[eluterio]

Im just looking for info on dry hopping and how it can make a beer seem to be sweeter afterwards.   A buddy of mine dry hopped his DIPA that lacked in Hop aroma and was high in alcohol.  After 2 week of re dry hopping his DIPA he told me that the alcohol has faded and his beer is now sweeter. 

The only think I could think of is the characteristic of the hops used, which im assuming is (amarillo, centennial, and simcoe) added some hop flavor into his DIPA that makes it seem sweeter and that sweetness or hop flavor is some how balancing out the alcohol. 

Not sure if this makes sense but I want to give him a educational answer to what he is now tasting. 

Any help is much appreciated. 

[morticaixavier]

sweeter could be oxidation, could be mistaking a fruity hop flavor/aroma for sweeter, could be that a little hot alcohol flavor faded and the true level of sweetness became apparent. Although I find high alcohol levels to taste a bit sweet myself.

[brewinhard]

Maybe the extra addition of hop oils into the beer made the final product come across a bit "jucier" than before.  The hop resins could possibly be coming across as sweeter, perhaps?

[eluterio]

Thanks guys all this is where my head was going.  So does the high alcohol fade with time? 

[brewinhard]

Fusel alcohols produced during overly high fermentation temps typically don't completely fade away, but normal alcohol produced during a controlled fermentation (even strong ABV% beers) will fade with time and oxidation allowing the boozyness to meld into more desirable flavors/aromas like roses, perfumes, and yes, sweetness. 

[morticaixavier]

I just reread your original post. when you say 're dry hopping' describe the process there. was there any transfers involved? I'm thinking if the beer was packaged and then the brewer decided to dry hop again and transferred to a new vessel to do that there is a good chance oxidation is taking it's toll on the beer in the form of loss of hop character and slight sweetness

[reverseapachemaster]

I also think oxidation is the problem with that beer.

[HoosierBrew]

I agree it could be oxidation. But to sure, were the hop varieties you mentioned the ones used throughout the whole process ? Because if the last round of dry hopping were done with some of the newer varieties like Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado, Calypso, etc., there is definitely a fruity 'sweet' perception imparted by those hops. And I don't know how long ago the beer was brewed, but hop bitterness fades over time and can make a beer come across as more malty sweet. Not buying the alcohol reduction argument here.

[eluterio]

I just reread your original post. when you say 're dry hopping' describe the process there. was there any transfers involved? I'm thinking if the beer was packaged and then the brewer decided to dry hop again and transferred to a new vessel to do that there is a good chance oxidation is taking it's toll on the beer in the form of loss of hop character and slight sweetness

The process was auto syphon into keg, pressurize with CO2 to seal, sample was lacking hop aroma, opened keg and added hops. 

I believe the hops were removed by opening it again so I can see where oxygen would be introduced.

Thanks for the info though!

[eluterio]

I agree it could be oxidation. But to sure, were the hop varieties you mentioned the ones used throughout the whole process ? Because if the last round of dry hopping were done with some of the newer varieties like Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado, Calypso, etc., there is definitely a fruity 'sweetness' imparted by those hops. And I don't know how long ago the beer was brewed, but hop bitterness fades over time and can make a beer come across as more malty sweet. Not buying the alcohol evaporation argument here.

Brewed about a month ago so its still really young. 

When you say alcohol evaporation do you mean how the alcohol presents fade but the ABV remains.  If this makes sense. 

[morticaixavier]

I agree it could be oxidation. But to sure, were the hop varieties you mentioned the ones used throughout the whole process ? Because if the last round of dry hopping were done with some of the newer varieties like Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado, Calypso, etc., there is definitely a fruity 'sweetness' imparted by those hops. And I don't know how long ago the beer was brewed, but hop bitterness fades over time and can make a beer come across as more malty sweet. Not buying the alcohol evaporation argument here.

Brewed about a month ago so its still really young. 

When you say alcohol evaporation do you mean how the alcohol presents fade but the ABV remains.  If this makes sense.

yes, the way the alcohol tastes will change with time. unless it's in a warm place uncovered it will not change the ABV significantly.

[denny]

In general, alcohol adds sweetness.  In addition, hop bitterness fades with time.  Combine those 2 things and you have a possible answer.  I'm pretty certain the hops didn't make it sweeter.

[mabrungard]

Denny beat me to it. Alcohol can sometimes be perceived as sweetness. I have a 9.2% Saison that finished at 0.998 and it is routinely commented on that it has sweetness. I have not heard to hopping (dry or otherwise) adding to perceptions of sweetness.

[Jimmy K]

If anything, hop flavor and aroma often increase the perception of bitterness.

[erockrph]

I wouldn't call it sweetness, but the combination of high alcohol and strong hop oils in a really young DIPA gives me an elixir-like quality that reminds me of cough syrup. As a matter of fact, that's why I don't brew DIPAs any more.

This is distinctly different than the under-attenuated, caramelly sweetness that I get from too many commercial IPAs. I'm specifically referring to an interplay between alcohol and certain hop oil characteristics that I just don't enjoy. I do find that it mellows over time, but I'm not generally looking for an IPA that improves with age.