Dry-hopping mega-swill stubbies for testing hops

[angus_grant]

I read a very interesting blog post by Scott from Bertus Brewery, guy from the US. He did some dry-hopping tests with Bud Light which apparently is a fairly neutral tasting beer. This way he could test out hops, hop combinations and new hops and not have to brew an entire batch of beer. Just drop in a few pellets into the bottle and re-cap, leave them for 3-4 days, cold crash, and drink away.

http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2013/03/dry-hopped-bud-light.html

Simply ingenious and ingeniously simple!

I am thinking Corona for testing as it is fairly bland. Any other suggestions?

 

[stakka82]

Dry hopping isn't really going to give full insight as to how the hop will taste as a boil addition IMO

 

[tricache]

Corona is a winner! I have done it a few times (had extra Coronas left behind by friends ect) and I found using a coffee plunger technique works well. Put a few hop pellets and some boiling water in the plunger and then do the usual you would do with a coffee but put it in the fridge and cool it down (usually down the night before) and then pour the megaswill into a glass and then add some of the cooled liquid.

As stakka82 said, you won't get the full effect of the hops but you still get a good idea of what it will do aroma and flavour wise.

 

[angus_grant]

Nope, sure won't but will give you a basic indication of how these things taste, how the tastes combine, etc.

Given that I have brewed with Citra, Galaxy, and about 3 other hops, I know very little about how other hops taste, how these hops will taste in combination. A nice quick and cheap way to get a basic idea on the taste and if a combination will work or taste like crapola.

To my pallet:
Citra = passionfruit
Cascade = frapefruit
Too much Cascade tastes like grass
Amarillo tastes like stonefruit
etc
etc

Dry-hopping individual hops will allow me to get more of an idea on the individual taste of the hop and how they work in combination with other hops. For cheap because I don't have to brew a full batch and then realise that big late additions of nugget are not a good thing (not that I have done this or even know if it is a bad thing but just an example) A nice way of quickly experimenting.

Cause my pallet is different to everyone else's pallet. It's special and unique!!

 

[bradsbrew]

To my pallet:
Citra = passionfruit
Cascade = frapefruit
Too much Cascade tastes like grass
Amarillo tastes like stonefruit

For me too much cascade late by itself tastes like musk sticks.

 

[manticle]

I love frapefruit.

 

[GalBrew]

I would use Hahn Super Dry. Corona is too corny. Super dry tastes like nothing......perfect!

 

[angus_grant]

Frapefruit is an ancient stone fruit grown and cultivated by the Druids of the great pebble circle of armidale. It was used in quite a few of their highly secret ceremonies as a door stop. As such it had gradually evolved to taste like men's shoes.

As manticle knows.

Hahn super dry may be a good choice.

I suppose this testing is really only an indicator of late addition or more realistically dry or keg hopping outcome.

 

[manticle]

There are some very clean beers out there but you are tasting hops, not taints so any of these pale lagers mentioned will be sufficient. Corona, bud, barvaria, whatever. Good idea. Even basic hop teas can be good.

I love men's shoes too.

 

[lukiferj]

Interesting idea. I have read a fair bit about different hops/tastes. Unfortunately (or fortunately) everyone's palate is very different. Only way to find what you like is to test it for yourself. Certainly not an ideal method but relatively cheap and nasty

 

[pk.sax]

I remember finding a SN torpedo pretty muted in hop flavour compared to the bitterness. A pellet of motueka freshened it up insanely.

Ik it's not exactly what you asked but fairly bitter beers with no/low hop flavour and taste (lost in transit?!) can be a good base to test what the flavour will taste like against decent bitterness.

 

[Draughton]

I've done this with xxxx. Less is more

 

[bum]

I hear that making beer with hops is a good way to find out how they taste.

 

[manticle]

I hear adding loads of sugar to a bottle is a good way of testing its pressure.

 

[bum]

I hear, well, not much. I have a bad cold and my ears are full of MUCUS.

 

[manticle]

I have a shoulder injury. Let us both recuperate as best we can.

 

[bum]

Self-medicating as we speak.

 

[Tex083]

I hear Mikkeller makes a single hop IPA range great way of testing hops.
Only $8 each what a bargain. But is. Really nice beer.