Maximizing Flavor Contribution of Hops

I predict this will an interesting thread. Classically flavor hops are added with some time left in the boil. I would consider a classic flavor hop addition as being somewhere between 20 - 5 minutes left in the boil. In one of Charlie Papazian's books he has a graph illustrating curves for bittering, flavor and aroma additions and their maximum contributions. I took a copy of this graph to a National Homebrewers Conference (2013 I think) and showed it to Charlie and I asked which article/study did he obtain the data for the flavor curve (which illustrates a max contribution around the 15 minute mark). He replied that he generated that curve based upon his homebrewing experiences. So, take that curve FWIW.

I still add hops with some time left for boiling (e.g., about 10 minutes of boil remaining) but I am starting the think that most of the hop flavor comes from end of boil and hopstand additions. I have no data to support this thinking; it is more of a hunch kind of a thing.

Hopefully Dave Green (@telejunkie) will chime in with his thoughts on this topic.

Cheers!

 

Hopstand. I'll vote 0-2 since this is the closest option.

 

I voted 0-2
And by that I mean whirlpool hop addition at 175F

 

I believe you get some hop flavor from 60 on down to dry hop depending on the hop.

Example I use 3 oz of Golding/fuggles @60in some stouts and I can taste them, vs using magnum@60.

Depends on her palate and everybody's got 1.

 

Are they more flavorful at 60 than at 2?

 

It is a different flavor, not more or better. I like both, depending on what I am making.

Cascade is a great hop @15 105 FO and other timings, but I'll never say one time is better cause I make many different beers and often I use hops at different times to see what happens.

 

I talked to a lot of professional brewers about how they achieved this goal . . . rarely did they agree. So through trail and error I found the profile that works best for me: For flavor, a 20-30 minute whirlpool starting at 180°. My last two IPAs had a tiny bittering addition at 60 with everything else after flameout. Occasionally I'll skip the whirlpool and have some late additions around the 10 minute mark (typically Belgians). I find it hard to pick up much hop flavor doing this. This may be more confusing, but BYO has a pretty good read on the subject.

For aroma, just your simple 5 - 7 days of dh'ing. Sometimes I split half in primary and half in secondary (keg), sometimes it's all in the sec . . . can not tell a lot of difference.

You didn't ask, but I find managing the freshness of hops to be the most critical aspect of the entire process. My suggestion is to listen less to the pros and just brew a lot and see what works best for your brewhouse.

 

Can you expand on this? What's the "oldest" hops you use?

Cheers

 

I try and only use 1 year old hops, occasionally that gets extended to 2 years which isn't ideal but is rarely fatal.

But I but a lot of emphasis on buying in bulk the current year's crop (available in the next month or so) from a trusted supplier and keeping them in my freezer until needed. Mr. Foodsaver is a friend to your hops.

Lots of my friends comment on how their hops are fresh because they "just bought them". Most suppliers aren't dating their hops so you never know the real age or storage conditions. Whenever I travel I like to drop in on Homebrew Supply stores. In Asheville, a popular outlet was selling hops they stored in a ziploc bag kept in a file cabinet in the backroom. An outlet in Orlando was so proud of their vacuum sealed hops they kept at room temp. That's what I avoid.

 

I always utilize an addition between 10-15 minutes. It seems to lend a longer lasting, more shelf stable flavor addition. I recently brewed a beer that utilized over 16 oz of flameout and dry hop additions. The beer quickly lost flavor and aroma in the bottles, day 30 was where I saw the fade really take hold. My more traditionally hopped beers tend to stay flavor stable for 90ish days.

 

I've seen the same thing enough so that, I rarely make monster dry hop beers now. It is such a let down when it's great for a few weeks then truly crashes.
Returning to the tryed and true, with the occasional neipa.

 

I just can't imagine adding them at any other time during the hot side, as if you're looking for big hop flavor, you're looking to preserve as much hop oil as possible.

 

Given how strong/stable my hop flavor has been with German Pilsners I brew with the last addition at 15mins, I am planning to use a heftier addition for my next DIPA there, along with 5 and whirlpool of course. I typically do space out my additions, but never anything really heavy at 15mins... Time to give it a whirl!

 

For maximum flavor contribution, I would say dry hop.

 

FTFY

 

This is how i do all my crazy hopped IPAs except around 165/170, plus two dry hop additions. Some at 60 and the rest at flameout. Can't whirlpool so i just give it a few swirls.Best way i found to get a nice mellow hop flavor without the bitterness.

 

No need to whirlpool to use this technique. A straight up hopstand, like you use, is all that is necessary.

 

Nope. Meant what I said.