Forgot To Boil Hops...

[drewba]

I picked up a pale ale extract and some nice cascade pellet hops and threw it all in the fermenter a day ago. I just realized I did not boil my hops with the wort. I am dry hopping about 2 ounces of the pellets in the fermenter, so my questions are:

1. Can I throw another ounce of hops in a bit of boiling water, then add that to the fermenter?
2. Could I remove the hops that are in the fermenter and use those in the boil?

I'm assuming these are both stupid questions, but I would like some bitter in my beer...so any suggestions are appreciated, thanks!

 

[TipsyDragon]

well if you boil then add the hops you will get a lower ABV and possibly an extremely high level of bitterness. the SG of the wort while boiling will affect the level of bitterness you get out the hops. the lower the SG the more bitterness you will get, the higher the SG the less bitterness you will get.

i wouldn't bother trying to pull out the hops that are in there now. personally i suggest not doing anything at all and chock this up to a learning experience. next time don't be in such a rush and make sure you follow the recipe better next time.

 

[s1080]

i wouldn't bother trying to pull out the hops that are in there now. personally i suggest not doing anything at all and chock this up to a learning experience. next time don't be in such a rush and make sure you follow the recipe better next time.

+1 to that. I would just save those hops for your next batch. The ones you in there now, sad to say, probably won't effect your beer at all. The CO2 being produced will more then likely take away any aroma giving quality.

 

[drewba]

thanks guys

 

[david_42]

If you didn't boil any hops, then you'll end up with a very odd beverage. I'd draw off a gallon of wort and boil the hops, then cool and add back into the fermenter. Even if fermentation has started, you won't lose much.

 

[drewba]

If you didn't boil any hops, then you'll end up with a very odd beverage. I'd draw off a gallon of wort and boil the hops, then cool and add back into the fermenter. Even if fermentation has started, you won't lose much.

if I do this, should I need to add more yeast?

 

[alek]

if I do this, should I need to add more yeast?

I don't think you would need more yeast as they will have multiplied enough in the fermentor.

 

[McKBrew]

It would be a guess, but you could also boil some hops in a small amount of water (couple of quarts), cool and add that to the fermenter.

 

[david_42]

No need for more yeast. In fact, the boiling will kill that portion of the yeast and the remaining yeast will feast on them.

 

[Retarded_Penguin_Brewing]

i'm going to play devils advocate and say don't do anything, just let it ferment out and see what it does and how it tastes and use it as a learning experience to see what happens. remember that hops didn't used to be in beer.

 

[boostsr20]

If you go the boil route (water or Wort) I would be careful not to boil too long. You won't want a full 60min boil, it will end up too bitter. I'd try something in the 20-30min range.

 

[Bensiff]

I would take the suggestion to draw off some wort and put your hops in and boil doing the hop additions your recipe calls for along the way. Since you will be boiling into much more concentration of wort your isomerization may suffer a little but oh well. I would then top up with sterilized water and add everything into the fermenter.

Without the bitterness you will have something that is not worth drinking, doing this might save it and worse case scenario you will be out some of the cheapest hops on the market right now.

 

[drewba]

I would take the suggestion to draw off some wort and put your hops in and boil doing the hop additions your recipe calls for along the way. Since you will be boiling into much more concentration of wort your isomerization may suffer a little but oh well. I would then top up with sterilized water and add everything into the fermenter.

Did this last night, boiled for about 25 minutes. I'll report back. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

[ChshreCat]

remember that hops didn't used to be in beer.

Yes, but other things were usually used instead to bitter it. Hops weren't added to exisitng beer. They replaced other ingredients because they worked better.