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Author Topic: The Hop Squasher  (Read 22994 times)

Offline cheba420

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The Hop Squasher
« on: January 08, 2012, 08:53:16 pm »
From the Gadget Issue, The Hop Squasher is simple, inexpensive and effective. I grabbed an inexpensive French press this weekend and have already put it to use. I have an IPA that I brewed in August and just put on the gas last week. Its lost a lot of hop flavor and aroma sitting in the keg. With the hop squasher, I can add amarillo to one pint and simcoe to the next! Simple....but pretty awesome!

Its got me thinking of other additions that I can put in my beer by the glass. Peppers (jalapeno, habenaro, serano) in pale ales, ambers or ipa's. Cilantro in a wheat or a saison? OK! Coffee in a porter or stout? Yes!

I also think it will inspire new hop combinations in my brewing. I can test them out in the hop squasher to see what I like and then start putting them in my beers when I brew or dry hop.
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett

Offline roguejim

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2012, 12:23:18 am »
What exactly is this gizmo?  What does it do?

Offline euge

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2012, 12:33:24 am »
What exactly is this gizmo?  What does it do?

Yes. I have not the issue. Do you add the press to the keg or drink it?
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Offline phillamb168

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2012, 03:58:23 am »
You drink it - it's like a single-use hop rocket.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2012, 07:11:53 am »
It's a french press with hops in it.
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Offline cheba420

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2012, 07:26:28 am »
Sorry guys. I guess I could have went into more detail. Its a french press thats used for coffee. No modifications needed. You put a few hops in it, fill it with beer and press the hops down into the beer. I put mine in the fridge for a few minutes and then pour a pint. It basically dry hops your beer right in the glass. I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share.
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett

Offline blatz

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2012, 07:28:34 am »
Sorry guys. I guess I could have went into more detail. Its a french press thats used for coffee. No modifications needed. You put a few hops in it, fill it with beer and press the hops down into the beer. I put mine in the fridge for a few minutes and then pour a pint. It basically dry hops your beer right in the glass. I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share.

yeah - I had no idea what you were talking about until I got my issue in the mail last night - cool idea and like you said, a good way to try out different varietals for dryhopping.
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Offline euge

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2012, 11:58:22 am »
Doesn't forcing the hops through the beer cause it to foam and lose carbonation?
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline roguejim

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2012, 11:58:52 am »
I'm going to guess that pellets would not be advisable.

Offline roguejim

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2012, 12:03:02 pm »
What exactly do you get from the hops...aromatics?  Does cold beer poured over "squashed hops", allowed to sit for a few minutes, produce additional hop flavor?

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2012, 12:50:21 pm »
It should work more or less the same as randall the enamel animal, I am sure you do lose some carb but it's still somewhat bubbly.
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Offline cheba420

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2012, 09:03:07 pm »
The screen is tight enough in the press that I think you could use pellets without a problem. You do lose a little carb so its almost like a dry hopped cask ale once it hits the glass. A little more carbed than that.....What you get is great hop aroma and flavor. No additional bitterness. Blatz- I'm pouring that Green Flash WCIPA clone with Amarillo in the hop squasher! Its money!
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett

Offline roguejim

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2012, 03:50:30 pm »
The screen is tight enough in the press that I think you could use pellets without a problem. You do lose a little carb so its almost like a dry hopped cask ale once it hits the glass. A little more carbed than that.....What you get is great hop aroma and flavor. No additional bitterness. Blatz- I'm pouring that Green Flash WCIPA clone with Amarillo in the hop squasher! Its money!

So, would you add 2-3 hop cones to a pint to pump up an APA, for example?

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2012, 04:34:28 pm »
The screen is tight enough in the press that I think you could use pellets without a problem. You do lose a little carb so its almost like a dry hopped cask ale once it hits the glass. A little more carbed than that.....What you get is great hop aroma and flavor. No additional bitterness. Blatz- I'm pouring that Green Flash WCIPA clone with Amarillo in the hop squasher! Its money!

So, would you add 2-3 hop cones to a pint to pump up an APA, for example?

two or three cones? nah, chuck an oz or two in there ;D well okay maybe not that much. but looking at the pic in zymurgy it looks like a small handfull. I suspect you need to use more cause the contact time is so short. I also suspect that one charge of hops is good for more than one pint. after all Randall can handle a whole keg, course that's like a lb of hops.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
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Offline cheba420

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Re: The Hop Squasher
« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2012, 08:54:48 pm »
I've only used whole hops in it so far but I'm using 5-10 per pint but I'm getting two pints out of the press. 10 cones seems to hit the spot but I'll put a few more in and see whats up. I'm going to try some simcoe pellets tonight.
Matt
Mesa, AZ.
#197645

On Tap: Vanilla Porter, Belgian Blonde, Saison, Black IPA, Punkin Porter
Primary: Pale 31 Clone, Raspberry Cider
Secondary: Vanilla Porter
Conditioning: Brett IPA
Bottles:Mosaic Wheat
On Deck: Flanders Red, Berliner weisse, Punkin Saison, Saison Brett