[majorvices]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

[mblanks2]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

[HoosierBrew]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

So am I right that this only happened with the spider resting on the bottom?  I ask because I have a SS spider and have never had that happen. OTOH it never quite touches the bottom.

[mblanks2]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

So am I right that this only happened with the spider resting on the bottom?  I ask because I have a SS spider and have never had that happen. OTOH it never quite touches the bottom.

Yes, you are correct. The spider was sitting directly on the bottom of the kettle. The bottom has a 1/2" pocket underneath from the rim where the mesh allowed the hop dust to transfer through. It was captured in this pocket for the entire 60 minute boil and scorched to the bottom.

[HoosierBrew]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

So am I right that this only happened with the spider resting on the bottom?  I ask because I have a SS spider and have never had that happen. OTOH it never quite touches the bottom.

Yes, you are correct. The spider was sitting directly on the bottom of the kettle. The bottom has a 1/2" pocket underneath from the rim where the mesh allowed the hop dust to transfer through. It was captured in this pocket for the entire 60 minute boil and scorched to the bottom.

Gotcha. Sounds like we have pretty much the same spider - mine has a pocket of ~ that size on the bottom. I just trimmed mine to sit around an inch or two above the bottom of my kettle to let wort circulate effectively. Never occurred to me about trapped debris scorching if it sat on the bottom. Makes sense.

EDIT  -  FWIW I use this one :  http://www.stainlessbrewing.com/Hop-Spider-with-seam-welds_p_158.html

[erockrph]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

I'm wondering if any reactions happened between the hop oils and the hot wort. If you try scorching some hops I'd do it in a low gravity wort. Then you could collect it, cold crash it for a couple days, then run it through a coffee filter to try to get all the scorched bits out. I'd add it to the kettle at flameout.

[mblanks2]

Well, if that's the case what about try smoking the hops on a cold smoker?

That's a thought for sure. I've had some people suggest scorching the hops in another vessel and adding to the bk. I'm just trying to consider the most repeatable scenario.
Who knows, maybe I'll place a stainless plate under my spider and repeat the last brew day without having to clean the scorched material from the bottom of the kettle.
It truly is amazing how well this beer has aged and the flavors meld together. I really expected to eventually toss it all, now I want to brew it again.
It's not what I would really consider an IIPA because there is basically no aroma but the bitterness is there then the sweetness of the caramel malts come through with just a hint of smokiness.

I'm wondering if any reactions happened between the hop oils and the hot wort. If you try scorching some hops I'd do it in a low gravity wort. Then you could collect it, cold crash it for a couple days, then run it through a coffee filter to try to get all the scorched bits out. I'd add it to the kettle at flameout.

This was something my LHBS owner suggested. We just haven't decided on a good plan of action on it as of yet. That's why I'm exploring additional options i.e. the smoke malt, etc.

[majorvices]

Since you suspect the flavor came from the scorched hops I would look that direction, and smoked hops - maybe even slightly charred hops on smoker or in oven - would be the way I'd go.

If the flavor really came from scorching I think you got really lucky. Every scorched beer I have ever tasted, (and have unfortunately tasted a few either from electric elements in BK, or from scorched malt in MT and from actual scorched wort from direct fire kettle), have all tasted more like the smoke you'd get from a cross between and ash tray and a tail pipe rather than pleasant wood smoke.

I've never smoked hops before, but I have heard of people who have done it. Now I'm excited to try it

[HoosierBrew]

Trying to picture what hops would be better than others if you smoked them. I almost think that the really citrusy ones (Centennial, Amarillo, etc.) would be the least good and maybe the spicy or piney ones could be better given the added phenolic flavor. Just a WAG. I'd like to hear how a (deliberately) smoked hop beer came out for somebody.

[hopfenundmalz]

A few hers back Charlie P. wrote about a beer with smoked hops in Zymurgy.

[mblanks2]

Chinook and CTZ were used in this beer. I may try a small wort on the stove top with the intial FWH and slowly attempt a repeat. I just don't want risk loosing a beer. I may come up with several opinions and opt to do smaller 1 gallon batches as a trial.

[majorvices]

A few hers back Charlie P. wrote about a beer with smoked hops in Zymurgy.

A few "hers" back. Is that how you count time in ex-wives?

[denny]

A few hers back Charlie P. wrote about a beer with smoked hops in Zymurgy.

IIRC, he was talking about it but I don't believe he ever brewed it.

[hopfenundmalz]

A few hers back Charlie P. wrote about a beer with smoked hops in Zymurgy.

A few "hers" back. Is that how you count time in ex-wives?

If you're going to have a typo it should be worthy of ridicule.

[jeffy]

Since you suspect the flavor came from the scorched hops I would look that direction, and smoked hops - maybe even slightly charred hops on smoker or in oven - would be the way I'd go.

If the flavor really came from scorching I think you got really lucky. Every scorched beer I have ever tasted, (and have unfortunately tasted a few either from electric elements in BK, or from scorched malt in MT and from actual scorched wort from direct fire kettle), have all tasted more like the smoke you'd get from a cross between and ash tray and a tail pipe rather than pleasant wood smoke.

I've never smoked hops before, but I have heard of people who have done it. Now I'm excited to try it

This is also my opinion on the aspect of scorched flavors.  I'm sensitive to it and can pick it up better than most, more as ashtray burnt than pleasant smokiness.
I've cold smoked hops.  Whole hops work better than pellets.  I smoked some Warrior and use them late and dry and got a lot more smoke in the end product than I expected.