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Author Topic: Trouble with hoppy beers  (Read 3319 times)

Offline charlieb

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #15 on: August 26, 2016, 10:34:05 am »
For what it's worth I use to use hop sacks when brewing. In my boils and in dry hopping to. When I made IPAs they were never anywhere near a good IPA in terms of flavor, bitterness or aroma.

I then stopped using hop bags entirely. The difference was incredible. Now my IPAs are fantastic.




Offline denny

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #16 on: August 26, 2016, 12:21:39 pm »
I still use bags.  I just use 10% more hops to compensate.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #17 on: August 26, 2016, 12:25:41 pm »
Yep, I use bags, too. And my American styles are definitely not lacking in hop character.
Jon H.

Offline Indy574

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2016, 05:15:52 am »
You didn't mention the quantity of finishing hops. I typically am adding 1 to 2 oz of the late hops in a 5 gal batch. I prefer pellet hops since they release more of their contents because they've had the snot beat out of them during pelletizing.

I am not a fan of hop sacks...even big ones. I tried them earlier in my career and found they significantly reduced my hop utilization and flavor...even in the loosest of sacks.

You mention using the Pale Ale profile and RO water. How are you adding alkalinity to your mashing water? That big dose of gypsum, epsom, and CaCl will drive mashing pH down lower than desirable for good hop extraction. You have to add some alkalinity to the mashing water in order to keep the mash pH around 5.4 which I've found to be beneficial to extracting those hop bittering and flavor.

What's the best way to add alkalinity back to the mashing water?  I build with RO so I'm dumping gypsum, Epsom, and CaCl in. I use BnW and BeerSmith and don't get that hop pop. I don't have a pH meter but the software shows the appropriate range.  Feeling a little puzzled.

Offline Stevie

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #19 on: August 27, 2016, 07:50:30 am »
Baking soda

Offline denny

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #20 on: August 27, 2016, 09:55:26 am »
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Trouble with hoppy beers
« Reply #21 on: August 27, 2016, 09:57:00 am »
Baking soda for me.
Jon H.