Hop at 165F to maximize myrcene?

[wendelgee2]

Hey folks,
I was reading through Ray Daniels' book on designing great beer, and it was mentioning a) that there are a LOT of flavors and aromas attributable to myrcene and myrcene oxidation products and b) myrcene boils at 165 F.

So, wouldn't this argue for a late hop addition as the wort is chilling and hits 165, so you extract the myrcene but don't boil it off?? Like a really early dry hop?

Has anybody tried this?

Will the fermentation process just scrub away all of the deliciousness and make this bit of trickery moot?? I'm figuring there is a good risk of infection at that temp, so it'd be best to use some vodka (or whatever) to make a hop tonic.

What do you think?

Thanks.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I always thought Myrcene was undesirable

 

[wendelgee2]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Adhumulone#Adhumulone

Myrcene yields flavors that were not traditionally considered desirable by European brewers, and noble hops are very low in myrcene. However, many American hop varieties are very high in myrcene; it makes up up to 60% of total oil in Cascade and up to 70% in Amarillo. Also found in some citrus fruits, myrcene lends American hops many of their distinctive flavors.

When added late in, or after, the boil, myrcene adds the intense, pungent aroma associated with American dry-hopped beers. When boiled for longer periods, it yields the characteristic citrus and pine aromas of American craft beer.

 

[pjj2ba]

Use a hopback! Of course this doesn't really work if you use an immersion chiller. I've got a plate chiller and for some beers I use a hopback - no loss of aroma. It is a totally sealed process until it is chilled and goes into the carboy. I see no reason not to go ahead and wait until you are below 165F to toss the hops into your wort.

 

[menschmaschine]

I've been reading Fix lately. IIRC, myrcene = bad, humulene = good.

 

[niquejim]

My https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/fat-owl-pale-ale-55221/ is an adaptation of Bob G' Recipes and the temp drop and then the hop addition gives a different flavor than all the other beers I do. That's why I did my https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f63/rambler-owl-rye-amber-ale-59032/ the same way

 

[jrhammonds]

I've heard Stone Brewery does something similar to this, only they get the wort down to 140F and stabilize. You want to make sure that you are getting the temp below 160F ASAP as DMS compounds will form until the wort reaches below this temp. Good Luck!

 

[wendelgee2]

Use a hopback! Of course this doesn't really work if you use an immersion chiller. I've got a plate chiller and for some beers I use a hopback - no loss of aroma. It is a totally sealed process until it is chilled and goes into the carboy. I see no reason not to go ahead and wait until you are below 165F to toss the hops into your wort.

This is really good idea. I'm just starting out and don't have this equipment yet, but some day my Santa will come.

 

[niquejim]

I've heard Stone Brewery does something similar to this, only they get the wort down to 140F and stabilize. You want to make sure that you are getting the temp below 160F ASAP as DMS compounds will form until the wort reaches below this temp. Good Luck!

This is a copy of a commercial beer made from 94-98, no DMS in mine