cold crash and dry hop bitterness

[Braufather]

I changed my process on a regular brew which has resulted in a much more bitter than usual brew. The only significant change was that i used the appallo snub nose instead of my brewbucket so that i could cold crash after the dry hop.

The previous process was to remove lid, put a SS hop cylinder in with 150g hops, leave for 2 or 3 days and then keg.

This time, instead of kegging after a 3 day dry hop, i cold crashed( closed) for 3 days so the hops dropped out before kegging.

i can only assume the extra contact time during the cold crash extracted extra bitterness? im struggling to see how though? the difference is considerable.

Has anyone had similar issues?

 

[Stu's Brews]

I can't say I've specifically had similar issues - however, the longer you leave hops in contact with wort the more chance there is for tannins to be extracted. It's possible that is what is happening here; so what you are tasting is actually astringency rather than additional bitterness.

 

[Braufather]

maybe but just 6 days in total, 3 of them at low temps would be surprising though? I'm sure this is a process many follow unless I'm missing something.

 

[Stu's Brews]

maybe but just 6 days in total, 3 of them at low temps would be surprising though? I'm sure this is a process many follow unless I'm missing something.

What temp are you holding it at for the first 3 days?

I've had some astringency in the past from a 3 day dry hop at 20degC followed by a 3 day cold crash at <6degC. I've noticed it to be much better since switching to a 1 day dry hop at 12degC followed by cold crash, with no noticeable drop in hop aroma or flavour.

The other factor that could be at play is pH; a higher pH can lead to more tannin extraction. That's something I've definitely noticed in the past.

 

[Braufather]

I've had some astringency in the past from a 3 day dry hop at 20degC followed by a 3 day cold crash at <6degC.

pretty much that. 19c 3days, then about 3c for 3 days.

I don't think its anything else as this is the first time I've experienced this bitterness and the first time ive cold crashed in the FV

 

[Braufather]

What temp are you holding it at for the first 3 days?

I've had some astringency in the past from a 3 day dry hop at 20degC followed by a 3 day cold crash at <6degC. I've noticed it to be much better since switching to a 1 day dry hop at 12degC followed by cold crash, with no noticeable drop in hop aroma or flavour.

The other factor that could be at play is pH; a higher pH can lead to more tannin extraction. That's something I've definitely noticed in the past.

So drop to 12c, dry just 24 hours then cold crash to about 4c, how long st 4c? Might try 2 days at 12 and 1 day at 3c, or I might not cold crash at all and dry hop at about 15c for 3 days.

 

[Stu's Brews]

So drop to 12c, dry just 24 hours then cold crash to about 4c, how long st 4c? Might try 2 days at 12 and 1 day at 3c, or I might not cold crash at all and dry hop at about 15c for 3 days.

Normally 3 days at ~4degC but I sometimes stretch that to 4 days if I don't have time to transfer on the third day.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Were the hops from a source you've used before?

I've had an unexpected high level of bitterness from dry hops, but only those from a specific source. When I used some cryo hops it was a bit like chewing on a hop pellet.

I've used huge amounts of hops for the Malt Miller with no issues (250g dry hop), but the new source I tried was not good.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I've done a few heavily dry-hopped beers 16 - 20g/litre and you always get hop burn initially. Leave it for a week or so and it should subside.

Normally I'll dump the trub and dry hop at 15 degrees C to reduce the chance of hop creep and reduce chance of volatiles venting off, then dry hop with a contact time of 3 days, maybe 4 if I'm lazy then get the hops out either by dumping if using my conical, or transferring beer off into a keg then cold crashing. Have had really good results with this method but with some hop burn initially.