Whirlpool hops question.

[Ragman]

I have been using a whirlpool wand to add whirlpool hops after boiling the wort. I dont do it to create a trub cone or anything just to add more flavor to the wort.

Question is, how important is it to get the temp down as quickly as possible to 170 to add my hops. - I mean thats the temp I would like to add my hops at to avoid bitterness.

I could just cut the heat and start the whirlpool wand and wait for the circulation of the water to bring the temp down to 170 then kick the heat back on low to keep it at 170 for 10-20 min or I could put my chiller in the kettle and more rapidly bring the temp down to 170 and again once i hit it - turn the heat back on to keep it there.

Am I over analyzing it? Will it make that much of a difference?

 

[VikeMan]

Ideally, you want to temp to come down as fast as possible, because otherwise the high temps could allow the formation of DMS (from residual SMM, its precursor) that isn't going to boil away.

Also, FWIW, bittering (alpha acid isomerization) doesn't "stop" at 170 degrees, but the lower the temp, the slower it happens. That said, there are good reasons to find your ideal whirlpool temperature (e.g. aroma compound dissolution vs evaporation tradeoff sweet spot) and 170 may be great for your beers.