11 replies to this topic

[kbhale]

I have 2 kegs that really need more bitterness. I've read about hop tea additions but I can't recall anyone saying they had good results doing it. If you had luck doing it what steps / how did you do it.

[MolBasser]

You would ideally use pre-isomerized hop extract. I've not found it in the US (why, I don't know, Miller uses it for all their beers) but here is a link to a UK site where you can buy it:https://www.twenga.c...-and-shrubs,HopYou can try boiling the living bejeebus out of some hops in water and adding that to your beer too, although I have no experience with this....BrewBasser

[Slainte]

You can try boiling the living bejeebus out of some hops in water and adding that to your beer too, although I have no experience with this....

I would not recommend that. You'll get a higher utilization than you bargained for due to the lower specific gravity of the water and higher pH.

[MolBasser]

I would not recommend that. You'll get a higher utilization than you bargained for due to the lower specific gravity of the water and higher pH.

In this case you want the highest utilization as possible to be able to impart bitterness with a low volume, at least that is the way I see it....BrewBasser

[stellarbrew]

I knew a guy who did the hop tea thing to a finished beer. By that, I mean boiling an ounce of hops in about a quart or so of water for an hour, cooling it and adding it to the finished beer. I tasted the beer before and after, and it seemed to do the trick.

[kbhale]

I think I'll give it a go. I have some canned wort. maybe boil an once of high alpha to a couple quarts. I used a hop bag for my bittering hops when I made the beer for some reason I got poor utilization from it. Most of the time I'm pretty good at tasting the wort during the brew and get some vague Idea of the bitterness through the sweetness. Didn't this time.

[denny]

You would ideally use pre-isomerized hop extract. I've not found it in the US (why, I don't know, Miller uses it for all their beers) but here is a link to a UK site where you can buy it:https://www.twenga.c...-and-shrubs,HopYou can try boiling the living bejeebus out of some hops in water and adding that to your beer too, although I have no experience with this....BrewBasser

Both HopTech and Steiner indicate they have it. Don't know if he still does, but John Maier used to carry a bottle around with him to add to beers he didn't deem hoppy enough.

[DubbelEntendre]

In this case you want the highest utilization as possible to be able to impart bitterness with a low volume, at least that is the way I see it....BrewBasser

I'm going with this. I want to try to make some hop tea and add fresh infusions to IPAs just before drinking as Denny mentioned in his post as well.

[zymot]

At $35 per bottle, you decide if it is worth it.https://morebeer.com...ss_Extract_1_oz

[Slainte]

In this case you want the highest utilization as possible to be able to impart bitterness with a low volume, at least that is the way I see it....BrewBasser

I've read that you'll get a much harsher, and coarser tasting bitterness, which is something that may not be desirable.It might be better to mix a little DME with a hop tea if they go that route. I would just add some hop extract.

[3rd party JKor]

You would ideally use pre-isomerized hop extract. I've not found it in the US (why, I don't know, Miller uses it for all their beers) but here is a link to a UK site where you can buy it:https://www.twenga.c...-and-shrubs,HopYou can try boiling the living bejeebus out of some hops in water and adding that to your beer too, although I have no experience with this....BrewBasser

I know the homebrew store I used to work carried pre-iso'd extract. I've never looked for it anywhere else, so I don't know if others are carrying it.

[MolBasser]

If you go the commercial extract way, make CERTAIN that it is pre-isomerized or you will be unhappy.... :)BrewBasser