What causes the grassy flavors from Fresh hopes

[i4ourgot]

I want to make a beer using fresh hops but I am a little intimidated about making my beer taste like grass. I have definitely had some commercial beers with an intense grassy flavor before. If I add my wet hops towards the end of the boil I am worried it wont add the bitterness I need. I have also seen commercial breweries add fresh hops at first work and boil for 90 min but wouldn't that cause grassy flavors? What exactly is going on that causes the grassy flavors?

 

[Homercidal]

First, I think grassy flavors are part of the appeal of a fresh hop ale. It's really kind of the difference between using dried hops and wet hops.

I'm guessing that there is lot more chloroplasts in green hops than their dried counterparts. My imagination tells me that these chloroplasts contain the compounds that contribute grassy flavors and aroma to the beer when you dry hop with it (boiling with fresh hops is likely to not contribute much unless they are very late additions as the chloroplast flavors are readily boiled off.)

I've had a few fresh hopped beers and I find the fresh flavor interesting and I enjoy it. I think avoiding that part of the beer is like wanting to not have a fesh hopped ale.

 

[mwsenoj]

I had a super grassy double IPA about 5 years ago from Alpine Beer Co. outside of San Diego, CA, called Pure Hoppiness. I absolutely loved it, but it has not been grassy ever since that one time. I guess they have "cleaned up" their hopping process, but I kinda miss it even though it is a highly awarded IIPA. Go for the grass man, it's all natural!