Hop Shot Only Beer

[aprichman]

Just placed an order from Yakima Valley and decided to grab a 3mL HopShot syringe and do an experimental beer with the only source of bitterness coming from the HopShot.

I'll be brewing a 2.5 gallon batch as usual. My goal is going to be to make a simple, light malt base and use a clean yeast so the HopShot can show through.

Right now I'm thinking of using the following recipe:

5.00 lbs Pale 2-row
0.33 lbs Caramunich II

Mash @ 151F for 60 minutes, Batch Sparge @ 168F, 60 minute boil

1mL HopShot @ 60 minutes
1mL HopShot @ 15 minutes
1mL HopShot @ 3 minutes

Pitch with Safale US-05 washed yeast, Primary fermentation only holding @ ~65F during active fermentation

Bottle & carb to 2.5 volumes of CO2


Has anyone tried anything like this before?

I should be brewing this April 11th - I'll try to keep the thread updated when I get things going to let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I look forward to seeing your results!

 

[BrewSRQ]

I'm interested too. The only thing I'd be worried about is the stuff not breaking down with the later additions. If I recall I saw a YouTube video where the guy added late and it all seemed to just stick to the immersion chiller.

 

[aprichman]

I'm interested too. The only thing I'd be worried about is the stuff not breaking down with the later additions. If I recall I saw a YouTube video where the guy added late and it all seemed to just stick to the immersion chiller.

I read this thread on beeradvocate that talked about kal having problems with it beading on the side of the kettle but the OP noted that he didn't notice any problems with the late additions.

I use an autosiphon to transfer cooled wort from a kettle to a carboy so hopefully it won't stick to my siphon/tubing

 

[A2HB]

Probably gonna taste very bitter but not much nuance. As stated this is a cool exbeeriment and willl be interesting to see your results

 

[Braufessor]

Cool experiment. I would also be curious about the hop shot beading up..... I have had that issue, even with early additions. Still find it sticking to kettle and immersion chiller..... Not that I would change any aspect of what you are doing. I would maybe even go with a lesser caramel malt than caramunich..... maybe caramel 20 or something even. Really interested in your findings though.
Be interesting to do a second beer, exactly the same but all 60 min. with the hop shot and then just do a big flameout addition (3 ounces or so) of your favorite flavor/aroma hop and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. See what that gives you as a comparison.

 

[JohnSand]

I'm interested too.

 

[Grannyknot]

I had read where the "hop shots" were made from oils extracted from CTZ hops.
Anyone know if that's true?

 

[bobbrews]

No point in using HopShot at 15 or 5 minutes left in the boil. This product is for bittering purposes only. Adding it at the 60 minute mark would be best.

Heady Topper is a HopShot only beer in a ways... The actual hops are all added post-boil.

 

[aprichman]

No point in using HopShot at 15 or 5 minutes left in the boil. This product is for bittering purposes only. Adding it at the 60 minute mark would be best.

Heady Topper is a HopShot only beer in a ways... The actual hops are all added post-boil.

CO2 extracted hop resin is supposed to be treated like leaf/pellet hops. I believe the process basically just strips all the oils (which contain the aroma and flavor compounds) from the leaf material.

This is in the directions:

"HopShot is CO2-extracted hop resin that can be used for bittering or late additions to boiling wort — treat it just like leaf or pellet hops added during the boil."


Appreciate the feedback so far. I'm going to create a lighter malt base by using 0.25 lbs Caramunich I and 0.25 lbs Carapils to supplement the 5lbs of 2-row. That should yield a beer with ~6.0 SRM.

 

[bobbrews]

CO2 extracted hop resin is supposed to be treated like leaf/pellet hops. I believe the process basically just strips all the oils (which contain the aroma and flavor compounds) from the leaf material.

This is in the directions:

"HopShot is CO2-extracted hop resin that can be used for bittering or late additions to boiling wort — treat it just like leaf or pellet hops added during the boil."

In terms of bittering, you can feasibly use it anywhere in the boil other than your first bittering charge. I'm not sure why you would want to use it as a late addition though, since HopShot is not going to do much in the way of adding flavor/aroma. Seems like a waste of money to use it anywhere else than your initial bittering charge.

 

[aprichman]

In terms of bittering, you can feasibly use it anywhere in the boil other than your first bittering charge. I'm not sure why you would want to use it as a late addition though, since HopShot is not going to do much in the way of adding flavor/aroma. Seems like a waste of money to use it anywhere else than your initial bittering charge.

Hop oil (made my a local brewery) I've gotten in the past has been extremely aromatic and I'm curious how that would translate into a finished beer. The HopShot was only $1.50 so it's a pretty cheap experiment.

 

[bobbrews]

Hop oil (made my a local brewery) I've gotten in the past has been extremely aromatic and I'm curious how that would translate into a finished beer. The HopShot was only $1.50 so it's a pretty cheap experiment.

Some vendors are producing concentrated, aromatic hop oils as well as CO2 Extracted HopShot, which is just liquid bitterness without the subtle flavors/aromas. As far as flavor/aroma goes, nothing beats the real thing IMO. However, HopShot is a fabulous product for obtaining blank bitterness.

Come to think of it, I believe Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter uses distilled hop oil concentrate. Again, that's a different product than HopShot.

 

[aprichman]

Hop Shot has arrived

 

[aprichman]

Decided to push this project forward ahead of schedule, will probably brew this today.

Decided to go with the following grain bill:


5.000 lbs Pale 2-Row
0.250 lbs Crystal 20
0.125 lbs Crystal 40
0.125 lbs Carafoam


I also realized I didn't have any washed yeast (outside of T-58) and the beer I'm bottling today is so heavily dry hopped I don't think I'll be able to wash/harvest the yeast. Picked up one of the last smack packs of Wyeast B15 at the store. B15 is the house yeast of Block 15 (a local brewery that's one of the best in Oregon, IMHO) - my LHBS put in a custom order for it. Figured I should use it and reharvest it before the last few smack packs were gone.

Here's a brief description of the yeast:

Block 15 Sticky Yeast is a proprietary strain banked by Wyeast. It is of English decent and when fermented at 68 degrees F. with a pitching rate of 1.5 million cells/ml/degree Plato (1.5 x 10’6) this yeast will fully attenuate the beer and leave a soft mouth feel with minimal ester production and gentle stone fruit notes. The Sticky Hands yeast does produce diacetyl and as a brewer you will need to manage your yeast to prevent this defect from flaring up with a 48 hour diacetyl rest.



Update: Just bottled a IIPA with this and it attenuated my beer from 1.071 down to 1.010 giving me 85% - a personal best

 

[aprichman]

Last update until bottling day. Started brewing way too late last night and didn't finish up until the wee hours of the morning.

Here's the final recipe I used:


5.000 lbs Pale 2-Row
0.250 lbs Carmel 20
0.125 lbs Carmel 40
0.125 lbs Carafoam

1mL Hopshot FWH
1mL Hopshot @ 20 minutes
1ml Hopshot @ 5 minutes

Mashed at 150F for 60 min, batch sparged at 170F for 10 min. Boiled for 60 minutes. OG 1.054

Pitched Wyeast B15 at 71F, cooled to 65F where it will be held for the next 3 weeks.


Sample tasted really good. Forgot to add irish moss and yeast nutrients at 10 minutes - doh! That's what I get for brewing after midnight :cross:

I'm going to brew another batch with the same grain bill and same IBU in a couple of weeks that uses CTZ pellet hops to compare against beer made exclusively with HopShot (supposedly a CTZ hop oil).

Didn't notice any hop oil residue on my kettle, however it looks like there is a small piece stuck to the side of my plastic BMB. Hopefully it will break down during active fermentation.

 

[aprichman]

Just bottled this and the results are a little disappointing - hop flavors didn't come through very well at all. The hydrometer sample I took fermented out to 1.010 but mainly tasted of malt. The beer also seemed much "thicker" than usual which was surprising because I mashed at 150F. I'm starting to wonder if hops play a role in the mouth feel of a finished beer.

I'm going to save final judgments until this one is carbed up but the general consensus that Hop Shot should be used as a bittering addition seems to be ringing true in this case.

 

[mauolaidom]

The only thing I'd be worried about is the stuff not breaking down with the later additions.

 

[aprichman]

The only thing I'd be worried about is the stuff not breaking down with the later additions.

Yeah some of it definitely did not break down all the way.

 

[aprichman]

After 6 days at room temp I popped one in the fridge this morning before heading out and poured it when I got home. Although the beer could still use a bit more time carbing up I think the results are clear.

My wife and I both agree that the beer has little if any perceivable hop qualities. I can sense a slight amount of bitterness that is very clean with very slight characters of citrus pith. I believe this is from the 1mL (in a 5 gallon batch this would be equal to 2mL) I added at 60 minutes.

The 15 minute and 3 minute additions did not provide any flavor or aroma qualities that were detectable, despite the directions which indicated to use it in the same way as pellet/leaf hops. A big factor to the lack of hop character from these additions could be explained by its inability to properly break down in 3 - 15 minutes. I noticed a small piece of visible HopShot residue in my primary so it obvious there were some issues with this.

The beer itself tastes a bit like a helles boch except the yeast threw off slighty fruity esters which makes for an ... odd beer which is probably being overly kind. Now I have a bunch of weird fruity malty beer I need to drink :smack:

 

[Owly055]

CO2 extracted hop resin is supposed to be treated like leaf/pellet hops. I believe the process basically just strips all the oils (which contain the aroma and flavor compounds) from the leaf material.

This is in the directions:

"HopShot is CO2-extracted hop resin that can be used for bittering or late additions to boiling wort — treat it just like leaf or pellet hops added during the boil."


Appreciate the feedback so far. I'm going to create a lighter malt base by using 0.25 lbs Caramunich I and 0.25 lbs Carapils to supplement the 5lbs of 2-row. That should yield a beer with ~6.0 SRM.

I agree with this......within reason.......... understanding a bit about the process. The process is going to extract all the oils with supercritical CO2 (Liquid CO2 under higher than normal temp and pressure). Instead of being able to manipulate the extraction based on when you add the hops, it's all there from the word go. Longer boiling will evaporate the flavor and aroma compounds, but not the alpha acids. Late additions will result in less loss of flavorants and aroma compounds, but the alphas will be there regardless...... At least that's my take.


H.W.

 

[Singletrack]

Thank you for sharing this aprichman.

Somehow I'm glad that this shows we should continue to use real hops. What's wrong with me? (Ease off, that was rhetorical.)

 

[slym2none]

Now I have a bunch of weird fruity malty beer I need to drink :smack:

I'll take a bottle!

:fro:

 

[JohnSand]

I have had success dry hopping in bottles. I made an IPA that I thought infected (I'd had a string of infected brews). Months later when I was dumping all my bad batches, those didn't gush. On tasting, they seemed fine, but the hops had faded. So I opened a few and added pellet hops (Centennial). Recapped, let sit for a week. It restored hop flavor, some bitterness. Not perfect, but much better than before. I used 1 gram/bottle, more will foam over on opening. I did some Fuggles in an Irish Red too. The Centennial was a little grassy. If the hops don't sink, tap the bottle neck after sealing.
Thanks for sharing your experiment. Let us know if you try mine.

 

[aprichman]

I have had success dry hopping in bottles. I made an IPA that I thought infected (I'd had a string of infected brews). Months later when I was dumping all my bad batches, those didn't gush. On tasting, they seemed fine, but the hops had faded. So I opened a few and added pellet hops (Centennial). Recapped, let sit for a week. It restored hop flavor, some bitterness. Not perfect, but much better than before. I used 1 gram/bottle, more will foam over on opening. I did some Fuggles in an Irish Red too. The Centennial was a little grassy. If the hops don't sink, tap the bottle neck after sealing.
Thanks for sharing your experiment. Let us know if you try mine.

I think I'm going to go ahead and try this for a good portion of the bottles - I'll probably save a couple and age them to see how this tastes in a few months - a few years.

My thought is to let them finish building carbonation (probably another few days to be on the safe side) and then let them chill for 72 hours to help "lock" the CO2 into the beer. After that I'm going to clean & sanitize my beer opener and drop 1 Columbus hop pellet in each 12oz and 2 pellets in each 22oz bottle. I'm wondering if I should leave the bottles at room temp for a few days before tossing them back in the fridge.

 

[JohnSand]

I left mine warm for about a week. I added much more than a pellet or two, but my beer was older. Try them a few at a time if you like, and adjust to taste. Let me know how it goes.

 

[slym2none]

I am gonna try this hopsperiment with a 12-pack of Miller High Life next weekend.

Wait, I need more hops first... damn.

 

[bobbrews]

Not that performing your own experiments is ever a bad thing, but I find that the descriptions for these hops, which are available all over the web, are very accurate and reliable. Your results will likely fall in line with what has already been reported about their character for many years.

What you will find more difficult is understanding how certain hop combos work together... and if they do, then in what ratio, at what time slot, and for what overall reciep design?