FWH

[Whorst]

Does anyone first wort hop? Also, what kind of hop flavour are you getting with Safale04? I've got a ton of Bullion and Cascade hops. I'm thinking about making a strong English pale ale.

[SiHoltye]

From what I'm told it's the long term aroma that benefits from FWH. Isomerisation and alike. Not convinced my setup is rock steady enough to display such subtle differences yet, but bear in mind there might be a slight increase is bitterness extraction when FWH, at least Beersmith suggests there will be! Good luck and keep your tasting notes!

[Aleman]

Does anyone first wort hop?

Indeed I do, I have made several posts here regarding the effects of FWH, but the one thing that I have failed to notice is any increase in aroma!

Also, what kind of hop flavour are you getting with Safale04?

None its a yeast

I have found that for certain combination (Target comes to mind) safale is NOT a complimentary yeast producing a harsh bitterness to my palate

I've got a ton of Bullion and Cascade hops. I'm thinking about making a strong English pale ale.

You can't make an English Pale ale with cascade as its most definitely an 'American' flavour, of course its ideal for making an American Pale Ale, where the overpowering flavour is welcome rather than the subtlety of hops in an English Pale Ale.

[bitter_dave]

I've had a very nice bitter made by the WJ King brewery in horsham hopped only with Bullion, called, I think 'Bullion' IIRR

I know nothing about first wort hopping though.

[flytact]

I routinely FWH. In theory it gives a more mellow bitterness and aroma. I enjoy it with some styles and less with others. Try using it as a replacement to your 15-20 minute additions.
As for the S-04 it will give a fruity flavor if you ferment at the upper end.

[niall]

I find S04 tends to mute the hop character.

[Whorst]

I basically make English/US hybrids. All maris otter, some crystal, and US hop varieties. I plan on dry hopping this beer with either an ounce of centennial or amarillo.

[bconnery]

If you want those US hop flavours to come through the best, go the S05/US56 dry yeast, or liquid american ale yeast, 1056 I think it is in one of them...
You may already do this of course but thought I'd throw it in.
S04 is a very nice english ale yeast but if you are going for the hop flavour a more neutral yeast is a good bet...
A lot of guys I know who love their APAs go for FWH and then all late additions for the rest, no bittering addition at all.
And dry hop...

[Whorst]

I'll add 1 oz. of Bullion for 35 minutes, and 1 oz. at 10 minutes. All in a 60 minute boil. That should give me roughly 35 IBU's. I'll dry hop with 1 oz. of East Kent Goldings after primary fermentation. Should make for a lovely beer.

[niall]

A lot of guys I know who love their APAs go for FWH and then all late additions for the rest, no bittering addition at all

I hear conflicting reports about the FWH process. Some say you double the aroma/flavour hop weight as FWH. This replaces the flavour and aroma hops so they should be left out of the boil. In this case you add the bittering component the flavour hops would have added to the bittering addition. Others say it just replaces the bittering hop. Is there any sort of consensus on this as the two views seem to be pretty conflicting?

[eyeoftheduck]

I was under the impression that the hops added as First Wort Hops would then double as bittering hops. If added to the wort as it is run out of the mash tun, then they would be present in the wort as it is boiled, and thus the alpha acids would be then be isomerised as would those from hops added for bittering in the usual manner. Flavour and aroma hops would then be added as required (bittering hops also if necessary).

This is the assumption that I have been using recently. The simple perceived bitterness in my beers seems comparable between versions with a bittering addition of hops after the boil had started and those first wort hopped. The aroma also seems comparable. The difference I find is in the flavour, which is perhaps a longer and smoother bitterness, a more satifying length of flavour which is less harsh. But my experience in this in limited. The best way to test this I suppose would be to to brew two of the same beers with one being first wort hopped and one being bittered in the ususal manner, with no flavour or aroma hops. I tend to like adding lots of flavour and aroma hops, which has hindered the pursuit of more sombre/sober research.

[Aleman]

The difference I find is in the flavour, which is perhaps a longer and smoother bitterness, a more satifying length of flavour which is less harsh

And that is precisely what has been found by the tasting panels and has been borne out in my experience as well.

[niall]

I tend to like adding lots of flavour and aroma hops, which has hindered the pursuit of more sombre/sober research.

My research would be hampered in the same way

[oblivious]

How much hop are you adding FWH ?

and does anyone mash hop?

[niall]

I've only tried FWH once and this brew is still in primary after a couple of weeks. I added half the bittering addition as FWH. From sneaky taste tests it seems to be in and around the bitterness level I would have expected if I added all of the bittering addition at 60 minutes...