Hops Additions 101

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

After a couple of years browsing around HBT, I have learned so much about how and when to use hops for different effects. I recently posted some hops advice on the forum and thought, "I wonder if I really have this right." It would be great to have a sort of "general guideline" for hops additions. Here's what I posted.

"The same hops at different times do different things. FWH hops give you a "smoother" more rounded bittering. Early addition hops (30+ min boil) give you mostly straight bittering with less flavor and little aroma. Late addition hops (15, 10, 5 min or FO) give you less bittering, more flavor and some aroma. Hop stand hops (steeped at 170F-140F) give the most flavor, good aroma and no bittering. Dry hops give you mostly aroma, a little flavor and no bittering. Mix and match these additions to suit your taste."

I understand that no single summary can cover all contingencies. I have also learned that very few questions on HBT have a single answer and that some answers are radically different than others. But, again, I'm thinking of just a general guideline - sort of a "hops compendium" that I have never found in a single forum thread.

So .... whaddya think?

 

[Talgrath]

That seems like a good idea, similar to the aging beer post at the top of this forum.

 

[les2point0]

I have gotten plenty of flavor from dry hopping so I disagree, but maybe my tongue is wrong.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

So much of flavor is tied to what we smell that it is hard sometimes for me to distinguish between the two. I agree that I seem to get some flavor from dry hopping. But the first time I did a hop stand, the flavor really jumped out at me more so than with just dry hopping. Maybe I'll need to try holding my nose while I try a dry-hopped-only beer vs one with a hop stand and see if there's a difference.