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Any proof that different hops fade faster? Hop "shelf-life" variation.

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by TmaveTebow, Jul 31, 2014.

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  1. TmaveTebow

    TmaveTebow Zealot (642) Sep 3, 2013 New York
    Trader

    I'm sure different hop varieties fade faster than others, but does anyone have any proof/data/insight on how fast certain hops will fade?

    I feel like these super juicy american IPAs using varieties like Citra are dropping off super fast, and by the time they hit their 3rd week after being bottled they lose much of their desired character. And with this new breed of american IPAs, its basically all hops with just a minimal malt backbone to just accent the hop highlight. So after a few weeks you're left with a pretty blah beer.

    Is it just me or do the classic "english" IPAs have a longer shelf-life, and drink better with a little age on them. Maybe it's because they are usually more balanced with a more dense malt backbone that is intended to add more substantial flavor rather than just support the hops from the background?

    In summary, with the growth of craft beer and the distribution areas getting further and further, I believe that the shelf life of the hops should be a bigger consideration. Breweries may be hurting their rep by shipping their juicy IPAs across the country, having them sit on the shelf, and having the consumer buy the product and not taste the beer in its prime. I know, I know, I need to check bottled on dates, but that gets annoying and cumbersome, and to the average consumer who isn't a BA, they are SOL with old IPAs a lot of the time.

    For this reason I almost always avoid year round IPAs because i doubt their freshness and tend to grab the seasonals, which I know were brewed, bottled, and released more recently. But even that doesn't help all the time.
     
    #1 TmaveTebow, Jul 31, 2014
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  2. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Seems a great question for a source like @sierranevadabill .
     
    #2 drtth, Jul 31, 2014
  3. superspak

    superspak Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,838) May 5, 2010 North Carolina
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    #3 superspak, Jul 31, 2014
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  4. jstout26

    jstout26 Zealot (702) May 30, 2013 New Hampshire
    Trader

    To back @superspak there is a section in the book "Vintage Beer" where the author lays out a chart with the ratios of Alpha Acids to Beta Acids in different hop varieties. I believe the higher Beta to Alpha ratio, the better for aging and alot of those are what are typically used in English brews. So the higher Alpha to Beta would tend to fall off faster. I don't have the book in front of me and I'm not a scientist, this is just from what I remember reading recently.
     
    #4 jstout26, Jul 31, 2014
  5. LeRose

    LeRose Grand Pooh-Bah (3,711) Nov 24, 2011 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the links - handy!

    Is that stability referring to the storage of the hops or in the beer? I think (don't know since it doesn't say) the guidelines on the varietal data sheets would indicate loss during storage of the actual hop so brewers can adjust additions to where they want it.

    But it probably gets reflected in the actual beer - added variables would be how the hops get used, packaging etc, and any changes due to processing.
     
    #5 LeRose, Jul 31, 2014
  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,363) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    A few comments:

    “I'm sure different hop varieties fade faster than others…” As regards hop aroma/flavor fade it is the way that the hops are used in the brewing process that impacts the fade rather than the variety. More discussion below.

    “There have been studies done on the shelf life of many hops already.” The shelf life of hops is the storage capability of the hops wrt losing alpha acids. This relates to the bittering capability of the hops. I am unaware of any hop storage metrics as regards hop flavor/aroma (i.e., loss of essential oils).

    “I believe the higher Beta to Alpha ratio, the better for aging…” I am not familiar with this concept but it is unrelated to hop aroma.

    “Is that stability referring to the storage of the hops or in the beer?” It refers to storage of the hops prior to being used; i.e., how long can you store hops before making beer with them.

    The aspect of hop fade that occurs quickly (e.g., 3 weeks) is hop aroma fade. When a hoppy beer is produced via dry hopping, the hop aromas from the dry hopping process will noticeably fade in a few weeks to a couple of months. The compounds that provide the wonderful hop aroma in beers like American style IPA are hop essential oils. Unfortunately hop essential oils do not last very long in hoppy beers.

    English style IPAs are not highly dependent on hop aroma to the same extent as American style IPAs. If I were to brew an English style IPA I personally would choose to not dry hop to be consistent to style. Since the flavor/aroma profile of an English style IPA is more subdued as compared to an American style IPA they would seem to be more stable.

    There is really nothing ‘wrong’ with an aged version of an American style IPA; it just won’t have the prominent hop aroma that a fresh version has.

    Cheers!

    P.S. The best way to store hops prior to using them is at freezer temperatures; that delays the loss of alpha acids.
     
    #6 JackHorzempa, Jul 31, 2014
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