HOPS HOPS HOPS....

[Veldi]

I have a question on hops additions... lets say I need a 30 IBU for a particular brew. I can get the 30 several ways.

1) making a small hop addition at 60 min and no other hop additions
2) Making a larger hop addition at 30 min, with no other hop addition
3) Making a huge Hop addition at 15,5, or 1 min with no other hop additions.

OR

making 2 or all 3 timed hop addions. and using all the same hop.

Question is What would be perceived as taste in these different scenarios. Just looking for a little idea without the trial and error of it all.

Thanks!!

Wayne

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Anything you add in the last 30 minutes of the boil will effect the taste and aroma. More so the further you get into the boil. Hops added at 60 minutes are strictly bittering hops. Your hop profile will all depend on the style beers you're making and your personal preferences.

For me, when making an IPA, I prefer to hopburst and add most of my hops at the last 15 minutes or less. This gives me a huge hop flavor/aroma without any of the bitterness.

[Veldi]

What becomes bitter..... I guess is the question... IBUs are a false Pretense then.... IBUs are bitterness correct?? If I were to balance a beer say having a SP of 1.048 to be "balanced" should be about 24 IBUs. Does it come to how STRONG of a hop flavor? Stronger being in the last part of the boil... but the question I guess I have at what % of bittering/flavoring and aroma should I be getting my IBUs. (and I realize not many IBUs are given in the last part of the boil unless I added 5oz if hops) Does it actually come to a cost issue??

[slothrob]

Like sutherncomfort said, t's all about the beer you want to make, and what is appropriate to the style if you want to make a particular type of beer.

IBUs are a measure of hop bitterness, so if you think your beer would be balanced with 24 IBUs, then you could add less hops at 60' and get mostly bitterness and little flavor or aroma, add more at 30'-20' getting the same bitterness (though some believe the bitterness from later additions has a milder quality to it) and a lot of hop flavor, add them ad 5-0' and you'll get little bitterness, some hop flavor, and more hop aroma the later you add them.

It's really about what you want your beer to taste like. Some beers benefit from just bitterness to balance them, beers like Pale Ales get a lot of their character from earthy or citrus hop flavors, and a great Pilsner should have a beautiful floral or spicy aroma.

As a starting point, when formulating recipes, if I want hop flavor in a beer, I consider getting 60% of my IBUs from a 60' addition and 40% from a 30' addition as a "standard" amount of hop flavor. If I want more hop flavor, I first move the 30' addition to 20', then increase the % of IBUs from that addition as high as 100%.

For hop aroma, I consider 1/2 ounce at flameout to be subtle, 1 ounce immediately noticeable, and 2 ounces a strong hop aroma. There are enough variables between peoples systems that you'll probably need to experiment a bit to get a really strong hop aroma.

[Veldi]

Thanks guys....