Addition of hops to the boil

This is the most common techniques in all home production.

It is exactly the act of adding the hops to the boiling pan, as soon as the wort bubbles begin.

When added to 60 minutes, the hops will boil for 1 hour, it will release its bitterness. Thus, hops with a high percentage of alpha acids are ideal for this type of addition. When the hops are boiled for a period of 60 minutes, they solubilize and impart bitterness, thus the isomerization of alpha acids takes place.

When there is still around 30 to 15 minutes left – towards the end of the boil, we can use hops with a lower concentration of alpha acids.

For these late additions of hops we should use aromatic hops so that we will preserve as much of the essential oils contained in them as possible. These hops help to produce more balanced beers that will be responsible for the aromas of your beer. For an even better perception, use hops towards the end of the boil, we will have more aromatic beers.

We can also add aroma hops at the final 10 minutes, at the final 05 minutes…and also at the end of the boil, with the heat turned off (at zero minutes for example).

It can also be added before starting to boil. It helps a lot in terms of the flavor that the hops will offer and also in the clarity of the beer when ready. The hops placed at this time, help in the coagulation of the malt proteins and when the whirpool is done, the trub forms better.

This technique of adding the hops before the boiling starts, as soon as we separate the wort from the grains, is called First Wort Hopping.

Dry Hopping

Dry Hopping is a technique widely used today and has also fallen into favor with home brewers.

The DH (Dry Hopping) can be used DH in various stages of our production. This is a subject much discussed among all: after all, what would be the best moment of this addition?

The DH technique is when the hops are added after fermentation, or even during fermentation, after decreasing the airlock movement - a moment that, even with the release of carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation, takes with it, then, aromas that should by logic of the technique, stay in the beer.

We can do the DH at maturation and leave the hops for a few days or even weeks…always being careful with off flavors that may occur, of course!

Dry Hopping will add aroma to the beer.

The home brewers often use DH with hops in pellets as it is easier to handle. In the United States for example, it is very common to use the DH technique with hops in bloom. Of course, it's always better to use flavored hops and fresh hops, but pelleted hop addition works great. But in both cases it will generate hop particles in the bucket, that should be decanted.

One option is to use a hop bag or spider bag.

Don't forget to sanitize the bag.

Hops Substitution