[erockrph]

The best way to increase hop flavor is to use a hop stand. Use just enough of a smooth bittering hop at 60 minutes to get your target IBU's, then add all your flavor hops after flameout once your wort gets down to about 170F. Stir the heck out of it, then let it steep at that temp for a half an hour (stirring occasionally) before chilling the rest of the way and pitching. You will be amazed at how much hop flavor you will get. There is no need for a hopback, this works way better.

[Phil_M]

Something I've recently started doing is to take steps to minimize O2 exposure throughout the fermentation/transferring/kegging process. I found my beers would typically lose their hop aromas/flavors during fermentation. Ditching transferring for "secondary" and filling the receiving vessel with CO2 as much as practical has made a big difference.

I don't know what your process is like, so this may not even be an issue.

[Philbrew]

The best way to increase hop flavor is to use a hop stand. Use just enough of a smooth bittering hop at 60 minutes to get your target IBU's, then add all your flavor hops after flameout once your wort gets down to about 170F. Stir the heck out of it, then let it steep at that temp for a half an hour (stirring occasionally) before chilling the rest of the way and pitching. You will be amazed at how much hop flavor you will get. There is no need for a hopback, this works way better.

Do you cover the kettle for the half hour 170 F rest?  It seems like the wort would cool to the 130s if uncovered.  Or do you give it a shot with the burner?

[erockrph]

The best way to increase hop flavor is to use a hop stand. Use just enough of a smooth bittering hop at 60 minutes to get your target IBU's, then add all your flavor hops after flameout once your wort gets down to about 170F. Stir the heck out of it, then let it steep at that temp for a half an hour (stirring occasionally) before chilling the rest of the way and pitching. You will be amazed at how much hop flavor you will get. There is no need for a hopback, this works way better.

Do you cover the kettle for the half hour 170 F rest?  It seems like the wort would cool to the 130s if uncovered.  Or do you give it a shot with the burner?

I brew indoors on my glass stovetop. I put the pot back on top of the hot burner and cover it in between stirs. It is generally still in the 150's after half an hour. I do try to minimize temp loss, but I'm not overly concerned about losing even 20 degrees or so.

[Philbrew]

The best way to increase hop flavor is to use a hop stand. Use just enough of a smooth bittering hop at 60 minutes to get your target IBU's, then add all your flavor hops after flameout once your wort gets down to about 170F. Stir the heck out of it, then let it steep at that temp for a half an hour (stirring occasionally) before chilling the rest of the way and pitching. You will be amazed at how much hop flavor you will get. There is no need for a hopback, this works way better.

Do you cover the kettle for the half hour 170 F rest?  It seems like the wort would cool to the 130s if uncovered.  Or do you give it a shot with the burner?

I brew indoors on my glass stovetop. I put the pot back on top of the hot burner and cover it in between stirs. It is generally still in the 150's after half an hour. I do try to minimize temp loss, but I'm not overly concerned about losing even 20 degrees or so.

Got it.  One more question.  Do you strain out the hops going into the fermentor?

[HoosierBrew]

I put the pot back on top of the hot burner and cover it in between stirs. It is generally still in the 150's after half an hour. I do try to minimize temp loss, but I'm not overly concerned about losing even 20 degrees or so.

Same here. The only thing I do differently on pils malt beers is to leave the lid partially covered between stirs. Gotta say, I opened only to stir on pils malt beers and never had any DMS. I always boil pils for 90, just OCD I guess.

[erockrph]

Got it.  One more question.  Do you strain out the hops going into the fermentor?

Yeah, with the amount of hops I use, it's pretty much a necessity I brew 3 gallon batches, so I am able to just dump my kettle through a kitchen strainer if I'm using whole hops. If I'm using pellets, I have varying sizes of these that I pour through.