Tips for Adding Hops

There are many ways to add hops during the brewing process. Dry hopping is when hops are added at some point after the beer fermentation begins. Adding hops can give the beer a refreshing hop aroma without adding any bitterness. It can also give the beer a unique flavor.

What is dry hopping?

Dry hopping is the process of adding hops as a cold topping. It is usually added during or immediately after the primary fermentation. Dry hopping can increase the aroma and flavor of the beer without adding any bitterness to the beer.

Hops contain compounds called alpha acids. When alpha acids are heated during boiling, they undergo a process called isomerization. The isomerized alpha acids give the beer the bitter taste of hops. Dry hopping preserves the delicate volatile oils that create flavor and aroma and gives the beer a satisfying aroma.

The Best Time to Add Hops

The right time to add hops to a fermenter is when fermentation starts to slow down. This is usually indicated by the head (or Clausen head) starting to drop, which usually coincides with a decrease in bubbles in the airlock. This is about three to four days after fermentation begins. If you are using a single-stage fermenter, add the hops. If you are using a secondary fermenter, immediately pour the beer back into the keg and add the dry hops to the secondary fermenter.

The wrong time to add hops is at or near the start of fermentation. Hops are not a sterile product and adding them too early can result in contaminated beer.

Hop pellets or whole hops?

The method of dry hopping depends on the type of hops used and where they are placed. When it comes to dry hopping, there are some key differences between using hop pellets and using whole hops. Hop pellets float on the surface of water and will sink to the bottom.

All of the hop oils can be released into the beer almost immediately through the pellets, if you use whole hops, it may take one to two weeks for a significant amount of oil to be released.

Common Methods of Dry Hopping

French Press

This dry hopping technique isn't ideal, but it can determine which aroma compounds work well with a certain type of beer. If you're brewing a pale ale, consider dry hopping next time. Add some pale ale and some grain hops to your French press and let them bond for a while.

Barrel Hopping

This is a great variation on dry hopping, where you put the hops in a hop bag or tea strainer before pouring them into the keg. This method really imparts a unique aroma from the hops, and since the tea strainer is next to the spout of the beer, some of the beer will go right through the bag into the glass, which can give it a very fresh taste.

Early Dry Casting

Most homebrewers don't respond as strongly to primary dry hopping as they do to secondary dry hopping. In theory, primary dry hopping allows CO2 bubbles to carry away aroma components in the beer. But the fact is that while primary dry hopping does change the aroma profile, the exact mechanism is unclear.

The aroma compounds in hops are found in hop oils, which are not volatile enough to be carried away by CO2 bubbles. The only reason they dissipate during boiling is that they are boiled away. This process has been tried a few times in both homebrewing and commercial brewing, but it has not yet caught on.

When are bittering hops added?

Bittering hops are added after the wort has been collected in the kettle (or after the malt extract has been added) and has come to a boil. This is usually done for 60 minutes, but some recipes call for 30 minutes. All beers contain some bittering hops. The main reason is that without the bittering flavor of hops, the beer would taste sweet and syrupy. Another benefit is that hops are a natural preservative, helping the beer to keep longer or age longer.

When are flavor hops added?

Flavor hops are usually added after the boil, which is usually 15 to 30 minutes. During this time, the bitterness in the hops is slightly extracted, but it gives it a refreshing hop flavor. Again, these hops are the same as bittering or aroma hops, the difference is the boil time.

When are aroma hops added?

The aroma-producing hop oils are volatile and disappear almost immediately in the boiling steam. Therefore, aromatic hops should not be boiled for a long time. They are usually added in the last 5 minutes of the boil or when the heat is turned off. Adding hops after the heat is turned off will maximize the aroma.