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As a chemist, I know that extraction (from hops in this case) can be different for water (hop tea), beer (eg. 7% ABV), or pure ethanol. So in theory it should make a big difference if I dry hop with hop tea, simply by adding hops to beer, or by preparing a hop-extract in mixtures with different water/ethanol ratio.
Does anyone here have experience with this? What are the effects on flavour and aroma?
This is really a question would take a book to answer completly. I'll try to hit the main points.
Yes. What hops are added to does change aroma and flavor. Because of the blending of everything. (Balance of a beer) Specifically alcohol with hop flavor and aroma interactions all have good aspects in wide ratios. Alcohol "heat" tends to make hops bite a little or apear spicy.
Hop Tea Will add bittering to the beer as some isomerization will happen if above 175°. Will also dilute the wort.
Hop extract. Is used for bittering and offers little for flavor and aroma.
When hops are dry hopped plays a huge role in aroma. To early and all those aromatics will be blown out with the cO2.
To make a tincture or hop addition with specific water/ethanol ratios. Would do little to improve a specific beer as they would all blend with the beer in the end.
I believe if a magic ratio of water/ethanol mix was discovered to extract all of a hops potential aroma and flavor. It would only do the extraction faster not more complete than a different ratio.
