Female flower cones from the Humulus Lupulus plant. Used for their flavor, aroma, and bittering qualities. Hops also contribute a preservative/anti-microbial properties to beer.
4
votes
2answers
82 views
What is a good resource for flavor contributions of different ingredients?
For those of us who are still brewing from kits and recipes and want to branch out and try building our own flavors, what resources are there that describe the various flavors contributed by ...
4
votes
3answers
244 views
Has anyone had experience with first wort hopping? Did you find the results worthwhile?
Has anyone seen a marked improvement in hop flavor/quality from first wort hopping (adding hops at sparge) vs. late hopping vs. dry hopping vs. a hopback? Are there specific advantages to doing so? ...
4
votes
1answer
237 views
When brewing a gruit, how do alternatives to hops, such as mugwort, affect the bitterness and flavor?
I have read about gruits (beers made with no hops, using other herbs in their stead). Apparently, this was a commonly used technique before hops became so prevalent. Mugwort seems to be one of the ...
5
votes
3answers
232 views
Hop Utilization Resource
When substituting hops (both varieties and pellet/plug/whole)in a recipe, I would like to keep IBU as close to the recipe target as possible. However, the best utilization chart I can find is in ...
7
votes
4answers
740 views
should hoppy beers be aged?
Do hoppy beers not need to be aged? About how long does it take a hoppy beer to get to its maturation point?
Thanks,
Chris
4
votes
1answer
209 views
What flavors can I expect with a late/whirlpool addition of Columbus hops?
Columbus is such a high-alpha variety that I find I can only use very little of it for bittering. I have a pound of these things and I would eventually like to get through them. Has anyone used ...
5
votes
2answers
155 views
Drying freshly picked hops
My buddy works at a community garden, and they have a fence full of Cascade ready for the picking. He estimates a few pounds of hops are on the fence.
What has to happen between him picking them off ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
How do I take hop plants with me when I move?
So I planted my hops three years ago and they've done well. I'm planning to move next year (within the same hardiness zone) and I want to take my hops with me. I'm sure whomever buys my house won't ...
3
votes
1answer
228 views
Hop schedule for Single hop ale brewing
I am planning on brewing up a handful of quasi-pale ales using only a single hop varietal per batch. The goal is to get a feel for the bittering, flavor and aroma of some varieties I want to ...
5
votes
2answers
235 views
How do I propagate my hops?
I have a couple plants going, but I am ready to get more of the same varieties going in the future.
How do I go about getting more plants from the same plants I already have?
Can I take a cutting?
Can ...
1
vote
1answer
552 views
What hop should I use to get Fuller's IPA hop taste and aroma?
I'm just a beginner brewer, I have done just 5 batches of all-grain beer, some Hefe-Weizens, APA and an Irish Red Ale.
For my next all-grain beer I would like to make an IPA recipe. But the two best ...
3
votes
3answers
273 views
Question about Alt/ Kolsch hopping and yeast
I really enjoy German Alts as a favorite purchase brew, and as I live in Florida with the lowest ambient temp 72 deg F under Air cond., I can't possibly lager without inconvenence. I have a question ...
12
votes
1answer
3k views
What is a hopback?
How do you use it?
What does it do?
Do you pass finished wort through it hot or cold?
3
votes
1answer
105 views
Clipping a rhizome
I have a hop few plants that will be a year old next month. How can I tell if it's ok to clip a rhizome to give to my buddy?
10
votes
2answers
639 views
Storage of hops pellets
I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on how to store one's hops pellets after having opened the sealed package (... in case one is not using the whole lot at once of course). Also, if you have ...
2
votes
2answers
921 views
What types of hops can be grown in the southeast?
Given the soil and climate of the southeast, specifically Florida, what hops would do I stand to get good results from growing?
3
votes
1answer
99 views
Hop Gardening Considerations
I have heard that planting hops at home you should plant the rhizome in a mound of sorts.
How large around should the mound be?
What type of soil amendments are best?
How tall should the trelis be ...
5
votes
1answer
190 views
Estimating Alpha Acids of Home Grown Hops
For the homebrewer that grows and harvests his/her own hops; how best can one approximate the alpha acids in the hops they have?
Is it worth it or should brewers stick to using home grown hops for ...
7
votes
1answer
809 views
When should you buy and plant hop rhizomes?
I want to grow a couple of hop bines this year. Most of the online brew supply places say they ship in late March / early April. I have a feeling I'll still have snow on the ground around that time. ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
IBU rate of Sierra Nevada's “torpedo”?
I am preparing to start a season of working up a solid, reasonably priced All grain American Ale on the brink of a high gravity beer. Sierra Nevada's Torpedo balances sweet malt nicely against a hop ...
8
votes
3answers
815 views
Pellet Hops spilled out of bag in secondary. Advice?
My hop bag came undone in my secondary while dry-hopping and now I have pellet hops directly in my beer. What is the best way to filter out the hops for bottling?
3
votes
1answer
661 views
Weed Aroma/Flavor?
I have noticed in some beers, (nugget nectar, dbl. trouble, founders harvest and sublimely self-rightous ale in particular) an aroma/flavor of marijuana. I think Columbus/Tomohawk hops have somthing ...
8
votes
3answers
747 views
How do you get the bag of hops into the carboy and then remove it?
I always have a difficult time getting the hops in the carboy and then removing it when dry-hopping. What's the trick?
11
votes
8answers
2k views
Is it important to weigh down a hop bag for dry-hopping?
If so, what kind of weight should I use? Should it be enough to sink the bag to the bottom of the carboy?
6
votes
5answers
169 views
Help With Hops…
I generally understand the grain side of things, but I can't get my head around hops. Given the variety and choice, how do you go about selecting what hops to use and how much of each hop...? Are ...
3
votes
2answers
701 views
Pellets, Plugs and Whole Hops
Hops come in three formats pellets, plugs and whole-leaf. Plugs are whole leaf hops that have been compressed into a little cake usually 0.5 ounces in size.
What are the ups and downs of using ...
4
votes
1answer
229 views
Using hops after fermentation
Let's say you have already put your beer into your fermenter and you decide its taste is not hoppy enough. So you start out to add some more hops into it. One way to dry hop, but I will not expand ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Where can I find some Nelson Sauvin hops?
I've been hearing about Nelson Sauvin hops for awhile now, and have read in other forums about people procuring some and using them... but I haven't been able to find them anywhere. All my usual ...
12
votes
2answers
944 views
Sanitation & Dry Hopping
Is there any risk of wort infection by not sanitizing hops before dry hopping?
2
votes
1answer
453 views
Columbus and Centennial hops
How do Columbus and Centential hops differ?
I have used them both in the past and usually in combination. But I may purchase one over the other in bulk soon.
Which one of these comes out less harsh ...
3
votes
3answers
758 views
Whirlpool hop additions
What is the real difference between a whirlpool hop addition and a flameout hop addition?
The practice of whirlpooling is more of a pro-equipment setup type of technique, but I have seen and heard ...
4
votes
1answer
349 views
First Wort Hopping (or FWH)
What is First Wort Hopping (FWH) and how best can it be replicated in extract brewing?
6
votes
2answers
971 views
Buying bulk hops online
I'm often tempted to buy my commonly used hop pellets online in bulk and storing them in my freezer. A lot of the cheap bulk hops are from the previous year. Assuming they are vacuum packed and ...
6
votes
4answers
464 views
Old grain and hops stored in fridge for 1 year - ok to use?
I have a small amount of hops (1 oz) in a ziplock bag in the fridge, it's been there about a year. I also have about 1/2 lb of unmilled grain in the fridge in a ziplock.
Will these ingredients be ok ...
-5
votes
4answers
227 views
10
votes
4answers
2k views
Alpha acids vs. beta acids in aging?
Can someone explain the difference in hop bitterness between alpha acids in my wort vs. beta acids bittering during aging? And is it predictable enough to plan for in recipe formulation?
