How long can you leave hopped cubes for?

[dave_h]

Am I correct in thinking that you can leave cubed hopped cubes for an extended period of time, ie a couple of months?
Would probably be using fuggles or EKG.

Love the idea of cube hopping as I can get two quite different beers in one go as I normally do double batches.

Thanks in advance

Dave

 

[brzt6060]

Should be fine, the most important thing here is that the cube was properly sanatised prior to use and that the all the air has been squeezed out. Also try and keep temperatures as stable as possible, keep it out of direct light and keep it sealed.

 

[dave_h]

Thanks brzt,

Ive been no chilling for a couple of years now so Im ok with the process but Im a little confused why cube hopping for a long time would be ok but dry hopping not?

 

[brzt6060]

Hang on do you mean dry hopping into the cube after it has cooled?

 

[dave_h]

No, cube hopping as in chucking them in a sanitised cube then 80+C wort ontop, squeeze air out, seal and leave.

I dont understand why this wont impair grassiness if left for a long period of time but if I dry hop in the fermenter then it does after 5-7 days, is it something to do with the heat?

 

[Midnight Brew]

With cube hopping the wort is unfermented and when you throw the hops in it's similar to a whirlpool addition except that the wort is no chilled, suspending the process until the brewer decides to ferment. There is no set timeline of when you have to use the cube by. I've gone 12+ months easy on some cubes (I tend to forget about them whilst trying other recipes).

As for the grassiness maybe someone with a bit more scientific knowledge could chip in but because you're adding the hops to still hot enough wort it's seen as being to volatile to produce grassy flavours. Just a stab in the dark with that one, no hard and fast knowledge and I'm sure you'll get a better answer.

 

[Yob]

My guess is those are volatile compounds and get nuked in the process.

I find that 5 day rule to not hold true with all hops anyway.

+4 months on some of my heavily cube hopped IPA's (150g ish) without any grass
... Possibly longer

 

[S.E]

Am I correct in thinking that you can leave cubed hopped cubes for an extended period of time, ie a couple of months?
Would probably be using fuggles or EKG.

Love the idea of cube hopping as I can get two quite different beers in one go as I normally do double batches.

Thanks in advance

Dave

Dry hopping is traditionally done in the finished beer. It is common to dry hop cask ale with loose plugs or flowers and they stay in settling to the bottom of the cask along with the yeast.

I’m pretty sure (though not 100%) that IPAs were always dry hopped before being shipped off for months to India.

I dry hopped with Goldings flowers in the UK with no problems but have encountered the grassiness using Goldings pellets in fermented and cubed/cask ale here.

 

[mosto]

Also taking a stab here, but I would guess perhaps fermentation would eliminate the 'grassiness'. Dry hopping is usually done once fermentation has slowed/completed so there is not enough yeast activity to absorb or alter those perceived flavours if done for an excessively long time.

 

[dave_h]

Fantastic, thanks guys.

Will definitely give it a go!

Dave