Hoppy questions

[kr1tya3]

Hi Guys,

Tonight I will start brewing my second batch of beer, a Coopers Real Ale kit. I decided to spice it up a bit by adding 1kg of extra light DME and some east kent goldings hops. Now I have a few questions regarding the hops.

1. I got them in a 100g vacuum-sealed bag and naturally I don't want to use all of them. What's the best way to store them after I open the packet? Should I freeze them?

2. I'm planning on using 20g to make a hop tea to add to my initial wort and 20-30g to dry hop once the agressive fermenting phase is over. Any thoughts on that? Would that be ok?

3. Is dry hopping going to modify my final gravity? Should I expect something higher or lower than without hops?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[fbsf]

Hi there!

I did exactly the same with my Coopers Real Ale kit - Goldings hops too!

Hopping/Dry hopping won't affect the gravity at all - just the flavour.

If you are using 20-30g for dry hopping, be prepared to give it at least a month after the hops have been removed for the flavours to mature - initally it will be overpowering, but will settle to a really nice flavour.

Doing the hop tea would also work - maybe if you are doing this I'd reduce the dry hop amount to a maximum of 20g, probably 10-15g.

After you have opened them, put the remainder in a plastic press/zip-close bag and bung em in the freezer - the oils will stay put in the hops that way.

 

[kr1tya3]

Thanks, maybe I'll do 15-15 for the hop tea and the dry hops.

 

[fbsf]

I reckon that would turn out great. If it tastes too hoppy when you try it, leave it for another fortnight and then try again - it does mellow with time.

 

[kr1tya3]

So yesterday I started this brew off and another question occurred to me. After making the hop tea, I stuck the remaining hops in the freezer. When I defrost them in the future, how should I do it? I don't think adding the frozen hops when dry hopping is a good idea, as it will cool down the top layer of the brew too much. Leaving them out in the air to defrost isn't too good either, as I imagine that some nasties could settle in the water that melts from the frost that settled over the hops. I'm afraid a microwawe would heat them up too much...

Any good ideas?

 

[Eric_S]

I wouldn't worry to much about sticking hopes in from the freezer. There should be so little water in there that'll they'll defrost almost instantly.

 

[critch]

with the dry hopping, i doubt such a small amount would make it too hoppy, itll just give it a flavour boost....

re hops from the freezer, hops have very little water in em, just break em up and throw em in .