where are the hops

[BCbrewkid]

I have brew sever decently hoped recipes. The problem is that when I open the beer I cannot taste any of the hops. I follow the boil times exactly. Anyone have advice on what may be going wrong?

 

[Nugent]

Three questions that I can think to ask:

1. Are you not getting bitterness or hop flavour?

2. When are you adding your hops and in what proportions?

3. What is your brewing water like? The hardness/softness of your water can affect how much the hops shine through in the flavour.

Answering these questions will start the diagnosis, IMO.

 

[alexdagrate]

how would you define "decently hopped?"

some people think one ounce of hops in a beer is decent, some (myself included) think that's nothing. i often make 5 gal batches of IIPAs that have close to a pound of hops in them.

Post a recent recipe that disappointed you and maybe we can help you more.

 

[DrinkinSurfer]

i often make 5 gal batches of IIPAs that have close to a pound of hops in them.

Sir, I like your style.

 

[BCbrewkid]

both the bitterness and flavor hops
the recipe called for 2oz of bittering hops and 2 oz of flavoring hops
the water is very hard where i live

 

[samc]

If you don't give the recipe and your exact procedures it becomes a pretty tiresome guessing game for everyone.

I could say that when you dropped the hops into the boil you missed because you were drunk, but odds are it's something a bit more complex.

 

[david_42]

Very hard water is a problem. You should try bottled water for the next batch.

 

[pearlbeer]

Read this article on 'Getting Big Hop Flavors and Aromas'

http://www.mrmalty.com/late_hopping.htm


Also, I'm finding that aging IPAs reduces the hop flavor and aroma, but not the bitterness.

 

[kanzimonson]

How are you cooling your wort? I noticed improved hoppiness when I began using an immersion chiller.

Also, if I'm making a beer that I want someone to think of as a hoppy beer, I really load up on the 10 min, 0 min, and dry hops. I'm not big on 30 minute hop additions. Big in the beginning, big in the end.

 

[KevinW]

The longer hops boil the less aroma and flavor you will get.

Late hopping as kanzimonson said is your best bet unless you dry hop. Dry hopping will get you more flavor and aroma without bitterness but it is messy.

Of course, it also depends on the variety of hops you are using too!

A recipe/hops schedule would help!

 

[corbomite]

It would also be good to know what type of hops you are using. If they have a low alpha acid percentage you may need to try a different hop.

 

[winvarin]

Read this article on 'Getting Big Hop Flavors and Aromas'

http://www.mrmalty.com/late_hopping.htm


Also, I'm finding that aging IPAs reduces the hop flavor and aroma, but not the bitterness.

Awesome article. I am brewing a Pliny clone on Friday. But I think the Red clone recipie they give at the end of that article might find its way into my lineup as a nice late fall, early winter brew. Malt forward + hop forward = win

 

[pearlbeer]

I just brewed that Evil Red. It is aging, so I have not had the finished product, but it looks and smells (and okay..tastes) awesome.

 

[nyer]

Very hard water is a problem. You should try bottled water for the next batch.

I thought hard water was good for pale ales and IPA's. When I was using soft water I couldn't taste any hops either. I went to flying bison brewery and the brewer gave me gypsum to try and that solved the problem. I have since piped a line bypassing my softener giving me straight double filtered hard water and my IPA's have come out great.

 

[winvarin]

I thought hard water was good for pale ales and IPA's ... the brewer gave me gypsum to try and that solved the problem.

Yes and no. Hard water (i.e., water with hardness from calcium and to a lesser extent, magnesium) will definitely help the flavor of your beer. To accentuate the hop profile, a moderate amount of sulfate is OK as well, although excessive amounts should be avoided as the bitterness becomes "harsher" as the sulfate increases.

Alkalinity is something you have to watch out for. I have hard water that also happens to be very high in bicarbonates. I simply cannot put enough gypsum or calcium chloride in my water to reduce my alkalinity to the point that it does not throw my mash pH out of whack.

A fairly knowledgeable chemist on the brew science board helped me diagnose some of the issues I have had with using 100% house water in my beers. My dark beers had been "OK". My lighter (color and body) beers had been downright rough.

I've been experimenting with various levels of dilution (my water plus distilled) as well as the use of different brewing salts and the addition of small amounts of acidulated malt to bring my high alkalinity under control.

So far the results have been promising.

I have learned that mineral additions and water chemistry adjustments are definitely not a "one size fits all" venture. If you're going to be putting something into your brewing water, my suggestion is that:

1. You know what you water is like before any changes (i.e., get a water report)
2. You know why you're making a particular change (i.e., what do you expect to accomplish)
3. You know whether the adjustments you're making are appropriate for the beer you're making (i.e., will you inadvertently accentuate a mineral profile that you really don't want for that type of beer).

Read, read, and read some more. There are a number of fascinating threads on the Brew Science board (as well as some very smart and helpful brewer/scientists)

There are also a few helpful, relatively straightforward tools available that will help you get in the ballpark.

 

[Apendecto]

I just brewed that Evil Red. It is aging, so I have not had the finished product, but it looks and smells (and okay..tastes) awesome.

I made four similar hop burst recipes. Two of them didn't age well at all (cascade and amarillo) but the columbus and chinook faded great. There is no hop flavor at all after a few months from the cascade and amarillo.