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"Wet hopping"

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  • #16
    love those hops

    we took 5 lbs and tossed them in our mash 20m minutres prior to mash out, used 900 gms at 20 minutes and another 900 gms at 10 minute mark. both in oversized hop bags to promote movement and wort circulation. Post whirlpool we turned the mash/lauter tun into a glorified hop back and let 35 lbs sit (stirred gently) for 20 minutes in 8 bbls before knocking out to the fermenter. So far lovely fresh citrus and pine aromas. should be ready in a 10 days or so. We are excited and will let you all know how it turns out!
    Nicholas Campbell

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    • #17
      Fred-Yes, there is a smell and taste something like grass. Using a word like that shows your age though.

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      • #18
        Okay, so I thought I'd post a brief update on the wet-hopped brew session:

        I got the hops shipped to me (Pittsburgh, PA) from Washington via 2nd day air. They arrived on a Friday, and my plan was to use them on Saturday and Sunday. When I cracked the boxes open, they smelled great, but were already starting to brown up - and stuffing my hand down into the box revealed that they were pretty warm and wilted...Probably from the conditions they were exposed to en-route, and not from any decomposing-type of heat source.

        So, I spread them out on some sheets to cool them off and divvy them up for the two day's brews.

        Original plan was to use them in the kettle, but after looking at the volume of hops (25lbs for each day), decided for plan B: Boil wort for about 80 min, 10 min WP, 10 min rest, then run into preheated, hop-filled mash/lauter tun where they would steep for 20 min. Some manual WPing and tamping applied over the course of this time period. At the end of KO, temp was still 190, so I felt that diacetyl downstream was not an issue...if memory serves.

        Second day's hops were noticably "earthier" than the greener hops of the day before. I think a local source is in order for next year.

        Oh yeah, one more observation: sucking on a fresh hop cone for half an hour or so might just produce some really vivid dreams. Talk about GRASSY!

        More when the ferment is nearing completion...
        Scott

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        • #19
          Getting ready to do a wet hop beer with Amarillo - using the mash tun for a hop back. Anyone have any updates on their experiences?
          Linus Hall
          Yazoo Brewing
          Nashville, TN
          www.yazoobrew.com

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          • #20
            Fresh Hops

            Getting ready to do a wet hop beer with Amarillo - using the mash tun for a hop back. Anyone have any updates on their experiences?

            We have brewed our Harvest ale like this for several years. After digging out the mashtun we scrub it very well then heat sterilize with leftover hot liquor. After the whirlpool we dump the hops into the mashtun and gently cover with hot wort before pumping to heat ex.

            We harvested 40#'s of local hops this year!
            Cascade, Centennial, Glacier, Chinook

            The aroma is grassy, citrus, and earthy.

            Travis Zeilstra
            Brewer
            Montana Brewing Co.

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            • #21
              Info re wet hopping a 'harvest ale'

              Since most craft-brewers who brew 'harvest ales' are either ... 1.) located in a region where they can easily obtain 'wet hops' (e.g., 'Yakima Valley' or the 'pacific northwest'), ... or ... 2.) grow their own hops (this probably applies to the vast majority of brewers -- micro or otherwise), ... I think it is appropriate to post a reply with a link to another thread in this forum which should be a great asset to anyone growing their own hops: http://tinyurl.com/5k9be6

              I sincerely appreciate being permitted to post here, so if linking to another forum is inappropriate, I promise to never do it again. Thanks.

              Cheers.

              Bill Velek

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              • #22
                Originally posted by Sir Brewsalot View Post
                Wow, thanks Brian. I never would have thought to take into consideration the extra "water addition" that comes with fresh hops. Good to know.

                I was planning to just chuck mine into the kettle and put the exit screen into the kettle bottom (I usually only handle pelletized on this rig). Could be a big mess though. The idea of using the Mash-tun is an interesting one to me, but the downsides I'd see there are (1) possibly more O2 pickup, (I'd stay clear of spraying hot wort, but have a side run-in option in my tun that should do nicely) and (2) a much longer knockout - running my pump at about half the speed due to the gravity-fed grant setup, and maybe risking some DMS, and (3) I'd be limited to a late fresh hop addition only.

                Any more thoughts?

                Many thanks,
                Scott
                A few people have mentioned being wary of introducing O2 when using the lauter as a Hop Back. Am I wrong in thinking this is nothing to worry about as youre about to add O2 in line anyway for your tranfer to the FV.
                Kev

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                • #23
                  Just throwing my personal experience with fresh hops out there. I have been ridiculously lucky and have had 3 loads of fresh hops given to me directly from Hopunion. The employee that gave them to me told me to use them within 24 hours, ONLY use them after flame out, and not let them stay in for more than 10 minutes. I threw in 6 pounds of Simcoes in a small 10 gallon test batch as soon as my boil ended and let them sit for 7-8 minutes. That brew was last Tuesday and the aromas coming off the fermenter are insanely strong (in a good way). I dry hopped that beer on Monday by adding 18 ounces of fresh Cascades. The brewer at Hopunion also told me to split the hops in half for dry hopping. I sat and tore hops for nearly 2 hours.. I may attempt to use the Vitamix or something to speed this up next time.

                  A buddy of mine brewed last week and used the fresh hops with 15 minutes left in his boil. He had a horrible vegetable smell coming off of it 2-3 days into fermentation. After testing it last night he had to pour it out, he said the smell was unbearable and tasted awful. I'll be testing mine out this Friday morning and kegging in time to enter it in to the Fresh Hop Ale Festival.

                  Feel free to message me with any questions and I can try to ask my friends at Hopunion and Haas.

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