Late hop additons

[Buzz]

Okay, I'm planning to do a Deuchers IPA type of thing this week. Massive aroma required so I'm planning to steep a shedload of super styrians at flame out. Oh yeah, we're talking bigtime.

Thing is, if it's best to cool the wort ASAP to coagulate all the proteins etc., how long should I leave the late additions before cooling I see that some cool to 80deg then chuck a load in - if I go this route again, how long do you leave it before finishing the cooling? (if it makes any difference, I use an immersion chiller).

Peace

[Gurgeh]

the cold break won't suffer for any time spent steeping hops post boil, when you do continue your cooling, just make sure it's done briskly with full blast throug your IC and much stirring.

btw, try 70C, not 80

[Garth]

I did this a while back and it's probably the closest I've come to replicating a commercial brew, Aurora (Super Styrians) are a great hop, also I mashed slightly cooler and I found this makes it come out slightly drier, which I find the original is.

Have a good one Buzz

[Buzz]

Thanks guys, looking forward to this one.

[jonnyv]

the cold break won't suffer for any time spent steeping hops post boil, when you do continue your cooling, just make sure it's done briskly with full blast throug your IC and much stirring.

Hmm - maybe this is where I am going wrong and as a result, getting chill hazed beers.

I have been keeping the IC stationery during cooling so that the hops/trub settles to create a nice filter bed. I guess I should be giving it a jolly good stir with the IC to get a better cold break, and then leave to settle once cool?

How long is it safe for post-boil-settling before running off to the FV & pitching?

[Aleman]

Its a gentle stir thats required with the IC, there is no need to whip up a froth, or even introduce any air into the brew at this stage.

Just a warning though to brewers using large amounts of late hops, I have noticed a significant increase in haze in the beers I've brewed in this way, I suspect it can be down to not 'fixing' the hot break and leaving remaining phenols in the beer, these then oxidise to polyphenols and produce the haze. . . . . I could be wrong, and will need to do further experiments to find out if this is the case. . . . and it is just one data point

[steve_flack]

I seem to recall reading that double IPAs can be hazy because of the huge amounts of hops used in them so you might be on to something there.

I've used quite large late hop additions and haven't noticed - I'm not using the 80C steep though. I add them at turn off and cool as fast as I can as normal. Personally I find dry hopping with pellets in the secondary (or in the primary after fermentation) to be more economical with hops.

[Aleman]

I seem to recall reading that double IPAs can be hazy because of the huge amounts of hops used in them so you might be on to something there.

The other beer of mine that is hazy is my IPA (est IBU 130+) and that did use a lot of hops . . . and was brewed on 11th September 2007

[Buzz]

Interesting stuff. Perhaps I'll half the amount I was thinking of and add the other half in the secondary.

Anyhow, on another point, as these hops are not being boiled, is there any chance of infection All the brews I have done to date just have the usual 15min addition so it's never been an issue for me before.

[jonnyv]

If I remember correctly, hops are considered bacteriostatic, i.e. they are resistance to bacteria growth. So dry hopping will be fine with very little risk of infection from the hops.

[Aleman]

If I remember correctly, hops are considered bacteriostatic, i.e. they are resistance to bacteria growth.

I quite often think that the bacteriostatic properties of hops is over estimated, in the early days of brewing when more hops were used then it was probably significant, as less hops are used today the effect is reduced. I have no worries adding hops to the boiler during the 70C steep . . . . . Dry hopping . . . Something I need to try again

[steve_flack]

I agree that it's probably overstated. On the other hand, I've dry hopped a couple of times with pellets and haven't noticed anything funky. I took a beer that was dry-hopped in the fermenter to last weekend's Cambridge CBA meeting and no one noticed any off flavours - It was about three months old and still had plenty of hop aroma/flavour.

[RabMaxwell]

I used to steep large amounts at 75-80 0c now get just as good results throwing a stainless tea infuser full of pellets into my cornies.Using pellets i don't get the fresh cut grassy flavour you get when using whole hops.Give it a go get as good or better hop flavour/aroma using a fraction of the finishing hops.

[Gurgeh]

I certainly will rab - cheers!

[Buzz]

I got this started this evening - just steeping the last hops now. I didn't bother putting a thread in the brewday section as my camera has gone belly up so no pics I'm afraid

I did this a while back and it's probably the closest I've come to replicating a commercial brew, Aurora (Super Styrians) are a great hop, also I mashed slightly cooler and I found this makes it come out slightly drier, which I find the original is.
Have a good one Buzz

Garth, would I be right in thinking it's best drunk quite young so you still get the full effect of the aroma hops