Why don't my hops pop?

[SpeedYellow]

Looking at that recipe, some hops at flameout would get you a hoppier profile. You could simply move all those boil hops to flameout; it may not be a great clone but it would probably be a better IPA.

 

[cyanmonkey]

Looking at that recipe, some hops at flameout would get you a hoppier profile. You could simply move all those boil hops to flameout; it may not be a great clone but it would probably be a better IPA.

I don't disagree and planned on doing just that, but it was a recipe with several positive reviews and ultimately I decided I should just stick to it.

 

[SpeedYellow]

I don't disagree and planned on doing just that, but it was a recipe with several positive reviews and ultimately I decided I should just stick to it.

Well then this could be a good learning experience for you to decide if you prefer early or late hopping. Personally, I like my IPAs to use late hops, as I find bitter beers (I.e. lots of early boil hops) to be cloying and difficult to drink. Late hopping (flameout and dry) is a very different hop experience. Judging by your comments, you may have the same preference.

 

[cyanmonkey]

Well then this could be a good learning experience for you to decide if you prefer early or late hopping. Personally, I like my IPAs to use late hops, as I find bitter beers (I.e. lots of early boil hops) to be cloying and difficult to drink. Late hopping (flameout and dry) is a very different hop experience. Judging by your comments, you may have the same preference.

Yes. I'm doing a pale this weekend and I'm doing my bittering at 60 and doing my next additions at 10 and 5. Thinking about doing a hop stand now...

 

[m00ps]

I agree that the 45 and 30min additions are pointless. Just like up the 60min to 1oz and save those hops for flameout. Once you hopstand youll never go back

 

[JKaranka]

It's likely to be the water profile. With the right amount of gypsum in my water beer with no late additions has a subtle hop profile that "pops". I used to chuck in more late hops when I did not correct for water and ended up with 'hop soup'. Now for some beers I don't even bother with dry hopping and I'm much more pleased with it.

 

[user 204491]

What you linked isn't a CO2 purging system. What you linked minimizes oxygen exposure to the beer. However, air (and thus oxygen) is still introduced into the system. Whatever volume of liquid you remove, an equal amount of air will occupy the space taken by the fluid removed. I'm not saying this isn't a great idea, because it is, but it is not a CO2 purging system.

I purge all of my fermenters with CO2 whenever I move them, take samples, etc. What I do is shut off gas going to my extra kegerator CO2 line with an in-line shutoff valve. Then I remove the ball lock quick release from the extra CO2 line. Then I sanitize the line and put it into the headspace of fermenter and turn it on. I leave it running for long enough that I'm confident I've pushed out any air that made its way into the fermenter.

Sorry, I don't understand. We do the exact same thing, only I have a dedicated CO2 tank for this and no kegging system...

When I take a gravity sample, for example, I remove just the airlock cap and use my sampling syringe. Meanwhile the metal tube for my CO2 system is soaking in my Star San bucket. As soon as I get my sample, I put the metal tube from the CO2 system into the hole in the airlock, crank the CO2 up, and let it run usually for about a minute or two until the gas coming out of the airlock starts to burn my nose, indicating a near pure CO2 environment, and then I quickly withdraw the tube and place the cap back on the airlock.

I do the same thing when I dry hop.

On bottling day, I have a hole in the lid for my bottling bucket that is just wide enough for my 3/8" hose to fit in. After sanitizing the bottling bucket, I basically repeat the procedure above, and only after the bucket is completely full with CO2 do I drain from my fermenter into the bottling bucket, through the hole I just removed the CO2 wand from.

Just to be clear there are two things in the thread I linked:

1) A sampling syringe
2) A CO2 purging system

It sounds like maybe you only read the sampling syringe part?

Specifically, please see this post, which has an excellent video on the CO2 purging wand:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=6823324&postcount=14

Also, I use both the syringe and the purge wand.

 

[max384]

Sorry, I don't understand. We do the exact same thing, only I have a dedicated CO2 tank for this and no kegging system...

When I take a gravity sample, for example, I remove just the airlock cap and use my sampling syringe. Meanwhile the metal tube for my CO2 system is soaking in my Star San bucket. As soon as I get my sample, I put the metal tube from the CO2 system into the hole in the airlock, crank the CO2 up, and let it run usually for about a minute or two until the gas coming out of the airlock starts to burn my nose, indicating a near pure CO2 environment, and then I quickly withdraw the tube and place the cap back on the airlock.

I do the same thing when I dry hop.

On bottling day, I have a hole in the lid for my bottling bucket that is just wide enough for my 3/8" hose to fit in. After sanitizing the bottling bucket, I basically repeat the procedure above, and only after the bucket is completely full with CO2 do I drain from my fermenter into the bottling bucket, through the hole I just removed the CO2 wand from.

Just to be clear there are two things in the thread I linked:

1) A sampling syringe
2) A CO2 purging system

It sounds like maybe you only read the sampling syringe part?

Specifically, please see this post, which has an excellent video on the CO2 purging wand:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=6823324&postcount=14

Also, I use both the syringe and the purge wand.

Oh, I see. I didn't read through the thread that you posted. I thought it was only the original post with the syringe.

 

[davemattb]

From bells site...

Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.

I've made it several times and had this exact issue with mine. You need to up the late additions! Whirlpool hops is a great strategy for me. I think your grain bill looks good. Make sure you're culturing bells yeast.

 

[cyanmonkey]

From bells site...

Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.

I've made it several times and had this exact issue with mine. You need to up the late additions! Whirlpool hops is a great strategy for me. I think your grain bill looks good. Make sure you're culturing bells yeast.

I wanted to but time constraints only allowed me to use yeast I had banked and it was only S-04 at the time. It still turned out good, just a little English.

 

[davemattb]

There's always next batch! Lord knows I've made my clone enough times...

 

[cyanmonkey]

Next batch is APA. I plan on getting my sulfates up and doing a hop stand! Love you guys, HBT!