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1st attempt at a hop steep

LeighB4

By LeighB4
in DIY Brewing Recipe Resource

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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Hi Guys. This will be only my 2nd ever brew and I thought I would have a go at a hop steep. Here is my recipe.

 

OS Draught

1kg Copper Tun Gemdex booster

25g Cascade hops

11.5g Safale US-05 yeast

 

I plan to steep the hops in 1 litre of water at 70c for 25 mins. My question is, after the 25 minutes do I reboil the liquid or do I just remove the hops and then add the liquid to the fermenter with a strainer? I have a muslin bag for the hops.

 

Do I add this mix after I have mixed up the can and booster in hot water?

 

Does this recipe sound ok? I'm a little nervous. [crying]

 

 

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PhilboBaggins

PhilboBaggins

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Hi Leigh.

 

The recipe sounds fine, depending on the ingredients of the booster thing.

 

For a hop steep you'd be fine with water just off the boil. No need to re boil, in fact that may be bad, as you'd boil off the aromas and make it more bitter. Just use the hop tea as you would the hot water in the instructions to dissolve your kit and brew booster.

 

Good job, it should be a winner.[happy]

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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Thanks Phil. I wanted to get a Coopers Brew Enhancer but the LHBS didn't stock it. It says on the packet that it's a mix of dextrose and maltodextrin but it doesn't say the percentages.

 

Is there anything else I should add to the recipe? I thought about maybe dry hopping on day 4 but not really sure what that would achieve apart from improved aroma.

 

 

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PhilboBaggins

PhilboBaggins

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If you have some more Cascade and want big aroma, then a dry hop may be your thing. I always find Cascade to be a little mild, so I use loads of it when I have it.

 

That being said, 2nd brew down? You're doing just fine with the hop steep mate.

 

What I would do from here would be to ditch brew boosters/enhancers and come up with your own mix of dry/liquid malt and dex. If you want a malty beer with lots of body, then all malt.

 

Then there's always steeping some grain to go with as well.

 

This will be a pretty good improvement, but you're on the right track for sure. Well done.

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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I have 50g of Cascade so I could probably try dry hopping the other 25g. Would I put that in a bag or just throw it in the fermenter and when is it best to do that?

 

If this works out i'd love to do my own malt/dex mixes. I've seen plenty of interesting recipes here, just need a bit more experience and confidence. [roll]

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Nick

Nick

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Generally it is said to dry hop after or near the end of fermentation.

I throw mine straight in. Others use a hop bag.

 

Hi Leigh, theres no right of wrong as far as I'm concerned. I have dry hopped on day 1 and and also at various stages of fermentation. I have not found any difference at all with the result, and with my house beers, the ingredients rarely change, so i think i would notice if there was a difference.

 

With regards to confining hops or throwing them in loose, most of us use a chux cloth, hop bag or infuser. It is the only way to keep hop matter out of the wort and potentially out of the bottle or keg.

I must say tho, that since i have been cold crashing, i have been throwing hops in loose occasionally and they have settled out well during CC'ing. Thats a debate for another thread, but back to the OP, probably start with confining hops if you aren't CC'ing and put your hops in on day 1, as its easy to remember and less chance of introducing infection later on....

 

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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Thanks for the advice guys.

 

Nick, i'm not even sure what cold crashing is so i'll leave that for another day.[biggrin]

 

Do you guys sterilize the bag before you do a hop steep? I'm assuming I just boil it for 10 minutes before putting the hops into it?

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ben 10

ben 10

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Boiling water on the bag would be ample.

Or some sanitiser.

 

Cold crash is where you have the FV (fermenting vessel) cold for a day or two or more before bottling.

All the sediment / hop crap drops onto the trub and makes for a very clear beer.

Last couple I have CC'd @ 2\xb0 for 2 days and they are oh so clear.

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Beerlust

Beerlust

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Hi Leigh.

 

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

Nick, i'm not even sure what cold crashing is so i'll leave that for another day.[biggrin]

 

Do you guys sterilize the bag before you do a hop steep? I'm assuming I just boil it for 10 minutes before putting the hops into it?

 

Personally, I wouldn't do a dry hop on top of your steep for this brew.

 

Philbo's advice to you is first rate IMHO, & I would follow the advice that he has spent some time to explain for you, to the letter. [cool]

 

Allow yourself to learn gradually in small steps & slight changes from brew to brew. By doing this you will begin to understand what those slight changes are adding & creating in terms to flavours in your end beer. [rightful]

 

Anyone can brew a great beer from someone else's recipe, but a true brewer learns to create his own masterpieces through gradual experimentation.

 

Any number of guys on this forum could give you a recipe over many styles of beer, that will almost guarantee you a great beer. But by doing this, you will have almost learned nothing as an end result.

 

Save the remaining 25gms of Cascade for your next brew (IMHO).

 

Cheers & good luck with the brew.

 

Anthony.

 

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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All advice taken on board, thanks again gents. I'll stick with a hop steep first and if it goes well step it up with my next brew.

 

So it looks like i'll hunt up a tea strainer then. It looks easier than a bag.

 

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LeighB4

LeighB4

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Don't believe everything you read either Leigh. [whistling

 

Research,....Research. [bandit]

 

Cheers,

 

Anthony.

 

Haha, yeah I know all about research. I'm a moderator on a reefing forum so I read plenty. I'm open to all methods and ideas though.

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Nick

Nick

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Apart from the occasional commando style (throwing them in loose), I've only ever used an infuser. I cant really speak for other methods, but i like infusers because they are easy to sterilize. I just boil mine for 10 minutes while putting other ingredients in the FV. They are also secure and wont split or accidentally open and i can do a 25gm dry hop easily in the 90mm ones. I cant really see a negative about using them, but i am sure other members have different preferences and reasons. I'm keen to hear them.

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#20

#20

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Hi guys,

 

When dry hopping with a tea infuser like this. Will the whole thing sink down and into the trub. I guess so, since it is made of steel (?).

 

And wouldn't that affect how it flavors the beer (working from the trub), compared to hops thrown in loose floating on top?

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PhilboBaggins

PhilboBaggins

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Hey 20.

 

I've tried many times to get tea infusers to sink, and they always float. Ideally, you want the hops to circulate through the beer as much as possible, so I figure they are better sunk than floating. However, even with a handful of marbles in each infuser I've still had them float.

 

Dry hopping is a pain in a lot of ways, but if you're after big hop aroma it's the way to go. Although I have had very hoppy beers from one home brewer who hated dry hopped beer, and they were delish.

 

My plans for future dry hopped beers are commando style with a LONG CC period to drop them to the bottom. I just get so much more aroma from throwing them in loose.

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