How many hours of light does it take to noticeably skunk hops?

[NitrouStang96]

Just wondering! I had a bunch of hops in my sampler tube of wort for my hydro sample, and after 36 hours of sitting out in the kitchen i thought I smelled some skunkiness as I poured it down the drain. I wish I hadn't poured it out - I really wanted a second whiff to tell if my nose was tricking me or not.

 

[TexLaw]

Only isomerized alpha acids contribute to that skunkiness, and it only takes minutes in direct sunlight. I've never actually sat around and timed anything else.


TL

 

[NitrouStang96]

Minutes?! I really need to change my practices then. I frequently visit my brew room with the lights on where my glass carboys are fermenting all my brew. I'd say my brews have been subject to many hours of fluorescent light by the time they are consumed.

Also... isomerized?

 

[Professor Frink]

I don't know if flourescent light can isomerize hops as quickly as UV, if at all.

 

[NitrouStang96]

Well, probably not, but I might as well figure out a way of keeping the carboys in the dark.

 

[Professor Frink]

A black t-shirt over the carboy works great.

 

[zoebisch01]

Ok, I'll tell my story again . Summer this past year, July 4th. I poured up a nice Hefe for my brother and myself. Ahh refreshing, the grill is hot, the sun is bright, the beer is....skunked!?! Literally under 10 minutes in the sun. FAST. It all depends on the style and the hop rate as to the how intense it will get I believe.

 

[BierMuncher]

This was a low hopped ale (no real aroma or flavor additions).

It took 20 minutes in the sun to get them to that "St. Pauli Girl" level.

And yes...I did it on purpose.

Dad lived for Lowenbrau (sp) in the old days. This turned out to be a dead ringer with that skunkiness.

 

[Donasay]

The guys on the basic brewing podcast did a skunk test and it took less than 15 minutes for a beer in a clear glass to skunk in direct sunlight. Flourecent or incandescent bulbs are not as harsh but will skunk beer over time. I also reccomend the t-shirt trick, even a white t-shirt will do a decent job.

 

[NitrouStang96]

All I can say is WOW! I thought that my bottled beer might have an off flavor after a week or so of sitting in a sometimes lit room. Even if the skunking is considerably less than direct sunlight... just wow.

 

[missing link]

All I can say is WOW! I thought that my bottled beer might have an off flavor after a week or so of sitting in a sometimes lit room. Even if the skunking is considerably less than direct sunlight... just wow.

I got a Bell's Oberon draft while sitting on the patio at one of our favorite places. First sip seemed fine, second sip tasted strange, asked the wife to taste, she says ya it is weird, gives it back and I try again- almost skunky. I mention it to the waitress and she comes back telling me the sun does it fast. I didn't beleive her. Now I guess I owe an apology for talking badly behind her back!!!