Hopstand vs Whirlpool

Moving the hops through the wort (or vice versa) expedites extraction of hop flavor/aroma compounds. If you found your hopstand results were disappointing, maybe try increasing the length of the hopstand or the amount of hops, or both. I would probably do that before investing in whirlpool equipment. Note that you can also whirlpool (stir) manually.

 

Do you also dry hop as well? If so, what is your procedure as regards dry hopping?

Cheers!

 

And yet you still report: "lacked in some flavor/aroma."?

The optimum process to increase the hop aroma in beer is via dry hopping. Assuming that your first addition at 3 days the fermentation is still ongoing some of the aromatics of the dry hop addition will be 'scubbed out' via CO2 outgassing. I am assuming that outgassing has stopped by day 7 for your second addition. How long are you letting these hops 'sit' in your primary (i.e., how long is your contact time)? Are you taking steps to ensure that the hops within the bag are not tightly contained (e.g., using a good sized hop bag to ensure a lot of 'expansion room')?

Cheers!

 

I would put considerable effort in making sure the hops are fresh. And by fresh I don't mean when you bought them but how/where they have been stored since packaged.

FWIW, I'm a whirlpool'er, do it conventionally. Overall satisfied with flavor and simple DH'ing gives me just about all the aroma expected. Oh yeah, I rarely see all the trub settled in a nice cone after the WP...let's throw some cold water on that myth.

 

Well, were they at least in the freezer at your "local supply store".?

Hopefully they were stored in a freezer at the vendor that sold the hops to your store but yeah, no way of knowing for sure.

Cheers!

 

I never really saw that either, until a few months ago, when I brewed a batch at a local nano. The pro, who knows his stuff, told me that whirlpooling would indeed collect the trub in the center. I only about half believed him, but I've known him for a few years and he's not prone to BS. Anyway, it acted just like he said it would. OTOH, I've seen a few other breweries where this didn't happen. My take is that everything probably has to be tuned/balanced just right for it to be effective.

 

Absolutely. If you stir a cup of tea the leaves will settle in the middle. But my Señor Brewkettle has a pick-up elbow, bazooka screen, adjustable whirlpool/racking port...and I even WP counter-clockwise . . .

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/buying-2018-hops.631562/#post-6765865

 

Did you move to Australia?

 

Don’t bother with the different WP temps, waste of time. Get it under 200, give them a good stir and let it spin and then settle and you’re good to go. Long WP times are not necessary at all.

Dry hopping during very active fermentation is (in my mind) also a waste of hops.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it’s very very hard to make really explosive aromatic/flavorful hoppy beer if you’re bottling. Even the most minute amount of O2 pickup will have a negative effect on hop aroma and flavor.

200+ hoppy brews under my belt... and counting

 

I agree with @wasatchback . A long whirlpool/ hop stand is not necessary. 15-20 minutes is more than enough. The most important thing for hop aroma/ flavor is keeping oxygen exposure to a minimum. Also, fresh hops.

 

Think about which way hurricanes rotate in the Northern Hemisphere.