Keg Hops reused for next brew bittering

[barabool]

Hi
Has anyone tried using their keg hops or dry hops in the next batch of beer for bittering?
I'm thinking that some bitterness is lost but the majority should still be locked in?
And because you're boiling them no bad infections?

I use a hop sock and seem to use a large quantity of hops in my kegs nowadays to get that extra flavour and aroma and then I chuck them away.
Just seems wasteful. (Hops seem to be like heroin - over time you need a bigger and bigger hit.)

Cheers

 

[goatchop41]

I have seen this mentioned on some other HB forums. The reasoning that because when dry hopping, you're not heating the hops, then the oils/AAs that are required for bittering aren't extracted. These can then be extracted in the boil for bittering of another beer. Supposedly these people have had some success with it (although slightly lower than expected bitterness). Would be interesting to hear the experience of anyone on here who has tried it....

 

[peteru]

I've been doing that for a while. It works. I usually use more hops for dry hopping than I need for full-boil bittering. To use all the hops, I tend to reduce the hop boil time. Another bonus of this method is that the hops used for dry hopping will also contain some yeast. This yeast, once boiled in your wort will act as yeast nutrient.

 

[barls]

I have seen this mentioned on some other HB forums. The reasoning that because when dry hopping, you're not heating the hops, then the oils/AAs that are required for bittering aren't extracted. These can then be extracted in the boil for bittering of another beer. Supposedly these people have had some success with it (although slightly lower than expected bitterness). Would be interesting to hear the experience of anyone on here who has tried it....

incorrect the oils are extracted they just aren't isomerised

 

[Killer Brew]

The resin (alpha acid) is soluble so will come out of the hops although won't be isomerised to impart bitterness unless heated. A portion of this resin is the hop oils which give the aroma. I guess it is possible that some alpha acid could be retained within the hop residue but estimating how much and its bitterness potential would be guesswork.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I tried it once. Not again. Ended up a very bitter beer. I underestimated the IBU left in the spent hops. Not worth the effort. Considering its not expensive to use new stuff and know what to calculate it as which is important.
and if you go big with the aroma hops you'll only use a portion of the spent hops for a bittering addition not knowing exactly what the Alpha Acids are.

 

[goatchop41]

incorrect the oils are extracted they just aren't isomerised

The resin (alpha acid) is soluble so will come out of the hops although won't be isomerised to impart bitterness unless heated. A portion of this resin is the hop oils which give the aroma. I guess it is possible that some alpha acid could be retained within the hop residue but estimating how much and its bitterness potential would be guesswork.

Cheers barls and KillerBrew. I was just repeating what I had read (I know, that can certainly get you into trouble sometimes) on other forums. Good to know what really happens, as I'll be kegging soon and may try this.