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Author Topic: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?  (Read 6705 times)

Offline Illini Rookie

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Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« on: January 17, 2013, 03:42:46 pm »
Hey All,
Need help quickly. I am doing a 1.5IPA and I intend to dry hop. I had used some pellet hops during the boil about a week ago, but I saved roughly 1/2 ounce for dry hopping (galaxy hops). When I went to get them out of the fridge today, they seem a little brown. I intend on dry hopping today during some still pretty good fermentation (day 5). The yeast are still healthy enough to take care of some oxygen.

I was wondering if they brown hops are going to add any off flavors. The hops only appear to be slightly browner but still smell good.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Offline davidgzach

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2013, 03:58:42 pm »
Should not be a problem.  May not be as potent as before but toss away!

However, if you still have a lot of activity, I would wait as you will blow off your coveted aroma.

Dave
Dave Zach

Offline The Professor

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2013, 04:10:33 pm »
You can do it, but you won't get quite as nice an aroma effect as opposed to fresher hops.  You might get away with it since they have only been exposed for a few days.

A vacuum sealer is ideal for keeping pellets or whole dried hops in fresher condition.
AL
New Brunswick, NJ
[499.6, 101.2] Apparent Rennerian
Homebrewer since July 1971

Offline Illini Rookie

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2013, 04:12:20 pm »
Great thanks! I also had an ounce of fresh simcoe whole cone that is going in, so I am not worried about lack of flavor. The yeast is mostly done, and I wanted to get in while it was slightly active to head off any oxidation. I don't have much further to drop as far as gravity is concerned at 1.006 now, so hopefully not too much flavor is lost.

Thanks again.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2013, 11:22:06 pm »
I wouldn't use them.  Next time squeeze out the air and keep them in the freezer.  Use the fresh simcoe and leave it at that.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline davidgzach

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2013, 07:24:08 am »
I wouldn't use them.  Next time squeeze out the air and keep them in the freezer.  Use the fresh simcoe and leave it at that.

Tom,

Do you think they will impart a poor flavor?  Still good for bittering?  What are your thoughts behind not using them?

Dave
Dave Zach

Offline bwana

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2013, 08:45:34 am »
If they smell good use them,if they don't dump them!

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2013, 05:11:13 pm »
I wouldn't use them.  Next time squeeze out the air and keep them in the freezer.  Use the fresh simcoe and leave it at that.

Tom,

Do you think they will impart a poor flavor?  Still good for bittering?  What are your thoughts behind not using them?

Dave
I would worry about oxidized flavors from the hops.  They might be fine, they might not, but why take a chance?  The simcoe will be great.

You could still use them for bittering, there is less worry there.  Although I might dump them altogether.  It's 1/2 oz, not 1/2 lb.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Illini Rookie

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2013, 07:09:31 pm »
So in the end, instead of waiting to hear a response, I threw them away. I was happy with the Simcoe, and I figured I could just go get another 1 oz if I wanted to add it to the dry hop.

The IPA is tasting great, and I am thinking of pulling the dry hops after only 3 days after reading the OSU article.

My concern with the brown was that the oxidation of the hops would come through even more since it was being dry hopped. I would of been okay using them for bittering except for I seem to recall hearing negative things about Galaxy for bittering. If it had been the Warrior that was brown, I might of saved them.

Obviously I didn't know though otherwise I wouldn't have posted.  :D

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2013, 09:44:24 pm »
So in the end, instead of waiting to hear a response, I threw them away. I was happy with the Simcoe, and I figured I could just go get another 1 oz if I wanted to add it to the dry hop.

The IPA is tasting great, and I am thinking of pulling the dry hops after only 3 days after reading the OSU article.

My concern with the brown was that the oxidation of the hops would come through even more since it was being dry hopped. I would of been okay using them for bittering except for I seem to recall hearing negative things about Galaxy for bittering. If it had been the Warrior that was brown, I might of saved them.

Obviously I didn't know though otherwise I wouldn't have posted.  :D
Sorry it took me so long, I've had a lot going on. :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline Illini Rookie

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Re: Hops turned slightly brown. Can I dry hop with them?
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2013, 05:30:09 pm »
No worries! I was just impatient.  :D