Harsh hop bitterness

[welly2]

Trying to get to the bottom of a bitterness issue I've been noticing in my beers. Read this on reddit and wondered if there's any truth to it:

"One thing I see a lot of with bad homebrew IPA is that guys will cold crash their carboys to get the hops to fall to the bottom before bottling/kegging. This will cause oxidation that can be perceived as excessive bitterness."

 

[welly2]

That was bitterness in the title.

 

[Yob]

Written vy whom based on what?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

"One thing I see a lot of with bad homebrew IPA is that guys will cold crash their carboys to get the hops to fall to the bottom before bottling/kegging. This will cause oxidation that can be perceived as excessive bitterness."

I call bullshit on that one.

Cold crashing wont affect oxidation

 

[Zorco]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/23h4ap/aftertaste_on_my_ipa_has_a_harsh_bitterness/

 

[Zorco]

I'm still going through the autopsy of my failed 40 litres of APA where my fridge chilled, warmed, chilled, warmed a few times. The change in air density would have effectively created a pump that would have caused air to come into the fermenter on the cool cycle and whatever CO2/air blend to be expelled on the warm cycle. Several cycles may have diluted my CO2 blanket and possibly the air inrush caused acetobacter to be given tickets to my ethanol.

I don't know if/how CO2 homogenises with air or if CO2 just blankets the beer still.

Only a hypothesis at this stage, but potentially a cause for O2 ingress into a fermenter upon cold crashing (of course depending on wort volume in the vessel, gas headspace and vessel geometry)

 

[Zorco]

I wanted to bump this one.

Any substance to this approach to the situation?

Welly, are you your hops fresh, aged, frozen?

 

[Patrick_BCB]

From the very few brews I have done I noticed an increase in bitterness when doing no-chill and not adjusting my in kettle hop addition schedule.

 

[indica86]

hat is a load of shit.
welly, post a recipe and method, that may help.

 

[wynnum1]

Could it be the water.

 

[manticle]

As much as I like the word vitrernest, I've edited the title for you.

 

[wynnum1]

As much as I like the word vitrernest, I've edited the title for you.

If you want to spell check use google.
Except if you have already used the word .

vitrernest
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/91017-harsh-hop-bitterness/

 

[TheWiggman]

I'm not a gun taster but I don't think I've ever mixed up oxidation with bitterness. Even what you're saying cosdog is a bit of a stretch (not having a go), because racking to a secondary is a common enough practice and there is a huge increase in oxygen exposure in doing so than leaving the beer in the primary. I've done it before and when done properly i.e. minimal disturbing, cold temps, hit of CO2 prior there is negligible impact on the flavour/longevity. Minimal sucking in from chilling... can't see it making a poofteenth of difference.
I feel like commenting on this is like commenting on a sensationalist headline and I feel guilty that I've been trolled.

 

[Matplat]

Even if you draw air in while cold crashing, CO2 is heavier than air so the CO2 blanket will still protect the beer....

 

[sp0rk]

Trying to get to the bottom of a bitterness issue I've been noticing in my beers. Read this on reddit and wondered if there's any truth to it:

"One thing I see a lot of with bad homebrew IPA is that guys will cold crash their carboys to get the hops to fall to the bottom before bottling/kegging. This will cause oxidation that can be perceived as excessive bitterness."

The bloke who wrote this claims he's been brewing professionally and at home for a decade
But his comments on Reddit make me question some of his advice...

 

[rude]

Could it be the water.

Im going with water as well but I have been going water mad lately

 

[Zorco]

I'm not a gun taster but I don't think I've ever mixed up oxidation with bitterness. Even what you're saying cosdog is a bit of a stretch (not having a go), because racking to a secondary is a common enough practice and there is a huge increase in oxygen exposure in doing so than leaving the beer in the primary. I've done it before and when done properly i.e. minimal disturbing, cold temps, hit of CO2 prior there is negligible impact on the flavour/longevity. Minimal sucking in from chilling... can't see it making a poofteenth of difference.
I feel like commenting on this is like commenting on a sensationalist headline and I feel guilty that I've been trolled.

It is a stretch..... I'm fishing. I think the cold crash cycling might have helped grubs get in. I'm not convinced it is a process that supports any meaningful oxidation for the OP.

Totally enjoy being told I'm wrong or off target - I'm a curious and life long learner.

 

[TheWiggman]

The bloke who wrote this claims he's been brewing professionally and at home for a decade
But his comments on Reddit make me question some of his advice...

The wonder of the internet. I'm actually an astronaut with 20 years' experience, been to space only 6 times but still know my stuff.

 

[welly2]

hat is a load of shit.
welly, post a recipe and method, that may help.

The beer in particular I was thinking about was a pretty simple pale ale. Hops were relatively new (frozen since I bought them a few months ago). Nothing too clever.


4.20 kg

Pale Malt, Traditional Ale (Joe White) (5.9 EBC)

Grain

1

350.0 g

Caramalt (Joe White) (49.2 EBC)

Grain

2

200.0 g

Crystal, Light (Simpsons) (80.0 EBC)

Grain

3

200.0 g

Munich Malt (17.7 EBC)

Grain

4

13.0 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.0%] - Boil 75 min

Hops

5

15.0 g

Amarillo Gold [8.5%] - Boil 30 min

Hops

6

15.0 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.0%] - Boil 30 min

Hops

7

1.32

Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15 min)

Misc

8

15.0 g

Amarillo Gold [8.5%] - Boil 0 min

Hops

9

15.0 g

Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.0%] - Boil 0 min

Hops

10

1 pkgs

US-05

Yeast

11

1.32 tsp

Yeast Nutrient

Misc

12

50.0 g

Cascade [5.5%] - Dry Hop 3 days

Hops

13









Maybe it was just me as everyone else seemed to enjoy it and drink it.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

It is a stretch..... I'm fishing. I think the cold crash cycling might have helped grubs get in. I'm not convinced it is a process that supports any meaningful oxidation for the OP.

Totally enjoy being told I'm wrong or off target - I'm a curious and life long learner.

If cold crashing my opinion is that it should be air tight so it doesn't draw in any air.
That also means the walls of a plastic fermenter will cave in when it contracts.
Added 2c I made Stainless Steal plugs that fit tight in the airlock grommet. 30mm long 10mm thick stainless round rod rounded off one end and polished. Oh the things we do....