Hop Additions - Help For A Newbie

[benh82]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to ask such a basic question but have tried to find the answer myself and I just can't seem to track it down.

Am putting down Dr Smurto's JSGA clone on the weekend. To refresh you all, recipe is as follows:

1 tin Coopers Sparkling ale
1 tin Coopers wheat malt extract
20g amarillo @ 10, 5 and dry hop
US56

This will be my first brew any more advanced than Kit + dex or kit + be1/2...

As such, I have a few questions -

1. I believe that I need to boil the wheat malt extract - can anyone advise for how long and in what volume of water?
2. In respect of the hop additions, I know that the recipe calls for 20g additions of amarillo @ 10 mins, 5 mins and dry hopped in the fermenter - can someone please advise if they can be added to the same pot as the LME, and if so, should I buy a dedicated hop bag or can I just dump them in and then strain the wort on the way in to the fermenter? If the latter is correct, how do I strain out the 20g that's been dry hopped when bottling?

Thanks guys - I know you'll set me on the right track!

 

[Pennywise]

You'd only need to boil the liquid extract for the length of the hop additions. I wouldn't worry about straining the hops, they'll settle out in the fermenter

 

[mfdu]

when i strain the hops, it doesn't come out as hoppy as i'd planned. i reckon the brew needs the bits in there with it to properly absorb and make that hoppy goodness happen.
(need to dry-hop the current batch, as the 10min boil w/20g galaxy / 20g amorillo just hasn't hit the spot yet!)

a hop bag is really handy - make one or buy one, but it means you can have the hops in the fermenter without clogging the tap.

 

[Gavo]

You could boil enough of the wheat extract in a small amount of water to get good hop utilisation (the best out of your hops). For example half the tin in 5 litres of water, bring it to the boil stirring regularly. once it is boiling make your hop additions as scheduled. You will only need a 10 minute boil. You can strain the hops through a sterilized strainer into the fermenter. As homebrewer79 said the hops will settle to the bottom of the fermenter so shouldn't be a problem at bottling time.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[Kleiny]

[quote name='Benny O'Beer' post='398808' date='Jan 12 2009, 07:56 AM']1. I believe that I need to boil the wheat malt extract - can anyone advise for how long and in what volume of water?
2. In respect of the hop additions, I know that the recipe calls for 20g additions of amarillo @ 10 mins, 5 mins and dry hopped in the fermenter - can someone please advise if they can be added to the same pot as the LME, and if so, should I buy a dedicated hop bag or can I just dump them in and then strain the wort on the way in to the fermenter? If the latter is correct, how do I strain out the 20g that's been dry hopped when bottling?

Thanks guys - I know you'll set me on the right track![/quote]

1. You need to boil your extracts in order to get the best results from your hop additions.

2. Option A: You need to then bring the hopped wort's temp down to yeast pitching temp 20-25C (Ice bath etc) and then pass through a sterilized strainer into your fermenter which will airate it on the way. You need to aerate it because during the boil the O2 has been driven off.

Option B: You can put it in a sterilized container and wait for it to cool, the hops and trub from the boil will drop out of suspension while cooling and you can pour the wort off them into your fermenter making shaw to splash for aeration.


The dry hops to the fermenter will drop out of the duration of the ferment and 95% will remain in the fermenter at bottling time. Their are no issues with a little getting through to your bottles because it will settle to the bottom like the yeast does.

Dont add the dry until a few days into fermentation when the Krausen has subsided.


Good luck :icon_cheers:

Kleiny

 

[benh82]

Thanks guys, really appreciate the help.

One additional question though - Gavo, you say that I only need to boil "half the tin in 5 litres of water, bring it to the boil stirring regularly". Does that mean that I can add the other half straight to the fermenter as normal with the can of goo? I only ask as I thought I had to boil ALL the malt extract?

Ben

 

[Bribie G]

The idea of boiling some extract with the hops is to improve the extraction of flavours and bitterness (alpha acids etc) so you don't need a heck of a lot of sugars in the boil. In an all grain brew you end up boiling say 30L of wort with the hops so obviously that wort isn't going to be as concentrated as boiling say a whole tin of goo in 8 litres of water.

When doing partially mashed brews using a kilo of grain malt, I have usually ended up with about 8L of wort in a stockpot and boiled the various hop additions in that and then strained through a kitchen wire strainer into the fermenter with the tin of goop and the dex whatever.

I reckon in your case half the tin in 8L of water in a 10 or 15L stockpot would be heaps and put the other half plus your Coopers into the fermenter.

When dry hopping I always go for pellets and just chuck em in. Personally I would never put hop flowers into a fermenter. I've had bad trips with hop flowers accidentally ending up in the brew. They love to clog taps and bottling canes. I've had to pull two bottling canes apart and they were never the same afterwards

Have fun and welcome to the obsession.

 

[Gavo]

[quote name='Benny O'Beer' post='398869' date='Jan 12 2009, 10:24 AM']One additional question though - Gavo, you say that I only need to boil "half the tin in 5 litres of water, bring it to the boil stirring regularly". Does that mean that I can add the other half straight to the fermenter as normal with the can of goo? I only ask as I thought I had to boil ALL the malt extract?[/quote]


[quote name='BribieG' post='398880' date='Jan 12 2009, 10:45 AM']I reckon in your case half the tin in 8L of water in a 10 or 15L stockpot would be heaps and put the other half plus your Coopers into the fermenter.[/quote]

BribieG has said it right here. The tins of goo have already been boiled and steralized, you only need to boil some of the goo with the hops in order to get the best hop utilization.
Also make sure that you have plenty of cold water on hand to cool to pitching temperature, I usually aim for 22 C.

Cheers
Gavo.