Topic: Hops
Dip Hopping
FREEDip hopping — letting hops soak at about 170 °F (77 °C) for an hour — has been shown to boost pleasant hop aromas while suppressing or removing unpleasant off-flavors, like myrcene, and aromas that are derived from fermentation.
The Noble Hops of Germany
FREEBrewers and suppliers will often talk about the “noble hops,” but many folks are not familiar with them. Get some of the details about what makes them noble.
Dry Hops in a Narrow-Neck Carboy
MEMBERS ONLYThere are some problems best solved by changing tools. The easiest way to add and remove hop bags to a carboy is to use the types with large openings. Just guessing that’s not the reply you were seeking! Another approach is to put your hop pellets in an over-sized hop bag to allow plenty of
Fine-Tuning Bitterness Post-Fermentation
MEMBERS ONLYAt times it is helpful to review why some brewing problems are not so easy to fix and discuss how to prevent these problems in the future. Under-hopped beers are an example of a problem that is not so easy to correct after a certain point in the process. You have noted several possible fixes,
Bitterness & The IBU – What’s It All About?
MEMBERS ONLYIn the earlier days of the American India pale ale, bitterness was king. The more Bitterness Units (BU), the better. We didn’t have the hazy-juicys, we had bitter and hoppy, piney, ashy, resinous, maybe dank. Predominant West Coast IPAs began to evolve the palates of every cool craft beer junky into a bitter-beer-ophile. Bitterness addicts
10 New Hops to Brew With
FREEIt still strikes me as a little odd when I see a beer can boldly declaring “hops” as an ingredient. Sure, hops are an ingredient in almost every modern beer, but the
A Decade in the Making
MEMBERS ONLYHumulus lupulus, most commonly known as hops, is a perennial fruiting plant that has been used in beer production for centuries. Beer is where the hops end up, but where do the hops come from? The first documented hop cultivation occurred in Central Europe in the 9th century1, with evidence from 10th century England that
South African Hops
MEMBERS ONLYSeveral years ago, when Anheuser-Busch InBev finalized its deal to purchase its closest rival, SABMiller, one bit of the sale caused particular angst among craft beer drinkers. That hops farms controlled by SABMiller in South Africa would be included in the deal and thus limit the supply of hops to other entities was of particular
Late Hopping: Tips from the Pros
MEMBERS ONLYHop additions have been pushed back later and later in the brewing process of hoppy beers as brewers look to maximize aroma and flavor. We asked three pro brewers renowned for their hoppy beers how they get the most out of their hops. Ben Edmunds, Brewmaster at Breakside Brewery in Portland, Oregon We build on
The Hop Dropper
FREEDry hopping is being practiced excessively these days. Quite a few IPAs are double and triple hopped. But for a long time only pale ales and IPAs were treated on cold side
Wet Hopping: How to maximize fresh hop use
MEMBERS ONLYWet hops are not the opposite of dry hops . . . they’re just hops that haven’t been cured in an oast. Find some of the keys to building your own wet-hop beer recipe for this year’s harvest.
Measuring IBUs: Part science, practice, and opinion
MEMBERS ONLYMy view about how international bittering units or IBUs are used by the modern brewer is a blend of science, practice, and opinion. The science behind the IBU is something I have covered many times in past columns, so I will be brief. The original IBU method, and one that is still used by many