Hop Flavour Fade

[GHW]

Playing catch up here, but I've noticed this with some beers and not others. The Galaxy extract I did faded massively after about 8 weeks in the bottle (4 weeks into drinking). I was very disappointed (though curiously I have one or two left and they are lovely, nearly a year in).

However, my citra black IPA and triple c IPA (cascade centennial citra) kept their flavour.

The main difference was the ones that kept their flavour/aroma were heavily dry hopped. The ones that lost it only had large late additions (10 mins/FO). Maybe that's the difference?

It's an observation really, no idea if there is actually anything in that theory!

 

[clibit]

The theory really runs contrary to that, that dry hopping fades the most. So that's interesting.

 

[GHW]

The theory really runs contrary to that, that dry hopping fades the most. So that's interesting.

Didn't really read the full thread so hadn't picked up on that. Definitely my experience though.

That said I'm having one of the last few galaxies now, and it's still a lovely pint. It did rapidly lose its heavy passion fruit aroma though.

 

[MyQul]

Thanks chaps. This is all grist to the hopping mill!

 

[Twostage]

I used to worry about oxgen sneaking in during the bottling process, but then realised the yeast must surely eat up any stray O2 along with the priming sugar while carbonating the beer. Oxygen in the headspace is presumably only an issue for commercial beers that are filtered/pasteurised and then force-carbonated, which is why those tend to be purged with CO2 before capping. That's what I reckon, anyway.

I think you are correct. As you say many commercial breweries filter out the yeast to clear the beer so for them O2 is an issue as there is no yeast to consume the O2.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Hmm, interseting stuff.

I've just bottled the Sierra Nevada PA that I made on the 3/11, it took 2 weeks to get to FG at 18* in the FC. It then stood at about 16* (under the stairs temp) for a week while another brew was in the FC and its completely lost all hops taste and aroma, I'm gutted because it was tasting pretty bloody good. Anyway, I've bottled it and we shall see in two weeks if carbonation will release any hop flavours. The hop schedule for it was:
18g Magnum (12.5%) @ 70 mins,
17g Perle (7.8%) @ 70 mins,
24g Cascade (6.3%) @ 10 mins
63g Cascade @ 0 mins.

The schedule was pretty much guess work using Brewmate to work out the final IBU @ 34 units. The final addition went in but I can't remember how soon I put the cooling coil in, possibly straight away.

The brew thats in the FC now is a Fortunate Islands clone that has this hop schedule:
10g Amarillo (8.6%) @ 60 mins,
10g Citra (11.1%) @ 60 mins,
20g Amarillo + 20g Citra @ 12 mins,
20g + 20g again @ 3 mins.

This time I left it to steep/cool naturally until it hit 80* then I used the cooling coil, the other diffence is the citra is pellet not leaf (I always use leaf being a purist). Also fermented at 21* to see how a quicker fermentation turned out.

Now, I know its way too early to call anything on these two brews, but as it stands the SNPA has lost lots of amazing Cascade and other flavours (yes, maybe carb'ing will stir some up) but the FI is unbeliveably good to taste, so hoppy and fresh.
Yes the FI is still a only a week old (brewed on the 17/11) but if I could drink it now I would!
The funny thing is the SNPA works out at at 122g/23l and the FI is only 100g/23l.

Obviously this is entirely conjecture but I have a feeling the PA is doomed already! Shame, the malt base is spot on, pefect for building hops on top of.

 

[clibit]

In my experience beers evolve in quite unpredictable ways. The Chinook beer I made recently is a good example. Each bottlt I've drunk has been different from the last. Flavours that disappeared have returned.

See what happens. It's fascinating whatever happens.