Mr. Wizard
Topic: Hops
Explaining Hop Utilization
The term “boil efficiency” typically refers to “hop utilization” and relates hop alpha acids added to wort to iso-alpha acids in beer. I will use the standard term “hop utilization” in this
Why do some batches exhibit hop creep?
Let me start this answer off with a brief review of hop creep. This term refers to dry hopped fermentations that slowly ferment to a lower final gravity than they would without
Can LED Light Skunk Beer?
Before I jump into this great question, I want to confess that I am feeling a bit skunky for being a bit behind on this column because I have been traveling too
Get The Scoop On Dip Hopping
Perhaps the most interesting things about dip hopping are the amount of data about the technique along with its relatively low-profile presence in the weird world of brewing hype. Before jumping into
Brewing Beer With Fresh-Picked Hops
Thanks for the fun question! This topic is a great reminder that beer has been brewed way longer than our scientific understanding of raw materials, brewing, and beer. It wasn’t long ago
Dry Hops in a Narrow-Neck Carboy
There 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
Fine-Tuning Bitterness Post-Fermentation
At 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
Measuring IBUs: Part science, practice, and opinion
My 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
Talking Oxidation and Hop Fade
Follow-up to previous answer: I answered a question from Scot in Chicago, Illinois that was published in the November 2019 edition of BYO. His question was about hop fade and why some
The Not-So-Great Hop Fade
Question and answer columns can be really frustrating for the writer when a question seems totally answerable until details within the question get in the way of the answer. Pesky details! This
Dry Hop Timing
I have dry hopped during fermentation with yeast, blown yeast towards the end of fermentation and dry hopped, have racked beer from one fermenter to another before dry hopping, and have dry
Fading Hop Character
I think the most difficult thing about trying to troubleshoot brewing problems in my column is not being able to taste the beers that I am being asked about. I sometimes flash
