Hop Question - Preserving power

[jiffybrew]

If you visit this forum then i'm sure you're aware that hops are a natural preservative in beer. But what specifically is in those hops that that make it a preservative? Does it have to do with the alpha acidity? Moreover, would hops that have a higher AA, such as simcoe, have a greater ability to preserve beer then say saaz? I'm wondering too because i'd like to make a hop tea in advance and add to my beer when i want a punch in hop aroma.

 

[TheCarnie]

I did this with some bittering hops. Just boiled chinook hops in water, and added the hop water later on. It turned out horrible, a completely different flavor that boiling it with the wort.

 

[ACbrewer]

Austin home brew (see venders forum) is selling a 1 liter french (coffee) press to use with hops. Reading through their description, I understood it to suggest that on brew day you get your wort boiling put your bittering hops in the press, pour in some wort. Press down the hops and pour the top off into a holding container.

Then you take your press (with the hops in the bottom) and add those hops to your pot for your boil. With about 15 mins left take the holding container and pour into beer . This takes the flavor chemicals out and doesn't drive them off with along boil.

Now is this of any use? I've no idea. I've not tried making 2 beers one with this method and one with out. Another suggestion I've seen is if you are an extract brewer keeping most of your extract out until the last 10 mins can improve your hop extraction and bitterness.

Speaking of bitterness and preservation the two are not related. The Belgium lambics use old hops which the Alpha Acid has 'departed' (broken down? evaportated? not there?) but they still have a preservative quality against most wild yeast.

Based on the first post I'm guessing you are trying to pre do your hops and save some time brewing? Or perhaps you want to add a 'hop shot' to your beer as you drink. For adding a hop shot to your beer, I recommend DogFish Ales "Randal the Enamal Animal" (link http://www.dogfish.com/company/tangents/randall-the-enamel-animal.htm).

It is a hop infusion system for beer, you put beer in, it goes through a chamber with hops and then filtered and comes out with extra hoppiness. Although it looks like A) you have to have to be using a keg and B) you'd loose something in system.

Maybe pouring some beer into the french press with hops in it an then pour off again would do the same trick, but I wonder about CO2 levels.

 

[jiffybrew]

Austin home brew (see venders forum) is selling a 1 liter french (coffee) press to use with hops. Reading through their description, I understood it to suggest that on brew day you get your wort boiling put your bittering hops in the press, pour in some wort. Press down the hops and pour the top off into a holding container.

Then you take your press (with the hops in the bottom) and add those hops to your pot for your boil. With about 15 mins left take the holding container and pour into beer . This takes the flavor chemicals out and doesn't drive them off with along boil.

Now is this of any use? I've no idea. I've not tried making 2 beers one with this method and one with out. Another suggestion I've seen is if you are an extract brewer keeping most of your extract out until the last 10 mins can improve your hop extraction and bitterness.

Speaking of bitterness and preservation the two are not related. The Belgium lambics use old hops which the Alpha Acid has 'departed' (broken down? evaportated? not there?) but they still have a preservative quality against most wild yeast.

Based on the first post I'm guessing you are trying to pre do your hops and save some time brewing? Or perhaps you want to add a 'hop shot' to your beer as you drink. For adding a hop shot to your beer, I recommend DogFish Ales "Randal the Enamal Animal" (link http://www.dogfish.com/company/tangents/randall-the-enamel-animal.htm).

It is a hop infusion system for beer, you put beer in, it goes through a chamber with hops and then filtered and comes out with extra hoppiness. Although it looks like A) you have to have to be using a keg and B) you'd loose something in system.

Maybe pouring some beer into the french press with hops in it an then pour off again would do the same trick, but I wonder about CO2 levels.

The New Randal Look awesome. Didn't realize they made an improvement on it.

I was thinking to save the hops after the french press tea extraction. Somewhere i read that you can still utilize the hops remaining in the french press. As for the tea i was thinking to bottle it and utilize the eat at bottling time for that extra hop aroma. My thoughts are that it would probably stay fresh but who knows until you really try it.

So is the preserving power of hops in the alpha acid or in other parts of the hop. Or a combination of both?

 

[ACbrewer]

Well now that you've described what you are doing.

Anything kept beyond brew day should be refregerated or frozen. I'd used a 'hot' refrigeration meaning as quickly as possible into the fridge or freezer to prevent any possible contamination. Also the aroma comes off first, so that is going to be in the 'pressed' wort. The remaining hops are going to have the flavoring and bittering (primarily).

Freshness - depends on how long you go from brew to bottle.2 weeks in the fridge sealed? maybe 4 weeks fridge or freezer? begining to push your luck.

Preserving power in teh alpha acid or other part? I'd bank other part see the lambic forum for discussions on the Belgiums using old hops in their open air fermentors. But it could be both.