55 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

About 22 IBU. I'm using the '08 Mittefruh, so maybe the bitterness has fallen off a bit. It definitely tastes like it isn't fully attenuated.

Hmmm - I was around 27 IBU. I used 0.5oz of mittefruh as a FWH addition and 0.6oz of german magnum for a 60 min addition.

[3rd party JKor]

I'm going to have to rescind my comment on the sweetness. I tried it again tonight and it didn't taste sweet. I'm not sure why I thought that last night. I may have had an IPA right before I tasted it . Anyway, it has a little flavor that may be perceived as sweet, maybe it's the melanoidins?, but it's not cloying-type sweetness. I'll keg and carb this weekend. I'm loving the dark bread aroma. I can't wait to see what this one tastes like carbed up.

[MolBasser]

The idea being to get it off the trub/dead yeast prior to chilling?Is there a big benefit chilling it to 32 vs. 35?

Absolutely.MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

Absolutely.MolBasser

Which question were you answering?

[MolBasser]

Which question were you answering?

Both.Sorry. MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

OK, then what's the big benefit of 32 vs. 35?

[MolBasser]

OK, then what's the big benefit of 32 vs. 35?

You get more haze proteins to come out of solution and fall out. Your yeast falls out faster, and it is the way the pros do it.The text book says get as low as you possibly can without freezing. Some breweries go to 30.And yes, a few degrees matter.MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

Took the first pint off the keg tonight. I like the flavor but I think I missed on the IBUs. I have a feeling that the age of my Mittelfruh hurt me here. It just doesn't have enough bitterness to balance the malt. I have been going on the assumption that you don't really need to correct for hop degradation based on Palmer's comments that the bittering remains pretty consistent over a long period because the decomposition products of the alpha acids are also bitter. I'm using '08 crop hops, so they may be getting to the point where I should be correcting. I believe Mittelfruh is a notoriusly quick deteriorator as well.

[Big Nake]

Took the first pint off the keg tonight. I like the flavor but I think I missed on the IBUs. I have a feeling that the age of my Mittelfruh hurt me here. It just doesn't have enough bitterness to balance the malt. I have been going on the assumption that you don't really need to correct for hop degradation based on Palmer's comments that the bittering remains pretty consistent over a long period because the decomposition products of the alpha acids are also bitter. I'm using '08 crop hops, so they may be getting to the point where I should be correcting. I believe Mittelfruh is a notoriusly quick deteriorator as well.

JK: Is the beer well-carbed? I've noticed that a slightly flat beer (or a not-as-carbed-as-you'd-like beer) can seem maltier and a beer that has a little more fizz will correct some of that for you. They say that carbonation accentuates bitterness. Were your Mittelfruhs 4.1%? Just curious because I ordered some from Williams last year and they were 4.1% and I just got some more last week and they were... you guessed it... 4.1%. But I will say that these guys are wrapped up in foil, oxygen-purged bags and the hops seem very fresh and vibrant-green. Good luck... I hope the beer comes out okay. Cheers.

[3rd party JKor]

It's not 100% carbed up yet. I'd guess 75%. I'm sure the extra carb will help, but I don't think it's going to put it where I want it. It's still a fine beer, just not exactly where I wanted it.

[MolBasser]

Palmer's comments that the bittering remains pretty consistent over a long period because the decomposition products of the alpha acids are also bitter

I'm pretty sure Palmer is wrong here.Lemme talk to my hop guy at work....MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

I'm pretty sure Palmer is wrong here.Lemme talk to my hop guy at work....MolBasser

My memory is always fuzzy, but I believe his comment was that the bittering doesn't drop off considerably until 12-18 months from harvest (if stored properly, obviously). I assume that to mean, bittering is 80-85% after twelve months considering decomposition byproducts.I had a bit of a confirmation of Palmer's comment when I used a typical hop loss calculation when I bought my last batch of hops, which was about 8 months off harvest. Using this calc my hop addition for the first batch I made with those hops turned out to be far too much. What was supposed to be about 23-24 IBU, tasted mare like 30. N = 1, of course.

[3rd party JKor]

This one is getting better quickly. I still think the hops are a little off, but everything else is good. I was eyeing my 1 liter Lowenbrau mug last night. It's been years since I filled it. I may have to grace it with some dunkel when I'm off next week.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

This one is getting better quickly. I still think the hops are a little off, but everything else is good. I was eyeing my 1 liter Lowenbrau mug last night. It's been years since I filled it. I may have to grace it with some dunkel when I'm off next week.

I've got some of those. I have yet to actually fill one up. I'm thinking my O'fest will be the time for that

[MolBasser]

I have a Mass that I picked up in Munich when I was there on business years ago.Sweet mug.I talked to my hop guy and he says that the bittering definately goes down, but not as much as the alpha.The alpha becomes oxidized over time. The bittering that remains tends to be undesirable bittering, kind of harsh.Fresh hops are best.MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

I have a Mass that I picked up in Munich when I was there on business years ago.Sweet mug.I talked to my hop guy and he says that the bittering definately goes down, but not as much as the alpha.The alpha becomes oxidized over time. The bittering that remains tends to be undesirable bittering, kind of harsh.Fresh hops are best.MolBasser

I think this year I'm going to start planning my hop purchases and usage to coincide with the release of the new harvest. Buy a years worth of hops each October and try to use them by the following October.