What does a 0 minute boil time mean?

Question

I have a recipe that calls for an ounce of hops at 0 mins. boil time, any idea what you would do here?

Typically, after a my 60 minute partial boil is complete, I take the pot off of the stove immediately, remove the hop bag from the wort (which contains all the hop pellets), and put in my wort chiller to cool down the wort immediately. So I don't really have a 0 minute boil time ... unless I put the hops in the hop bag just for a couple seconds or so just before removing, and if I did do that, I don't know that it would really be long enough to have any effect.

Answer 1

It means putting an addition of hops at flameout, or when you turn off the kettle. Those late addition hops can add hop aroma and some nice flavor.

I wouldn't take your hops out when the boil is done for hoppy beers. Leaving those hops in while the wort cools can give you more of that aroma that some styles call for.

Jamil Zainasheff published an article called The Secret to Big Hop Aroma and Flavor that I've found very helpful.

Answer 2

Yes, the times given for hop additions indicate the length of time the hops are to be boiled for, which is the length of time until the end of the boil. So, for examle, if a recipe said:

1  oz. at 60 min.
.5 oz. at 15 min.
1  oz. at  0 min,

if you boil started at 9:00, you'd put in 1 oz. at 9:00, .5 oz at 9:45, and 1 oz. at 10:00. And you'd turn the heat off at 10:00.

Hops contribure more bitterness and less aroma the earlier they are added to the boil, and they contribute less bitterness and more aroma the later they are added. Those ones you are supposed to add at 0 min. are for aroma.

Answer 3

Ok, I'm use a plate chiller and a false bottom in my boil kettle. I usually handle this in one of two ways. At flame out I would add hops and let it sit for 15 mins before running it through the chiller. Or, since the intent is mostly to add aroma I'd add to or include it in my dry hop.