Timeline for When using whole hops, do you need a larger amount than you would hop pellets to achieve the same bitterness?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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| Jul 26, 2011 at 21:32 | comment | added | iWeasel | I have done some further reading on this and, although a longer boil might start to close the gap, pelletised hops can have an addition of 1 - 3% magnesium oxide and/or bentonite. This increases utilisation %age because the former improves solubility and the latter the surface area for isomerisation to take place. Maybe I was a bit quick to suggest that it might be possible to simply boil for longer to achieve the same. Therefore plus one for making me think again :D | |
| Jul 26, 2011 at 21:30 | comment | added | iWeasel | @Brewchez (Double comment response here - maybe I should make it another answer) The Hop utilisation % is = (conc. of Iso-alpha acids in beer / conc. of alpha acids added to wort) x 100. It is relevant to any addition, therefore, but conditions (the vigour/length of the boil, the SG of the wort, the equipment) will all affect the final concentration of iso-alpha acids, ergo the utilisation %age. As bitterness is converted in the early stages, late additions for aroma can still have quite a marked effect on bitterness. | |
| Jul 20, 2011 at 14:16 | comment | added | brewchez | @iWeasel Interesting comment about amount of acids, so where does the % utilization # come from then? Are you saying its relevant to later additions only? Good comment for thought. | |
| Jul 1, 2011 at 17:17 | vote | accept | Dustin Rasener | ||
| Jun 29, 2011 at 11:29 | comment | added | Dustin Rasener | Thanks for the clarification, iWeasel. I often use the Hop Burst technique (getting most of my IBUs from late-boil additions), so this distinction between "slower" and "less" utilization will be important to me. | |
| Jun 29, 2011 at 6:48 | comment | added | iWeasel | + 1: Just to add to this, although the utilisation is higher you don't get more acids from pellets. It is just easier/quicker to achieve bitterness levels because of the increased surface area of the crushed and pelletised hops. A longer boil, for cones, should start to close the gap between bitterness from cones or pellets. Most bittering takes place in the first 90 minutes, and unless you are adding aroma hops at the end of the boil, you wont find many more bitterness units added between 90 - 120 mins. | |
| Jun 28, 2011 at 23:51 | history | answered | pjreddie | CC BY-SA 3.0 |