When to add hops - graph and question

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homebrewjapan
Posts: 14
Joined: Tuesday Mar 24, 2009 1:09 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

When to add hops - graph and question

Post by homebrewjapan »

I found this graph from brewsupplies.com which tells the effect of adding hops at various times in the boil.

Image

The graph seems to say this:
  • Adding a hop about 7 minutes before the end of the boil will give maximum aroma. The aroma will start to disappear if the hop is left boiling for longer than 7 minutes, but the hop will start to influence flavour.
  • Optimal time for flavour is boiling for around 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flavour will start to disappear and bitterness will increase.
  • After about 40 minutes the hop is bittering only, with maximum bittering effect around 60 minutes.
But what about flame-out? According to this graph, adding at 0 minutes - which many recipes do - has no effect on aroma, flavour, or bitterness.

I've always felt uneasy about adding at 0 minutes. My understanding was this: Add the hops when switching off the gas, leave for about a minute, transfer to the cooling sink and take out the hop bag, then cool the wort down. Maximum time the hops would be in for is 1-2 minutes.

So, is my interpretation of flame-out wrong? Or should I be following the graph and adding at 7 minutes rather than flame-out?
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drsmurto
Posts: 3300
Joined: Friday Nov 17, 2006 11:53 am
Location: Adelaide Hills

Re: When to add hops - graph and question

Post by drsmurto »

Have seen that graph before 2 and in my experience its not quite right.

My usual hop schedule is 60 mins for bittering, 15-30 mins for flavour with 20 mins being more often where i add them and then a big flameout addition for aroma.

I found that boiling the hops for any length of time reduces the aroma so i go for the steeping option. Dump the hops in at flameout, whirlpool till my arm nearly falls off then spend the next 10 mins setting up the chiller. Start chilling.
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