Flavor And Aroma Hops: The Perfect Timing For Brewing

Hops are added to beer during the boil in three stages: bittering, flavor, and aroma. While the same hop variety can be used for all three stages, the time at which they are added plays a crucial role in the final product. Flavor hops are generally added between 15 and 30 minutes before the boil ends, while aroma hops are added during the last 5 to 10 minutes of the boil or at flameout. The addition of flavor and aroma hops gives the beer complexity and enhances its hoppy character.

Aroma hops are added late in the boil or during dry hopping

Aroma hops are added late in the boil—during the last 10 to 15 minutes—or during whirlpooling, which occurs after the boil. Aroma hops can also be added during dry hopping, which is a more recent practice where hops are added to the fermenter after the yeast has been added.

Aroma hops are added late in the boil because hop oils responsible for aroma are extremely volatile and will be driven off in the steam of the boil almost immediately. Aroma hops are not boiled for long, and adding them late in the boil helps to maximise their impact on the final beer's aroma.

Dry hopping is another method of adding aroma to beer. The compounds extracted by dry hopping with cool wort or beer are quite different from those found in wort after the boil. Dry hopping can be done with a weighted mesh bag, which makes it easier to remove the hops, and with weights, which force all the hops to be submerged.

Aroma hops must not be boiled for long

Aroma hops are added to the beer during the last stages of the brewing process. This is because the oils in aroma hops that give the beer its aroma are extremely volatile and will be driven off in the steam of the boil almost immediately. Therefore, to preserve the aroma, the hops must not be boiled for long.

Aroma hops are typically added during the last 5 to 15 minutes of the boil or at flameout, which is when the kettle is removed from the heat. Adding the hops at flameout will produce the maximum amount of aroma. Aroma hops can also be added after the boil, during the whirlpool, or even after fermentation, in a process known as dry hopping.

The timing of the addition of hops is crucial to the final product. While bittering hops are added at the beginning of the boil and flavour hops are added with 15 to 30 minutes remaining, aroma hops are added at the very end. This is because the different compounds in the hops that provide bitterness, flavour, and aroma are affected differently by the boiling process.

The essential oils in aroma hops are highly volatile and will quickly evaporate if left in the boil for too long. By adding the aroma hops late in the boil or at flameout, the wonderful hop aroma is preserved in the final beer.

Additionally, the amount of hops added can also impact the aroma. Using a lot of well-preserved hops in the boil can enhance the aroma, but there is a risk of tannins that can cause a grassy taste. Proper storage of hops is crucial to avoid grassy flavours and preserve the desired aroma.

Flavouring hops are added with 15-30 minutes remaining in the boil

When brewing beer, hops are typically added to the wort in three stages during the boil: bittering, flavouring, and aroma. While the type of hop used will determine its primary function, any type of hop can be used for any addition.

Flavouring hops are generally added with 15 to 30 minutes remaining in the boil. During this timeframe, very little bitterness will be extracted from the hops, but a crisp hoppy flavour will be imparted to the beer.

The timing of the addition of flavouring hops is critical to achieving the desired flavour profile. If flavouring hops are added too early, excessive bitterness can overpower the other flavours in the beer. On the other hand, adding flavouring hops too late in the boil may result in insufficient time for the hops' flavours to be extracted, leading to a muted or absent hoppy character.

For brewers seeking a more robust hoppy flavour, it is recommended to add a larger amount of hops during this stage. Additionally, covering the kettle after adding the flavouring hops may help to retain the hop flavour by preventing the escape of volatile hop oils through evaporation.

It is important to note that the same hop variety can be used for bittering, flavouring, and aroma. However, it is the timing of their addition to the boil that determines their primary function and the characteristics they impart on the beer.

Aroma hops are extremely volatile

The four main essential oils that contribute to the aromas of hops are myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene, and farnesene. Myrcene is the most prominent and adds resinous pine, citrus, and fruity flavors to beer. Humulene is the second most abundant hop oil and it adds woody, hoppy, and spicy notes to beer. Caryophyllene adds black pepper, spicy, and herbal aromas to beers. Farnesene is often present in only trace amounts or not at all, but when present, it adds fresh, green, and woody aromas to beer.

Dry hopping adds flavour

Dry hopping is a simple and effective way to add flavour to your beer. The process involves adding hops during fermentation or secondary conditioning. You can add hops loose to the fermenter or put them into a sanitised hop bag, which minimises the amount of oil extracted and therefore the amount of flavour in the final product. However, using a bag also means your hops won't block your bottling wand or end up in your bottles or kegs.

The timing of your dry hop does matter, but it's not critical. Earlier dry hops will interact more with yeast, creating haze, which is good for hazy or NEIPA beers. However, more flavour and aroma will be lost from CO2 stripping. When you dry hop later, less aroma is lost, and there is less interaction with the yeast. It's recommended to dry hop before fermentation has finished to avoid introducing too much oxygen to your fermenter, which can negatively affect flavour. A good midpoint is midway through fermentation, allowing at least 48 hours of contact time.

Different hops have different concentrations of oil, which is the main driver of hop flavour. Hops higher in oil will give you more flavour when compared to a lower oil content hop. To get a huge hop flavour, use high oil hops (Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin, El Dorado, Ekuanot, and Simcoe) and pair them with other interesting hops to get more complexity.

The amount of hops you use is also important. As a general guide, to calculate how much hops to dry hop with, multiply the Dry Hop Dosage by your batch size. For example, for 20L of a super juicy beer, multiply 8 by 20 to get 160g of dry hops.

Frequently asked questions