Hops in at start of boil... OR after hot break..?

[beergears]

As I prep for my second AG, I came to realize that some advocate adding first hops only after hot break, not at start of boil.

Did I miss something... or is there some margin here?

 

[The Pol]

I make my boil 75 minutes, add the hops at 60... I dont think there is a large problem with adding them earlier. Some will get stuck to the sides of the kettle after the foam subsides, but I cannot say it will affect the beer to much of a degree.

 

[Yooper]

I add mine after the hot break- for two reasons. One is sometimes I need to reduce the volume a bit, so I'll boil until I get to 6 gallons, and then start timing and adding the hops. The other reason is because I am using a 30 quart pot! I learned the hard way that if you add the hops before the hot break, you are 1000 times more likely to have a boilover! The hops (I'm talking pellets here) caused a huge amount of foamy head until after the hot break. If I had them after the hot break, no problem.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The potential issue with adding hops before the hot break is that they can bind with the proteins thus not allowing them to coagulate. It's a clear beer thing. If you aren't concerned about clear beer then no worries. If you are then it is suggested you do a 90 minute boil. 30 minutes for the break (skimmed out) and then 60 for the bittering.

 

[BierMuncher]

I used to add mine after the hot break began becuase I wanted to skim-the-scum to retard boil over. THen I would start my hops additions.


That has changed. I now First Wort Hop (FWH) all my full-boil hops additions. The flavor is smoother and beleive it or not, for some reason, FWH additions also retard boil overs.

There's something about steeping those bittering hops in the wort as it's draining into the pot that really "feels" right. It really locks in the aroma and flavor.

 

[tbone]

Maybe I am not thinking clearly but please explain what you mean by: "I now First Wort Hop (FWH) all my full-boil hops additions."

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Maybe I am not thinking clearly but please explain what you mean by: "I now First Wort Hop (FWH) all my full-boil hops additions."

He means that instead of waiting for the boil to happen to add his full-boil hops (60 min) addition, he adds then to the kettle during run-off from the mash.

 

[BrianP]

I also do the FWH option. Let me tell ya, it smells really nice when the first runnings hits the hops. I do have to watch the boil carefully up to the hot break and foam subsiding, since I only use a 30qt kettle.

 

[tbone]

Thanks. I looked it up before you guys answered and I am reading about it now. It is something that I will try.

 

[solidghost]

Do you guys boil the hops seperately? I have seen others boiling their bittering hops seperately from their wort, and then adding it to the wort before cooling.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

If you have enough head space in your boil kettle then it shouldn't be an issue to add them at 60 minutes. Technically I make my first edition between FWH and boil so it's something like PBH (pre-boil hops). Once my temp gets to 208 my first hop addition goes in and the timer doesn't start until I have my rolling boil exactly where I want it.

Since I started doing this I've yet to have a boil over (knock on wood). I thought about doing 90 min boils and starting hop additions at 60, but I hate using the propane. I burn through about 1.5-2 tanks a month as it is.