I use a grainfather and side mangrove steel hop spider for hop additions. For IPA hop flame out or zero minute additions, is it advisable to dump out the hop spider and replace with flame out or zero minute hops? The wort will generally stay over 200F anyway for at least 20 minutes, so I have the time for the extra work. Moreover, I've read that a lower temp is better for these aroma/whirlpool hopping anyway. So, would it be best to let the wort get to around 195F and then add zero minute hop additions. Also, how low in temp should I let the wort go before chilling, if I go down this path - my grainfather gives me constant temp readings, so I know my temps. I've read don't let wort go below 175F before chilling. Generally I just throw everything cumulatively into the hop spider and don't overthink it. On the other hand, my tap water gets pretty warm in the summer, so letting the wort temp go down some, is an added benefit and is is much easier than pumping ice water through my chiller. I just don't want the wort to go below an advisable temp before chilling.
Hop stand and wort temp question
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I don't add whirlpool hops under 170, depending on what I'm doing I'll start my whirlpool at flame out, let it drop to 190 add hops and let the whirlpool go for 20 minutes and letting the temp drop naturally usually it will get down under 180 but not 170. Then I run it through my cfc to pitch temp. I'm not sure that answers your question entirely. I have read that ppl get different results from adding hops at different temps during the whirlpool process. If you can I would dump the hop spider before adding whirlpool hops.
Noob_Brewer
Well-Known Member
Just to clarify, when you state that you've read to stay above 175 before chilling, is this in referencing to maximizing the hops/aromas/flavor or were you referring to more of safety standards so you don't get any infections/bugs/etc? Ive only been brewing for almost two years and in the beginning I was Hop steeping at about 170-175, but for the past year Ive been hop steeping between 150-155 for my IPAs. I think my earlier beers were fine/ok but that was probably more to do with me learning the brewing ropes (I started with all-grain) and less to do with the temps tbh. Ive just stuck with 150-155 for hop steeping and like the results. I let me hops roam free with no spider or bag. Roaming free hops does result in a little more losses going into the fermenter but I like the end product better overall I think. I have a foundry and don't actually whirlpool either, I just use my IC to get it from boiling to 150-155 in about a minute or so and throw the hops in.
I dont use a hop spider or anything either hops just go in, but I do whirlpool and I'm doing 15 gallon batches so chilling it down below 170 is more time for me... well, I assume, i haven't tried whirlpooling with my cfc inline and dropping temp that way. maybe I should try 155 on a batch to see what it changes. Either way if the concern is infection and whatnot I wouldn't be concerned.
My overall thoughts are that differences in chilling from person to person and system to system is an area that has a significant impact on hop character but is not talked about much. For example, if you are adding flameout hops and letting them naturally cool down to 180F over 20 minutes, you will get a different impact than @Noob_Brewer who is using a chiller to get down to that temp. Your "flameout" addition might actually add the character of a 15 minute addition. I don't think there is a right or wrong way, but just something to take into account.
As far as dumping your hop spider goes...I doubt you would see much difference leaving in a 60 minute addition hops (and maybe even a 30 minute addition) but I would expect a difference between something like a 5 minute addition that is chilled quickly and one that chills over 20 minutes.
Personally, I don't typically use a hop spider or a hop bag. All my hops are in the kettle loose and I don't really have a way to take them out. I have tried naturally chilling down to a whirlpool temp, but found that it took too long and figured it would be too inconsistent depending on the ambient temps. So I typically use my immersion chiller to quickly get down to my whirlpool temps.
Temperatures are not so critical. Adding hops at the whirlpool stage will add a lot of flavor and aroma as long as the wort is “warm“. Home brewers love to over complicate everything. I am sure this is another one of those cases. Don’t overthink it. Add your whirlpool hops to your hop spider for a few minutes when the wort is “warm“, and you will be good to go. I promise.
McMullan
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I've dumped hops from my spider a few times to replenish it for a hop stand/whirlpool. I only use whole hops so the spider fills up surprisingly quickly, especially when brewing big batches:
I'd recommend trying to splice in a HopRocket into your set-up. That's how I managed to get away with not messing with a hot spider.
On temperature, I generally hold the hop stand or whirlpool at 80℃ (176℉). I've gone as low as 55℃, but didn't really note any difference one way or another. If you decide to go low it might be better to increase time, which I didn't. I used my normal 20 minutes.
temp concerns were for bugs, not hops
Noob_Brewer
Well-Known Member
OK, in that case, I really wouldn't worry one bit if the temp was below 175, or even 150-155 for that matter. I found this post really helpful to me by another HBTer in the anvil foundry thread: ANVIL FOUNDRY ALL-GRAIN BREWING SYSTEM
I since, looked up that information on my own to confirm as well. I know lots do WP at 160 and it a bug got in there at that temp - 15seconds is all it needs to be done. @145? 30 minutes. So I am careful when doing my hop steep at 150-155 i.e. I put foil over the kettle while the hops to their dance in the wort, I think to myself, if a fly or bug did a swan dive into my wort with 1 minute left in the hop stand at that temp, I'd simply wait a little longer prior to adding the immersion chiller lol.
If you read that post I linked here by Oginme, I would encourage you to also read down the thread for about 10-15 posts as there is some other good information related to temperature and pasteurization.
Cheers!
