Using Hop Shots for additions other than bittering?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Patrick, Mar 7, 2012.

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  1. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    Has anyone done this before? I'm curious, about 95% on the way to trying it in a DIPA this weekend. Anyone have a good reason not to based on experience/fact?
     
    #1 Patrick, Mar 7, 2012
  2. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    don't think it should anything other than bitterness, regardless of when you add it.

    then again, someone on northernbrewer page mentions that the stuff "smells awesome" (i've never used it). if that's the case, maybe i'm wrong and it can contribute some oils for flavor and aroma...
     
    #2 Pahn, Mar 7, 2012
  3. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California

    I've used it, but I can't say what it contributed to the beer.... I used it for a bittering addition (1 Hopshot) and flame out addition (3 Hopshots) in addition to a f-ton of other hops in an IPA. The beer tasted great (Resinous w/ pine and tropical fruit), but as far as a split batch or controls to account for the Hopshot contribution to flavor, I didn't do any.
     
    #3 barfdiggs, Mar 7, 2012
  4. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    From my understanding (which may be wrong) it is CO2 extract. That should include everything normal hops have, including aroma/flavor compounds. The hop shots have to be boiled to extract any bitterness. There is a product that isn't available to homebrewers that is iso-extract, that only adds bitterness since the alpha acids are already isomerized.
     
    #4 Patrick, Mar 7, 2012
  5. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    So you are saying it was good? I'm mostly looking for someone to make me aware of any catastrophe that might occur if I use the extract for everything from bittering to flame out.
     
    #5 Patrick, Mar 7, 2012
  6. nathanjohnson

    nathanjohnson Initiate (0) Aug 5, 2007 Vermont

    A catastrophe will happen if you try to taste the hopshot. Why I did that, I don't know.
     
    #6 nathanjohnson, Mar 7, 2012
    NiceFly and barfdiggs like this.
  7. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California

    The beer was good. The keg kicked in 15 minutes at a 75 person campus tasting event.

    No big off flavors or weirdness. I did use Amarillo hopshot though, just in case you're using the regular which is Cascade I think (Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this).
     
    #7 barfdiggs, Mar 7, 2012
  8. barfdiggs

    barfdiggs Initiate (0) Mar 22, 2011 California

    I'm guilty of that too. It was pretty awful, but smelled great!
     
    #8 barfdiggs, Mar 7, 2012
  9. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    makes sense... but what hops does it use, i'd wonder? i guess if you really like that particular blend despite not knowing its composition, it makes sense. cuts down on sludge just as well as using it for bittering.

    edit: if it comes in specific, stated varieties, i can't see the harm. especially since you can just try it and compare.
     
    #9 Pahn, Mar 7, 2012
  10. Beejay

    Beejay Pooh-Bah (2,559) Dec 29, 2008 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    Very interesting product. I'd try it on a smaller gravity test batch before I threw it into a 5 gallons DIPA. But that is just me.

    I would also be interested on what hop types would be available.
     
    #10 Beejay, Mar 7, 2012
  11. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    I was under the impression that the generic stuff was an unknown blend of high alpha hops, stuff that doesn't fly out of the hop warehouses (Warrior, Galena, etc.). I'm convinced to try it now, though I don't think I'll be tasting it.
     
    #11 Patrick, Mar 7, 2012
  12. Patrick

    Patrick Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2007 Massachusetts

    Northern Brewer had Amarillo hop shot in the past, but now it is out of stock.
     
    #12 Patrick, Mar 7, 2012
  13. kcotter

    kcotter Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 Illinois

    I've used the Amarillo Hop Shot on five 10 gal brews and am very satisfied with the results. I typically brew wheat beers so no IPA experience using them and they were all for bittering. My question (and I haven't found an answer) is what is the shelf life of the stuff. The last one I used was nearly a year since I bought it and I'm getting more from a friend from the same batch.

    So far so good though.
     
    #13 kcotter, Jul 25, 2012
  14. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    Someone had it at a homebrew meeting and occasionally squirted it into peoples beer when they werent looking.
    I was dumb enough to try it on purpose:grimacing:.
     
    #14 NiceFly, Jul 26, 2012
    nathanjohnson likes this.
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