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Author Topic: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"  (Read 4597 times)

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2017, 06:19:08 am »
I find it very style dependent - I do FWH for my Helles and pilsners with noble hops, but not so much for my American beers.  I like the "rounder bitterness" I perceive.  It could be totally biased and I have not conducted triangle testing on this, so I appreciate that it is not sensory panel derived, nor lab tested.  Just my 2 cents.
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Offline TANSTAAFB

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #16 on: August 21, 2017, 07:51:56 am »
35 "self identified beer drinkers" from Corvallis Oregon. Why wouldn't they go the extra mile to gather a panel of BJCP judges or something? I bet more refined palates would tip the scales on identifying sensory differences. And if it didn't, I'd be more confident in the results.

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Offline zwiller

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2017, 09:01:43 am »
I like the "rounder bitterness" I perceive.  It could be totally biased and I have not conducted triangle testing on this, so I appreciate that it is not sensory panel derived, nor lab tested.  Just my 2 cents.

+ 2 cents.  I do not buy into the notion of flavor or aroma coming from FWH but roundness/ reduction of harshness.  In my mind the proteins in the runnings join with polyphenols etc and precipitate out. 
Sam
Sandusky, OH

Offline blatz

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #18 on: August 21, 2017, 11:25:13 am »
I find it very style dependent - I do FWH for my Helles and pilsners with noble hops, but not so much for my American beers.  I like the "rounder bitterness" I perceive.  It could be totally biased and I have not conducted triangle testing on this, so I appreciate that it is not sensory panel derived, nor lab tested.  Just my 2 cents.

pretty much in the same boat.  article was interesting, but I like the recipes I use FWH for (a few german lagers, really) and I'm not interesting in changing them, based on some finding, as I like the results I get. 
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Offline juggabrew303

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2017, 10:19:30 pm »
I don't really care if there's a difference or not.  I like FWH because it's easier. I don't have to be Mr. Concerno waiting and staring for it to get to boil.  I throw them in when I start the flame so I can go clean my mash tun. 


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Offline toby

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2017, 06:17:30 pm »
Being clear, I found the article an interesting data point, not a basis to judge whether to FWH or not (or any other single study a basis to run and change anything). For the most part I've stopped FWH  because I didn't find much in the way of notable difference in bitterness quality. I do it on occasion though.

Honestly, I can't say that I notice a huge bittering difference either. But a) lab results consistently show about a 10% increase in IBU and b) it's easier for me to FWH so I don't have to watch when the boil starts and remember to throw the hops in.

Offline toby

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #21 on: August 23, 2017, 06:20:52 pm »
35 "self identified beer drinkers" from Corvallis Oregon. Why wouldn't they go the extra mile to gather a panel of BJCP judges or something? I bet more refined palates would tip the scales on identifying sensory differences. And if it didn't, I'd be more confident in the results.

Without knowing who their tasters were, I wouldn't necessarily think their palates are less refined. Generally speaking, being a BJCP judge means that you have a more consistent vocabulary to recognize, identify, and describe things, not necessarily that you can detect things that others can't.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #22 on: August 24, 2017, 09:52:10 am »
Being clear, I found the article an interesting data point, not a basis to judge whether to FWH or not (or any other single study a basis to run and change anything). For the most part I've stopped FWH  because I didn't find much in the way of notable difference in bitterness quality. I do it on occasion though.

Honestly, I can't say that I notice a huge bittering difference either. But a) lab results consistently show about a 10% increase in IBU and b) it's easier for me to FWH so I don't have to watch when the boil starts and remember to throw the hops in.

And I don't disagree FWIW. If I didn't  make a brew day checklist, I'd forget to add hops half the time, whether it was a FWH or 60 addition. As said, I FWH beers on occasion but generally bitter @ 60.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #23 on: August 24, 2017, 01:25:15 pm »
How long would a FWH last in the commercial setting?  Probably well over an hour and alot longer than any homebrewer would. 
Sam
Sandusky, OH

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #24 on: August 24, 2017, 05:47:13 pm »
How long would a FWH last in the commercial setting?  Probably well over an hour and alot longer than any homebrewer would.
I brewed a CAP with Jeff Renner several years ago. His FWH procedure is to have them in the wort for about an hour - when his sparge is over he has lunch - holding temp during that time.
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Offline PORTERHAUS

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #25 on: August 24, 2017, 07:26:06 pm »
I haven't really noticed a difference with the bittering character when using FWH (for the beers I have brewed that way at least). But I do remember a long time ago I brewed one of my only Witbiers, I bittered with Hallertau as a FWH addition and the although it was a mild character,  the hop flavor and aroma in the finished beer would have been enough to make you think it was actually hit with a touch of late hops. It was enough to convince me of some of what is believed to be true for FWH.

Offline Tony O

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Re: "We Might Have Been Wrong About FWH"
« Reply #26 on: August 29, 2017, 03:33:24 pm »
I don't know if it makes a difference or not but I do know that when I do it, I am a lot less likely to get a boil over than when I toss a big bittering charge in when the wort is already boiling.  :)

Tony