Hop Aroma

[wes1977]

All, I'm struggling with hop aroma and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

As a general rule, I produce a 20ltr batch, starting temp at 19c for 7 days, dry hop with 100grms for 5 days and then crash chill for a further 5 days.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.....

 

[wereprawn]

Sounds like you should be getting a shitload of aroma with that many hops. Which hops are you using? What yeast? What is the gravity reading when dry hopping?

 

[wes1977]

My favourites are Citra and or Cent..... I usually do a IPA using US-05. I never really check the SG reading before dry hopping, usually just wait for it to stop bubbling! What's the target?

It's like if there is something in the wort which is killing the Aroma. When open the fermenter for dry hopping or just before kegging the odour isn't the best.... The first smell is ok and then the next takes your breath away, I've just assumed that was normal!

 

[warra48]

Try dry hopping during your crash chill time, rather than the 5 days before.

 

[wereprawn]

^This.You could also try keg hopping. Works for me when a brew is a bit boring.

 

[wes1977]

So let it sit for approx 10days or when it's down to 1.012 then dry hop and crash chill straight away?

 

[wes1977]

Do you leave the Hops in the keg for the life of the brew or take them out after a set time? Cheers

 

[Yob]

As taste dictates, if you're happy with ot, pull em out.


You can use a cut up stocking and dental floss to tie it off

 

[Dan Pratt]

Oxygen into the beer during dry hopping has some effects on the final aroma I have found, Try to add the hops when there is still some fermentation to go, like when your 5 points from FG. The reason for that is so that you get co2 produced that scrubs out the oxygen from when you opened the FV.

The tricky part is that adding hops when fermentation is still going means a lot of volatile oils get taken up by the yeast due to its stickiness. I tend to add 1/3 of my hops at the end of fermentation and after 2-3days add the rest, this gets great aroma.

If I had a better FV I could flush it after dry hopping with co2 which is what some pro's brewerys do, possibly some Home brewers as well.

Edit ; and one other thing is.....less is sometimes more. I've dry hopped with 100g of Simcoe and got low aroma, used a combo of Simcoe, Citra and galaxy at 14g each and the aroma was solid......also to mention is my dry hopping goes for 5-10days, depending on which hop is used.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Just found this article on HBT that was added on Friday.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/10-tips-to-optimize-dry-hop-aroma.html