Hop tea. Why before and not after?

[azzothegreek]

Reading advice on hop teas guides me to adding the tea to the bin before lid goes on for primary fermentation. I've learnt from this forum that the first few days of fermentation can lead to hop aroma being affected, always best to preserve hop aroma by adding hops after initial fermentation has died down. Is there an advantage to adding a hop tea to a brew at the begging of fermentation? From my meagre education so far I can't see the advantage of this, thinking it best to add the hop tea to the conditions keg instead.

 

[clibit]

I have made a hop tea a few times, just before bottling. I tend to boil my priming sugar, add it to the hops in a cafetiere, and leave to steep for around an hour while sterilising bottles and then add it to the bottling bucket before racking the beer onto it. Then bottle. I think it provides more flavour than aroma, personally, but it helps the aroma.

 

[azzothegreek]

Good idea with the cafeteria, think I'll used that idea, thanks.

 

[GavH]

Just a wild guess, but I suspect some folk don't want to skew their hydrometer readings by adding more liquid part way through or towards the end of the process, hence they prefer to add it at the outset?

 

[Ceejay]

Simply put, you'll get different flavour and aroma effects, depending on when you add the hop tea (or whole hops).

Fermentation processes actually change the character of hop oils, which in turn change the flavour and aroma of those components as different esters and polyphenols are being melded & created. Also, hop oils coat the surface of the yeast and when the yeast drops out of suspension, so do those oils (not all of them), whilst also effecting the viability of the yeast. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it just produces different results.

It's still far from being fully understood, so the best thing is to experiment and see what you like best. Try out some split batches and see which method you like best. Bear in mind that different yeast and hop combos may also produce different results due to the different ester profiles they produce.

I find it all fascinating! :ugeek:

 

[orlando]

Is there an advantage to adding a hop tea to a brew at the begging of fermentation? From my meagre education so far I can't see the advantage of this, thinking it best to add the hop tea to the conditions keg instead.

The main difference is bitterness. Making a hop tea infusion will extract some bitterness and although it isn't universally known even dry hopping in the fermentor will extract some "perception" of bitterness but mostly is done for aroma. Your hop tea will, depending on how hot the water is, volatalise some of the oils so will give less aroma than dry hopping but also provide flavour.

 

[BeerisGOD]

I like these old threads. Very helpful when deciding to change something with your brew

 

[BeerisGOD]

I have made a hop tea a few times, just before bottling. I tend to boil my priming sugar, add it to the hops in a cafetiere, and leave to steep for around an hour while sterilising bottles and then add it to the bottling bucket before racking the beer onto it. Then bottle. I think it provides more flavour than aroma, personally, but it helps the aroma.

clibit,

i know this post is old, but do you still follow this method. seems a great idea instead of using extra water?:)

 

[IainM]

Clibit isn't active on the forum any longer.

 

[geetee]

I tend to follow the Clibbit method somewhat. I allow boiled water to cool and steep the hops* below 80°C so as not to lose any volatile oils and to prevent any extraneous bitterness. After standing/stirring for 20 minutes or so I then strain the hops into the bottling bucket, add a priming solution (cooled slightly) and then rack the beer on top of that. (*best done with pellets in a stocking)

In my view hop tea can maximise flavour simply as it is added at the last minute with little chance to escape, should not impart any bitterness as it is not boiled. Even dry hops left in a fermenter are reported to be grassy by some people, this may well be the beta acids coming into play through prolonged exposure of hops to the beer. I still dry hop but tend to keep it to 4-6 days and then add hop tea to boost!

 

[BeerisGOD]

I tend to follow the Clibbit method somewhat. I allow boiled water to cool and steep the hops* below 80°C so as not to lose any volatile oils and to prevent any extraneous bitterness. After standing/stirring for 20 minutes or so I then strain the hops into the bottling bucket, add a priming solution (cooled slightly) and then rack the beer on top of that. (*best done with pellets in a stocking)

In my view hop tea can maximise flavour simply as it is added at the last minute with little chance to escape, should not impart any bitterness as it is not boiled. Even dry hops left in a fermenter are reported to be grassy by some people, this may well be the beta acids coming into play through prolonged exposure of hops to the beer. I still dry hop but tend to keep it to 4-6 days and then add hop tea to boost!

hop tea and dry hop. Interesting.
Would you give me an idea of a good amount that would remain present for a few months?

 

[BeerisGOD]

Think ill just do 100grams worth for a tea..

CheeRs for the recent replies

 

[BeerisGOD]

Clibit isn't active on the forum any longer.

Shame, Seemed to be a beer fountain of knowledge

 

[IainM]

Shame, Seemed to be a beer fountain of knowledge

Yeah. He's posted recently-ish on the Jim's Beer Kit forum, so you could give there a try.

 

[ravey]

Clibit isn't active on the forum any longer.

Are you sure? I was wondering that about the OP but when I checked Clibit's profile it says "Last Activity: Today 07:47 PM".

[edit] though checking more I see no posts since March.

 

[IainM]

Are you sure? I was wondering that about the OP but when I checked Clibit's profile it says "Last Activity: Today 07:47 PM".

[edit] though checking more I see no posts since March.

Yeah, there was an effusive goodbye thread which now seems to have been deleted.

 

[BeerCat]

Think ill just do 100grams worth for a tea..

CheeRs for the recent replies

Wow, let us know how it goes. I normally ony do about 25g and 50 or so dry hop. Reckon i will try adding it before bottling nect time though. Maybe i should be using more.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I also use a dedicated cafetière for hop tea, adding the tea at bottling.
There is an interesting page suggesting that late hop additions shouldn't be made above 64C.
http://beersmith.com/blog/2013/01/21/late-hop-additions-and-hop-oils-in-beer-brewing/

 

[geetee]

hop tea and dry hop. Interesting.
Would you give me an idea of a good amount that would remain present for a few months?

If it were that simple I would. I make mostly pale ales and drink them young so the idea of the hop tea is to give that extra boost of flavour for when the beer clears and is ready to drink. I have never really looked at the longer term implications on stored beer but reckon this is dependent on beer and hop type.
I will stick a bottle of this beer away for a few monts to try

The amounts I quoted above are what I tend to put in late as I have many brews where a little dry hopping or small amount of hop tea were insignificant so now it's all or nothing!

 

[BeerisGOD]

Yeah. He's posted recently-ish on the Jim's Beer Kit forum, so you could give there a try.

sounds like a 'Banksy' of the beer world:smile: