Dry hopping problem

[Beerbuoy]

Just copied this from Brad Smiths article on dry hopping. I've also heard Jamil saying pellets are better in some of his podcasts.



"Which hops work best for dry hopping? There is consensus that pellet hops are the best choice for dry hopping. Pellet hops are pulverized before being molded into pellets which maximizes the area exposed to your beer and also helps break down the cell structure of the hops. This helps expose and transfer the fragile hop oils into your beer."

 

[minimalizarte]

FINALLY, after 3 more large batches and several weeks of fermentation I have come to the conclusion that the best way to maximize hop aroma is:

1) Wait until the beer is completely finished with fermentation (10 to 14 days)
2) Add 3 grams of hops for every liter. Fifty liters of beer needed 150 grams of hops to have a truly acceptable hop aroma. Less hops just won't cut it in my case.

The most probable cause for the aroma difference between the first experimental batch of IPA and the much larger batches of IPA was yeast interference and scrubbing. Recently, in a different batch where I added 2 grams of hops for every liter at flame out, I ended up with a beer that had zero hop aroma (using safale us-05). So this seems to be the most reasonable answer.

There is the possibility that the potency of leaf hops vs pellet hops could have been a factor, but as the potency of leaf hops decreases rapidly after opening a packet, the pellet hops are the best option all around (even if it means I have to add more of them for dry hopping). Making several hop additions did not improve the hop aroma, and the fermenting container type did not really change hop results. So I guess the best advice, like always, is to be patient

 

[minimalizarte]

#duh

 

[Spiesy]

Big generalisations there, mate.

Different yeasts will have a different effect, and at different stages of fermentation. A lot of brewers recommend adding hops around 2/3 of the way into fermentation, that way the yeast will eat the O2 that is introduced with the addition of the dry hops - less chance of oxidation.

Different hops into different beers/worts will require different quantities.

Ie. you wouldn't dry hop a lager with Galaxy at the same rate you might dry hop a IIPA with Cascade.

I'm finding, after a couple of recent lessons with Galaxy in particular, that dry hopping is a bit of a black art to perfect.

 

[Spiesy]

Btw. What are "leaf hops"?

 

[minimalizarte]

By leaf hops I mean whole hops. Since I have been living in Spain for the last ten years, I have gotten used to thinking of whole hops as leaf hops.

I admit that I am making some generalizations, but the original post was about IPAs with american ale yeast mostly on a 150 liter scale. I originally was from the school of adding hops at 2/3 the ways through as well, but my most recent efforts at reproducing a recipe on a larger scale has proven otherwise for me. I am sure for lagers it is a completely different process, though I don't think I have ever had a dry hopped lager in my life.

Interestingly, I have found that adding 1 gram of hops per liter at 2/3 the way through the fermentation gives an aroma that I generally associate with adding hops at flameout (on a 150 liter scale).

 

[Spiesy]

By leaf hops I mean whole hops. Since I have been living in Spain for the last ten years, I have gotten used to thinking of whole hops as leaf hops.

Sorry, I was being a smart-arse. Where about in Spain were you living?

I admit that I am making some generalizations, but the original post was about IPAs with american ale yeast mostly on a 150 liter scale. I originally was from the school of adding hops at 2/3 the ways through as well, but my most recent efforts at reproducing a recipe on a larger scale has proven otherwise for me. I am sure for lagers it is a completely different process, though I don't think I have ever had a dry hopped lager in my life.

Got you. Generally a lager wouldn't be dry-hopped, no. But who said rules have to be followed?

Interestingly, I have found that adding 1 gram of hops per liter at 2/3 the way through the fermentation gives an aroma that I generally associate with adding hops at flameout (on a 150 liter scale).

1g/L rarely does much for me either, to be honest. Although it does depend on what hop I use. Typically if I'm chasing aroma, I'll look at 2g/L - depending on the hop. I also get different results with the contact time and temperature of young beer when dry-hopping.

 

[minimalizarte]

Córdoba, a small city by Seville. I'm working with the new microbrewery that sprung up here, and this whole thread has been me trying to work out my dry hop scaling issues - because man, Spain desperately needs IPA.