Hops effect in Primary

[CarolusMag]

I have a concern about Hops. Should I boil them on brew day in a bag or dump straight in? Should I filter them out when pouring into the primary? I ask these because it seems every kit I brew turns out with more hop bitterness than the recipe claimed it to have. They are not ruined by any means...but I still think more bitter than intended.
I brew extract kits with specialty grains, premeasured hops. Most are 60 minute hop boils.

 

[IslandLizard]

Are you using recipe kits, or use and weigh your own hops for your own recipes?
What size batches?
How long do you boil?
How do you chill?

As long as the wort is boiling (or even kept above 140F) there will be bittering reactions, being the isomerization of the hops' Alpha Acids.

Is this a new thing happening or have they always been too bitter? Some (many?) people are very sensitive to (hop) bitterness and don't like it, or are not used to it.

 

[CarolusMag]

Are you using recipe kits, or use and weigh your own hops for your own recipes?
What size batches?
How long do you boil?
How do you chill?

As long as the wort is boiling (or even kept above 140F) there will be bittering reactions, being the isomerization of the hops' Alpha Acids.

Is this a new thing happening or have they always been too bitter? Some (many?) people are very sensitive to (hop) bitterness and don't like it, or are not used to it.

I should have been more clear. I edited my original post. I brew recipe kits that are extract with specialty grains. The Hops are always premeasured. I can drink IPAs and do not feel I am hop sensitive. My last English Brown was supposed to be 24 IBU ( i picked that so that my wife could drink it ) and it was more bitter than say a Sam Adams Boston Lager, which is 32 IBU. It was at a mild IPA level.. .I would guess in the low 40s of IBU.

The boils are 60 minutes and I follow the directions for the Hop additions. 2 to 3 weeks ( or more ) in the primary, and I do not cold crash. I put the hops directly in the boil and they also go into the fermenter

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks for the update and extra information!

Typically, 60' hops (bittering addition) have given most of their bitterness after 30-40' in the boil. So even in a 60' boil their IBU contribution will not increase all that much from the level achieved at 30' or 40'.

You may also enjoy higher bittering efficiency during the boil than the recipe anticipates.
Are you boiling full volume? When are you adding the extracts? What kind of water do you use?

But... flavor and aroma hops (late boil additions) will continue to isomerize as long as the wort remains above 160F. So chilling fast becomes crucial to prevent that extra bitterness from developing.

A good alternative to adding those late hop additions at the end of the boil is to add them as "whirlpool hops" (aka "hop stand" or "hop steep"). This addition is made when the wort has been chilled to 170-180F or perhaps even better, at 160F. The bittering reactions are far less at those reduced temps. A 10-15 minute hop stand with a good stir every 5 minutes, will extract flavor and aroma, while not adding much bitterness.

How long does it take you to chill from the boil to 160F? During that time bitterness will still increase.

Could you post or link to the recipe and brewing instructions?

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Hitting IBU targets with kettle hop additions is a bit like shooting flying ducks blind folded! If your kit beers are consistently too bitter for you, you have learned something useful and you can apply that learning to future beers. Don't use all the 60 minute hops at 60 minutes. Estimate a % reduction. See how that works.

 

[camonick]

If you don’t already use some kind of brewing software (even though you’re using kits) I would suggest considering it. You can plug in all the kit’s ingredients and see if it matches the predicted instructions. Kits use prepackaged amounts of hops for convenience. You can plug in the AA% and amount and adjust accordingly.

 

[glick]

If you’re not able to quickly chill your wort then you’re getting some ibus there. Using a hop spider and removing your hops at the end of the boil would help there.

 

[NSMikeD]

If you don’t already use some kind of brewing software (even though you’re using kits) I would suggest considering it. You can plug in all the kit’s ingredients and see if it matches the predicted instructions. Kits use prepackaged amounts of hops for convenience. You can plug in the AA% and amount and adjust accordingly.

^. This. You can compare the predicted IBUs from the software and note your own taste buds experience. If you find that the predicted IBUs are higher than what you like, you can then adjust the amount of hops you use to lower the IBIUs to a pint you like them. There is no law against using all the hops that come with a kit.

Brew software is really good at helping you gain consistency in your brewing and understanding how ingredients and techniques affect the final beer.

Keep in mind that IBUs are not the end all and be all when it comes to hops. They are far more complicated that simply AA acid and boil time. Brewers are experimenting with them every day and learning things we didn't know not too long ago.

 

[CarolusMag]

Thanks for the update and extra information!

Typically, 60' hops (bittering addition) have given most of their bitterness after 30-40' in the boil. So even in a 60' boil their IBU contribution will not increase all that much from the level achieved at 30' or 40'.

You may also enjoy higher bittering efficiency during the boil than the recipe anticipates.
Are you boiling full volume? When are you adding the extracts? What kind of water do you use?

But... flavor and aroma hops (late boil additions) will continue to isomerize as long as the wort remains above 160F. So chilling fast becomes crucial to prevent that extra bitterness from developing.

A good alternative to adding those late hop additions at the end of the boil is to add them as "whirlpool hops" (aka "hop stand" or "hop steep"). This addition is made when the wort has been chilled to 170-180F or perhaps even better, at 160F. The bittering reactions are far less at those reduced temps. A 10-15 minute hop stand with a good stir every 5 minutes, will extract flavor and aroma, while not adding much bitterness.

How long does it take you to chill from the boil to 160F? During that time bitterness will still increase.

Could you post or link to the recipe and brewing instructions?

I added a jpg of the brewing instructions to the original post. My past 2 recipes had no late editions...they were simple with just the original addition at the start of the boil. Though I have no wort chiller I boil 3 gallons and put my brew pot into an ice bath. I am not sure how long it takes to get below 160 but I would say less than 10 minutes.

 

[NSMikeD]

that recipe is for 23 IBUs and 1 oz of northern brewer shouldn't produce a noticeably bitter beer. Pick up a bottle of Sam Smith Nut Brown ale which is mildly bitter and compare to your brew. If Sam Smith seems overly bitter you you, then your taste buds have become sensitive to hop bitterness. Otherwise everything usggests your brewed a classic mildly bitter beer. Let's assume there was only one package of 1 oz hops in your kit.

 

[BeerHolic]

After many years of brewing I use my taste buds to gauge bitterness.
i.e. If a recipe called for 30IBU I will brew it for 40IBU, as 40IBU is equivalent to 30IBU for my taste.

 

[CarolusMag]

that recipe is for 23 IBUs and 1 oz of northern brewer shouldn't produce a noticeably bitter beer. Pick up a bottle of Sam Smith Nut Brown ale which is mildly bitter and compare to your brew. If Sam Smith seems overly bitter you you, then your taste buds have become sensitive to hop bitterness. Otherwise everything usggests your brewed a classic mildly bitter beer. Let's assume there was only one package of 1 oz hops in your kit.

No. I do not think that Sam Smith is bitter at all. I can usually enjoy IBU levels up to about 40...then I start thinking of anything above that as a sipping beer, not a all day drinker. Now you see why I am concerned. The only thing I am wondering at this point is if it is possible that my homebrew supplier had some 'prehopped' extract on hand and gave me some of that in addition to the hops. They are closed today but I am calling them tomorrow to see if that is possible. The Hefeweizen in my fermenter is due to be bottled this week and it is a Northern Brewer kit. I hope that one is not this way. Prosit!