Questioning The Value of First Wort Hopping.

[StaEva]

Since almost all essential oils and aromatic compounds in hops are volatilized at boiling temperatures, what is the theory with First Wort Hopping? It seems to me you'll get the same effect just adding your hops at 60 or 90 minutes and saving the rest for your late additions where you'll actually extract and preserve the essential oils and aromatic compounds instead of just boiling them right off...

Does the process of oxidation modify the compounds into a more stable chemical structure that is less likely to volatilize in the boil? That really seems like an unnecessary risk to take when you could just utilize all of your finishing hops at post-boil temperatures where you can be sure compounds won't volatilize.

Am I missing something about this process?

[Junkyard]

It definitely adds complexity to the hop character in a beer.. I've heard that the compounds stick around because they attach to certain hot break proteins before they coagulate in the boil. Whatever the case you should honestly break out your old Homebrew equipment and try doing an only FW hopped IPA. When I did it I found there to be a definite difference between FW and boil hopping. Where FW hopping had a surprising amount of flavor carry through. It's not the same hop flavors I was expecting though. After my experiment I will never FWH a beer and especially an iPA because I feel that the hop character you get from FW hopping isn't very pleasant and will only take your attention away from a clean bitterness and hop character If it were incorporated into an IPA recipe.

[StaEva]

It definitely adds complexity to the hop character in a beer.. I've heard that the compounds stick around because they attach to certain hot break proteins before they coagulate in the boil. Whatever the case you should honestly break out your old Homebrew equipment and try doing an only FW hopped IPA. When I did it I found there to be a definite difference between FW and boil hopping. Where FW hopping had a surprising amount of flavor carry through. It's not the same hop flavors I was expecting though. After my experiment I will never FWH a beer and especially an iPA because I feel that the hop character you get from FW hopping isn't very pleasant and will only take your attention away from a clean bitterness and hop character If it were incorporated into an IPA recipe.

I definitely think of the technique more in regards to traditional English styles, for sure. It seems like it was developed in direct response to the native hops in the area; to pull more complexity out of the more subdued/earthy/herbal continental and English hops. I don't really see the need for it with the intense American and NZ/AUS hops when whirpooling and Dry Hopping extracts so much character.

Save the technique for when you're out of everything but Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, I think.

[StonyCreekAndy]

I kinda disagree with the previous two posts. I've been using this technique for years. I use it exclusively in hop forward beers. Mostly west coast assertive IPAs, Pales, American Ambers etc.. Anywhere I want to hop flavor to really come forward.

It is certainly a technique than most do not agree upon. And it is definitley one that flies in the face of what most of us were taught about boiling hops and losing their aroma and flavor.

I have always experienced FW hopping giving a much cleaner, much more pure hop flavor in a beer. To me, you can be a bit more aggressive with your hopping and get a much less aggressive and more pure hop flavor through FW hopping.

You definitely pick up IBUs from it, about 5-8% less than your typical bittering addition.

[StaEva]

I have always experienced FW hopping giving a much cleaner, much more pure hop flavor in a beer. To me, you can be a bit more aggressive with your hopping and get a much less aggressive and more pure hop flavor through FW hopping.

It just seems so counter-intuitive to use MORE product to produce less of the aggressive hop character that most people search so hard for.

Like I said, I think the refined hop character developed by the process lends itself to more subdued styles. I suppose it's worth trying with raw American Hoppy beers to test the results.

[3guysandabeerd]

stoney I was considering trying a FWH soon I like the idea of the clean bitterness in beers something different
what's your pounds for barrel
do you do early additions of hops at 60 mins
how about flavor and aroma hopping
how about dry hopping / hop backing just got one together
I do have several pounds of whole leaf fuggle I got off a guy and was thinking of using them
any advice would be great help
cheers and happy holidays
matt

[dberg]

The Brauwelt Article

Here is the article that was printed in Brauwelt that renewed the interest in FWH

[StaEva]

Here is the article that was printed in Brauwelt that renewed the interest in FWH

This is the exact kind of data I'm looking for. Thank you.