Reduction of hop tannin extraction

[cmwilson99]

I believe that I may be getting some astringency from hop tannins in a heavily hopped beer we produce. Right now we use leaf hops whenever possible in the boil and pellet for dry hopping. I am wondering if the vegetable matter may be contributing to my problem.

I would if any information or experiences you have has dealing with this. I am particularly interested in the techniques used.

Thanks,
Chris Wilson
Weyerbacher Brewing Company

[Brewdoctor]

The best path to bitterness is a long boil on a small quantity of high alpha hops. Or perhaps an average boil of super high alpha hops. The concept is get the most IBU's out of the least amount of vegetable material boiled for the least amount of time. This allows for flavour and aroma additions to be quite generous while the overall polyphenol charge to the wort is low.

But this is just one opinion and reflects bias...

[Alex T]

hi,

maybe have a check of your boil pH - a pH of around 5.2 start of boil will give a smoother bitterness (or, so they say!!) - higher pH gives a harsher bitterness.

also, have a look at the co-humulone content of your bittering hops as a high co-humulone fraction is known to give a harsher bitterness (which could be seen to be astringent). for example, if you were to produce a 50IBU beer using horizon (very low co-h) to bitter, it will still be very smooth, where if you use something like pride of ringwood (high co-h), it will be very harsh.

let us know what you come up with.

cheers,

alex

[Ted Briggs]

Chris
Traditionaly whole cone hops are used for dry hopping. IMHO- pellets could contrigute astringencey (more than whole) because they are all torn up and the alcohol could extract tannins in finished beer. Dry hopping can also give a "tea like flavor" from the vegitable matter when over done.
Otherwise look @ the Co-humolone of the bittering hops. Also first wort hopping has impericaly been know to give a smoother bitterness but I havent read any hard data on that. Personaly use mostly "aroma" hops, Norther Brewer being about the highest Alpha, because I feel the other verieties are "smoother".
Last- balance hoppy beers with some residual gravity- maybe its too dry?
Off topic- Firewaters in AC is selling Bithering Idiot barley wine in Pints!!! Very dangerous for us malty beer lovers :-)

[Sir Brewsalot]

I have also seen some tannic flavors in some of my hoppier pilot brews, but found that after a couple of weeks, the flavor mellows considerably. Don't know if that's an option but might be worth looking at.

It's probably the damn sales guys - what are they thinking selling all that beer so soon!

S

[MikeJordan]

I have to agree with the other posts. The hops are contributing a tannic flavor. I like to use high alpha, low COH hops for early hop additions to reduce the total vegetative matter in the WH and the possible carryover of trub for this reason. Magnum, Horizon, Warrior, and Simcoe are some varieties you could use. I also prefer to dry-hop with whole hops. First wort hopping is interesting and generally noted to provide beers with a rounded hop aroma and rounded hop taste. You can find a nice article in Brauwelt International, No.4/1995 pp. 308-315.

[cmwilson99]

Thanks for the help.


Chris