malt not a crapload of hop oils. I knew this, but wasn't thinking when I started to dry hop. It's a good lesson tho.

 

[david_42]

Some styles just don't support high hop levels. A local pro made a Pilsner with all Saazer, heavy on the aromas, and it took 4-5 weeks to mellow. Next batch, he cut way back.

 

[ChshreCat]

that sounds really good to me, actually. Just not if I was wanting a traditional pilsner.

 

[HI_SALENITY]

I am lagering a pilsner now that has 5oz of Saaz in it and calls for 1/2oz in the secondary.
I am not sure if I want to add them or not. I thought about puting them in a removable bag and only leave in for 2 days.

 

[Ceg]

Great info!

 

[rebrandsoftware]

Thank you for the PSA! I just had the same hare-brained idea and it has been successfully averted!

 

[emsroth]

To revive this forum, I am trying to create what I'm calling an "old world IPA." What would my Eastern European ancestors drink if they had a hoppy ale.

Followed the classic German IPA recipe:
5 gallons
75% Pils
25% Munich
1oz Northern Brewer at 60
1oz each Hallertau, Hersbrucker, and Saaz at 15 and Flameout. All at 2.5% AA.

It...was okay but far from the hop bomb I wanted. I dry-hopped for 5 days with an ounce of whole flower Hallertau and Saaz. Bad idea. I'm not getting any grassy flavors but that flintstones vitamin taste I get from Motueka. I've read that's a Saaz relative.

Always try, but try in small batches.

Next attempt will be with goldings, Saaz, and Mount Rainier.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

To revive this forum, I am trying to create what I'm calling an "old world IPA." What would my Eastern European ancestors drink if they had a hoppy ale.

Followed the classic German IPA recipe:
5 gallons
75% Pils
25% Munich
1oz Northern Brewer at 60
1oz each Hallertau, Hersbrucker, and Saaz at 15 and Flameout. All at 2.5% AA.

It...was okay but far from the hop bomb I wanted. I dry-hopped for 5 days with an ounce of whole flower Hallertau and Saaz. Bad idea. I'm not getting any grassy flavors but that flintstones vitamin taste I get from Motueka. I've read that's a Saaz relative.

Always try, but try in small batches.

Next attempt will be with goldings, Saaz, and Mount Rainier.

Uh, what?

 

[saltymirv]

Uh, what?

Don't you remember Article IV Section 3.2b of the Reinheitsgebot? Thine shall hop das IPA with only noble hops. It dates back to the time when German sailors discovered America and met the Indians who shared the great spices we know and love today.

 

[emsroth]

Uh, what?

"Classic" in the sense that the formula has been tried before. True, there is nothing "I" or "A" about german hoppy beers, but it's the concept reaching beyond it's literal definition like "Black IPA" or "Belgian IPA."

Perhaps "Classic" in that I read a number of recipes before brewing and this seemed to be to style, like brewing a "classic" APA with cascade hops.

http://www.eckraus.com/blog/german-ipa-beer-recipe-all-grain-partial-mash