Dry Hopping and Aging

[frazier]

Conventional wisdom is that dry-hopped beers are best when young. Aging a beer reduces the effect of the flavors and aromas. So, barleywines, Imperial stouts, and lagers of course, never get dry-hopped.

So, what's to stop anyone from lagering a beer for a few months, or aging a barleywine for a year, then dry-hopping it, and bottling a week later? Has anyone tried this?

 

[youreanimpulse]

This is common in sours and Brett beers where you want hop character but time or microbe sensitivity gets in the way. Age it, then dry hop. I believe IPLs use a similar technique as well.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Where do you get that barley wines, RISs, and lagers are never dry hopped? There are plenty of counterexamples to that claim.

But, your question about bulk aging before dry hopping and packaging is a good one. That's a fine solution to the problem of reduced hop aroma and flavor in these beers.

 

[frazier]

Where do you get that barley wines, RISs, and lagers are never dry hopped? There are plenty of counterexamples to that claim.

I guess I did make that claim. Should not have said 'never'. Better to say, I haven't commonly heard of it in recipes. I did have the Sam Adams IPL recently- not really impressed, but it got me thinking.

But, your question about bulk aging before dry hopping and packaging is a good one. That's a fine solution to the problem of reduced hop aroma and flavor in these beers.

So, have you tried it? I want to know if I can copyright the term, "frazier hopping".

Cheers,

 

[GuldTuborg]

I think it's pretty common, actually. American style barley wines and Bohemian pilsners are nearly always dry hopped, for example.

Anyway, that's not really the most important issue. The thing to take away from this is bulk aging prior to dry hopping is a great idea if you want the best of both worlds. Just don't age too long, or all those flavor additions may fade and oxidize, too.

I have tried this, and it works just fine. You can't copyright a term, but you might be able to try for a trademark. No harm in giving it a shot.

 

[frazier]

Well, it's starting to look like a brilliant idea that lots of people thought of before me.

Thanks for the feedback!

Cheers,