What have I done to my hops?

nightcelt · Mar 6, 2012

So, I brewed an IPA yesterday, my first using a lot of Citra, 6 oz. in the last 15 minutes. I let the pot sit for 15 minutes to let the last 2 ounces of Citra steep, then turned on the immersion chiller. I walked away for a couple of minutes and returned to find one of the hoses had come loose enough to squirt a spray of tap water right into the brew pot. I knew the chlorine would kill my yeast so I stopped everything and brought the pot laboriously back to a low boil for 15 minutes hoping to boil off the chlorine. Then I cooled it again (this time tightening the straps on the chiller hose), pitched my yeast and got it in the fermenter. The yeast apparently fared none the worse. I had a vigorous fermentation within 12 hours.

My question: What have I done to my hops? I imagine all those lovely essential Citra hop oils boiled off and I've got a batch of beer that more bitter than usual. No catastrophe but a goof nonetheless. Any insights from the wiser heads here? Thanks!

brewit2it · Mar 6, 2012

The amount of Chlorine would have no impact on your yeast. In fact, yeast will ferment fine in city tap water. The reason to try to minimize the amount of chloramine in your brew water is for taste, not because of the microbiostatic effects of the amount in tap water.

You pretty much boiled off some of or most of your hop aroma. Sounds like it was going to be a hop bomb, now it's going to be a bitter bit*ch

You can dry hop it to get back some aroma.

nightcelt · Mar 6, 2012

Another misbelief shot to perdition

Thanks! And yes, I'm dry hopping with another couple of ounces of Citra, but I'll bet you're right. I blew it on late addition flavoring....

brewit2it · Mar 6, 2012

nightcelt said:
Another misbelief shot to perdition Thanks! And yes, I'm dry hopping with another couple of ounces of Citra, but I'll bet you're right. I blew it on late addition flavoring....

What's your target ABV? I assume it's a pretty big ale considering how much hops you were using so it will probably be great. You can call it Hose Squirt IPA