First Wort Hopping (FWH)

[Canadian Eh!L]

I have been experimenting with this technique for my last coupla' brews. It seems that I have been doing this wrong. I was assuming the FWH add was replacing the bittering adds(60mins). Well that's where I've had it all buggered up. FWH replaces the flavouring hop adds and gives the preceived bittering/flavour of a 20mins hop add. Go figure!

 

Check this Linky out. It's an interesting read and even gives techniques for extract brewers to using FWH in their brews. Check out the rest of the site as well. It seems like a good one![rightful]

[PhilboBaggins]

Bump...

 

Have you had a taste of your beers using this technique Chadster?

 

I'm quite interested as it really confuses me how hops boiled for the duration can realistically replace late additions, regardless of the prior steeping.

 

Keep me in the loop mate.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm with you Phil, I don't get how it works like that either. I would have thought if they're boiled for the duration they'd be the same as a bittering addition - but maybe there's something in that prior steeping that affects it. That brew I made up in my brewday thread I used this method on, so I'll be fermenting it next. That one is a double first for me - FWH and trying cold crashing.

[Guest]

I've done a couple of brews with this technique. The literature I had read prior to trying it, I feel is right on the money. I found the beer to have a smoother bitterness, & a more enduring flavour that continues to be prevalent as the beer ages.

 

As most of the literature out there suggests only using low alpha hops for the technique, I am trying to get my head around adapting it to higher alpha hops that I prefer in my beers.

 

Here is another LINK on the subject that contains some test case results from using the technique vs a regular hop boil etc.

 

CC

[Canadian Eh!L]

Hey CC,

 

Thanks for the comment and the link. Welcome to the Order![cool] This link that you posted seems to confirm that I have misunderstood the FWH process. I am now better equiped with the knowledge.

 

@ Phil,

 

I have yet to try my two attempts at FWHing other than the test samples. One is a porter and the othe is a hoppy mild. Both by way of the samples are smooth bitterness. The Porter is roasty, malty with slight bitterness. The hopping mild is quite hoppy but more to the flavouring than the bittering which might work fine for this beer.

 

I'll be trying this again more prepared with added knowledge![rightful]