Very, very little hop aroma. Confused. Ideas?

[ddemaagd]

So I brewed up a Three Floyds GumballHead Clone three weeks ago using this recipe:


Grain Bill (70% Efficiency assumed)

6 lbs. - Wheat Malt
5 lbs. - 2-Row Pale Malt
1 lb. - Caravienne Malt

Hop Schedule (27 IBU)

1/4 oz. - Amarillo - First Wort Hop
1/4 oz. - Amarillo - 60 min.
1/2 oz. - Amarillo - 15 min.
1.25 oz. - Amarillo - 5 min.
1 oz. - Amarillo - 1 min.
1.5 oz. - Amarillo - Dry Hop

My OG was around 1.060 and FG 1.018.

I am currently dry hopping 2oz of amarillo pellets in a sanitized paint strainer in the keg. It was in the primary for 2 weeks before these past week. I used store bought spring water, sanitize with recommended doses of iodine, cool with a counter flow chiller, and force carbonate in a keg. I smelled all the hops before using them, all are fresh and smell great. Yeast was Us-05

I have no idea why I have basically no hop aroma in this beer.

I tried doing research online and really couldn't come up with anything.

Does anyone have any ideas? I made an IPA which I also dry-hopped with 2 oz of centennial and that has limited aroma as well.


I'm truly baffled.

 

[jagg]

How long have the dry hops been in the keg?

 

[frazier]

And what is the carbonation like?

 

[humann_brewing]

I would blame the residual sweetness at a 1.018 FG. This is the reason why on average IPAs are dry to let the hops shine through better.

 

[ddemaagd]

How long have the dry hops been in the keg?

They have been in the keg for just over a week.

 

[ddemaagd]

And what is the carbonation like?

I've got the regular set to 12 PSI, it has been carbonating for 3 days I believe, so it isn't carbonated quite yet.

 

[ddemaagd]

Human- You may be on to something.

I also just thought of this. I took a peek inside the keg and the hop bag was just floating on top of the beer. The beer is being drawn in from the bottom, any chance that is where my problem is?? I know I've read on here about people sanitizing a marble and putting it in the hop bag...

Thanks guys.

 

[jagg]

Human- You may be on to something.

I also just thought of this. I took a peek inside the keg and the hop bag was just floating on top of the beer. The beer is being drawn in from the bottom, any chance that is where my problem is?? I know I've read on here about people sanitizing a marble and putting it in the hop bag...

Thanks guys.

You need to place something in the bag to weigh it down, as you mentioned, I use 5 of the large marbles, sanitized of course, and tie a piece of sanitized regular dental floss to the outside of the keg and let the marbles sink the hop bag, dont use mint or cinamon flavored floss. And 3 days is way to short of a time for you to get any hop aroma from the dry hops at serving temps, I read somewhere the perfect timing for a dry hopped cold keg is 23 days, and that seems about right to me, hope this helps and good luck.

 

[BierMuncher]

Get those hops submerged but just off the bottom of the legs.

 

[CPooley4]

Nice photos BM, always nice to get a visual on something. I typically dry hop in a secondary for two weeks prior to transferring to keg or bottle. Usually use a stainless steel knife in the bag to keep it down.

One question regarding your technique - What do you use the marbles if you already have it submerged by tying it down? Just insurance in case the tie doesn't hold?

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Remember too that some suggest dry-hopping at a temp of 68-72 degrees. if you are dry-hopping in a carbonated keg at serving temp you won't get the hop aroma so much as you will get hop-flavor.

Eastside

 

[BierMuncher]

Nice photos BM, always nice to get a visual on something. I typically dry hop in a secondary for two weeks prior to transferring to keg or bottle. Usually use a stainless steel knife in the bag to keep it down.

One question regarding your technique - What do you use the marbles if you already have it submerged by tying it down? Just insurance in case the tie doesn't hold?

The marbles make sure the bag is weighted down to just above the dip tube opening. (The optimal spot in my opinion) With out it..the hops bag will want to float upward and be suspended at about the halfway spot of the keg.

 

[CPooley4]

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.

 

[BrewNow]

Remember too that some suggest dry-hopping at a temp of 68-72 degrees. if you are dry-hopping in a carbonated keg at serving temp you won't get the hop aroma so much as you will get hop-flavor.

Eastside

Hi Eastside - Interesting point about the temps. I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with dry hopping at warm versus cooler (45-50) temperatures? My memory is fading but I do recall a recipe (perhaps Pliney?) where the 1st dump of dry hops is held at 68 for X days. The beer is then dropped to ~ 45F then dry hopped again for X days.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Hi Eastside - Interesting point about the temps. I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with dry hopping at warm versus cooler (45-50) temperatures? My memory is fading but I do recall a recipe (perhaps Pliney?) where the 1st dump of dry hops is held at 68 for X days. The beer is then dropped to ~ 45F then dry hopped again for X days.

Vinney from Russian River has talked about temp. I know for sure that he dry hops at 68, not sure about 2nd dry hop at 45. I know with Pliny, he is using hop oils to boost hop flavor. From what I heard he is making all of his own hop oils. I can't imagine the amount of beer loss there would be in getting all that hoppy goodness in Pliny and getting the beer as clean and crisp as it is!!

I know for me, dryhopping at 68-70 for 9-11 days gives me great aroma.

 

[Eastside Brewer]

I was thinking too that serving temp and glassware can effect the perception of hop aroma.

 

[ddemaagd]

Thanks everybody. I'm dry hopping in the fridge, so definitely not at 68 degrees. I also fermented around 64 or so, so the beer never got near the 68-72 mark. Next time I make this recipe I'll dry hop at a bit of a higher temp and see what difference that makes.

Thanks for the visuals on the marbles, it seems like getting those hops near the bottom will make a difference as well.