Beta Acid

[jamesb]

Just got some hops which actually have the % of beta acid listed, which got me thinking - has anyone actually played around with hops while thinking about the beta acid content rather than the alpha acid?

I know at least one commercial brewery who adds extracted beta acid to at least one of this beers (I'd rather not say who though).

 

[jamesb]

Here's a link which gives typical alpha and beta acid levels for some common hops if you're interested.

 

[ano]

I was under the impression that beta acids were insoluble and were either left behind in the boiler or precipitated out in the FV.

edit: "The beta-acids are too insoluble in water to contribute to beer flavour themselves but they can be oxidized into hulupones which are bitter and are minor bittering principles in some beers." from some pdf or other

 

[jamesb]

Beta acids are sort of responsible for the bitter aroma.

 

[ano]

Isn't bitter a taste?

 

[jamesb]

Sounds odd doesn't it, but I've seen it references loads of times.

I haven't got my books nearby, so I'll rely on Wikipedia.

Beta acids do not isomerize during the boil of wort, and have a negligible effect on beer flavor. Instead they contribute to beer's bitter aroma, and high beta acid hop varieties are often added at the end of the wort boil for aroma. Beta acids may oxidize into compounds that can give beer off-flavors of rotten vegetables or cooked corn.

 

[Aleman]

I must admit that I do not normally concern myself too much about beta acids, but I do look at cohumulone levels with a new hop to decide if I want to try it as an aroma hop. . . IME hops with a high cohumulone level exhibit a harshness when used late in the boil or as a steeping hop.

 

[jamesb]

From homebrewtalk wiki

Along with alpha acids, hops contain beta acids, principally lupulone, colupulone and adlupulone. These are rarely considered separately, but the beta acids as a whole are important to a beer's flavor.

The beta acids do not produce as much bitterness during the boil as the alpha acids, but during fermentation and storage, as alpha acid bitterness breaks down, beta acids slowly create bitterness through oxidation. This affects the long-term character of aged and lagered beers.

Beta acids are given by hop producers as either a total percentage of beta acid in the hops by weight, or as a ratio of alpha to beta acids. Some people consider beta acid bitterness to be "harsher" than alpha acid (or at least humulone) bitterness, and look for hops with low total beta acids. However, the traditional noble hops generally have an alpha to beta acid ratio of close to 1:1, which is therefore considered desirable by some. Other brewers prefer a 2:1 ratio, which is thought to yield the most constant bitterness in aged beers.

 

[Vossy1]

I must admit that I do not normally concern myself too much about beta acids, but I do look at cohumulone levels with a new hop to decide if I want to try it as an aroma hop. . . IME hops with a high cohumulone level exhibit a harshness when used late in the boil or as a steeping hop.

Personally, I wouldn't decide based on a hops chemical analysis until I've tried it, but that's just me...always wanting to be surprised ....even when experience says otherwise....one day