7 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

Fellas,

I think I've read that a FWH can be compared to a 20 minute addition. That it offers a smoother bitter, possibly other characteristics. I was wondering if anyone regularly (or irregularly) employs this practice and if so what do you think it brings and what is your method? How much etc? I'd like to use a heavy hitter hop in this fashion such as Magnum, Chinook, Nugget, Sterling all on hand.

[HVB]

I honesly did not see a difference so I stopped doing it.

[djinkc]

I think it's a bit smoother and sometime adds aroma.  And I've been told I'm wrong.  I've done several all FWH recently and  in the past.  I say try that and see what you think.  If anything it makes timing hop additions pretty easy.

[Big Nake]

I routinely do it on my helles. I'll use about ½ an ounce of Hallertau while the first runnings are emptied into the BK and the rest of the hops for the batch are added at the beginning of the boil to get the overall IBUs into the low 20s. I believe it's a German thing and I swear I could tell the difference when I first started doing it (or at least I could say I liked the results) but I've been making so many changes lately so who knows anymore. One issue with FWHing is that if you like to skim the break off the top of the wort as it reaches a boil... you can't really do that with FWHs in the wort without skimming out hops as well.

[Poptop]

Thanks Fellas. This came to light last night while I was walking and listening to Drew and Jeff Alworth going over Czech brewing traditions. Apparently FWH is used quite a bit with the Saaaaaaaaaaaaaz. I'm inclined to trying it on my next batch; a Session'able Amber, where I'd want the bitterness but not to chip away at the lower malt count....


Ken I aren't no skimmer, I'ma stirrer

Edited by Poptop, 22 February 2018 - 07:22 AM.

[Big Nake]

There has been a lot of talk about how hops react at various temperatures. Many people are familiar with boil additions and dry hops and there is certainly a difference there as the dry hops have a lot of their aroma preserved, etc. But then you have your whirlpool additions (175, 140, 120, etc) which seem to do some nice things as well and the FHW is another one. The cooler temps of the runnings (140-150) are supposed to get you some nice hop character and I have to admit that the aroma of adding hops to the first runnings is really nice. But then those hops will be brought up to a boil and eventually boiled for the entire time so what happens to them through all of that? It's possible that I could do a blind test and not know which one was FWH'd but I still do it anyway.

[Poptop]

And this is exactly why we all have big drawing boards that we love to go "back to." amaright?

[denny]

Fellas,

I think I've read that a FWH can be compared to a 20 minute addition. That it offers a smoother bitter, possibly other characteristics. I was wondering if anyone regularly (or irregularly) employs this practice and if so what do you think it brings and what is your method? How much etc? I'd like to use a heavy hitter hop in this fashion such as Magnum, Chinook, Nugget, Sterling all on hand.

 

I do it on about 90% of my batches.  Everything from IPA to pils.  Use a hop you like for flavor.  I start by deciding how much hop flavor I want from FWH...I usually use 1-2 oz.  I calculate them as a 20 min. addition, then add enough hops at 60 to hit the IBU target I'm going for.