Hopburst schedule recommendations

My most recent reading on the subject was from the latest issue of Zymurgy. It talks of eliminating or minimizing the traditional bittering addition, so I guess the definition, such as it is, is flexible on that point - and I stand corrected. The recipe given had its first hop addition at 15 mins.

My point, though, is why is there so much resistance to no bittering charge? if I can get the IBUs I want without it, plus all the extra flavor from the additional late hops, why is it wrong?

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with no bittering charge. All that matters in the end is the finished product. One of my favorite recipes to brew is an IPA that I literally only do a massive charge at whirlpool and the hop back, followed by dry hopping.

 

I have done beers with a standard hop schedule, hopbursted with 60 minute additions, hopbursted with no bittering addition, and most recently with fwh addition. In my experience there is not enough bitterness with no bittering addition. The beer tasted off, for my palate there wasn't enough bitterness to counter the other hop flavors. The typical hop schedule gave me way more bitterness, but not enough aroma and flavor. The hopburst with a 60 minute addition gave me a lot of aroma but had the palate wrecking bitterness that I find off putting after two or three beers. The fwh brew had enough of a bitterness to balance out the malts and hop aromas and flavors, but didn't leave my palate scorched. That's how I like my ipa's, and why I favor heady topper over pliny. I'm not saying that leaving the bittering charge out completely is wrong, however I am saying that hopbursting is not defined by a lack of bittering charge and that I prefer to use a small amount of bittering hops in a fwh addition to make the beer that is enjoyable to me.

 

I like a small bittering charge, but I sometimes/frequently like a "sharp" bitterness in an IPA. Also, a 1/2 ounce at 60 mins is a lot cheaper than 4 oz at 0 min. So, I will aim for ~30 IBUs at 60 min and then get as much flavor/aroma as possible but not need to worry about IBUs from the late additions.

 

...but you're sacrificing 4 oz of hop flavor/aroma. That's quite a hit to save, maybe, $3.50.

 

If you use a bittering charge, you can still add 4oz at 0 min. You don't have to add 8 or 10 oz at 0 min. Regardless of cost, I like what a small amount at 60 min gives along with a bunch late in the boil.

 

Nothing wrong with a bittering charge - I usually use one. But it's not absolutely necessary, and, frankly, I think it misses the point (remember, the subject of this thread is hop-bursting). As I said, a bittering charge makes it simply another variation of a traditional, three-step hop schedule (bittering, flavor, and aroma additions). I like to occasionally use a psychedelic quantity of hops. Hop-bursting is the most effective technique I've used to achieve that. (you raised the issue of cost that I responded to)

 

Occasionally, I'll brew what I call a Hop Delivery Vehicle. 6# pilsner DME, 1# wheat DME, 15-30min boil (depending on what hops I'm using, I go longer when using lower alpha hops), aim for upper 30s to low 40s IBUs spread through the boil, big flameout, big dryhop. US-05 of course. Makes for a quick and easy brewday instead of the normal 4-6hrs for all grain.

 

If you use a bittering charge, you can still add 4oz at 0 min. You don't have to add 8 or 10 oz at 0 min. Regardless of cost, I like what a small amount at 60 min gives along with a bunch late in the boil.

I did raise the cost issue, but you are right it is not a lot if you buy bulk hops. With that said, I think you can hop burst and still use a 60 min addition. I look at hop bursting as dumping in a lot of hops in the last 5 - 10 minutes vs. the old fashion method of 30 or 45 min and 20 and 10 ... so I frequently do a small 60 min addition and then dump a ton in at 5 and 0. I also like the idea of hopstands for a lot of flavor.

So, "why so much resistance to no bittering charge?" I don't think it is resistance vs. some people have a preference for what a bittering charge provides, hence my answer that I like a "sharp" bitterness that a 60 minute addition provides. I also like a lot of late additions, hence what I think of as hopbursting. You can probably tell that I am not very dogmatic about definitions

 

Wait... how'd he get outvoted? A lot of people (inc. me) only suggested minor changes, and (as far as my opinion went at least) it was only a suggestion. The APA IPA was essentially hopbursted, with a tiny FWH charge to bring the IBUs up to 65. I put in about a quarter ounce of FWH, so if that's not a "hopbursted" beer then I think we're all being too darn pedantic.

However, if inchrisin were to do his beer exactly like the OP, it would undoubtedly turn out fine anyway. But it could be tweaked.

Ah heck, craft beer brewers don't care about whether the world is ready, they just do it and smugly enjoy the results when it's done.

 

I prefer to drink a heady topper and then breathe on the boiling wort.