I have made many 1 gallon batches, but always stouts and barleywines. Off the Topper is my first try at an IPA. In the instructions there is a step that I have not seen before and need some clarification before I proceed. Any help appreciated!
“After 10 minutes begin chilling the wort. As soon as chilling begins…” at this point I am to add more hops.
The following step calls for me to put the kettle in the sink with water and ice to begin cooling.
So… how did I ‘chill’ the wort if I am not supposed to ‘cool’ it in the sink until after I have ‘chilled’ it before the last hops were added? All the recipes I have made before had me go from stove to cooling in the sink without a ‘chilling’ step prior to cooling in the sink. What am I not understanding about the chilling step?
Thanks very much… I just want to understand before I ruin a good batch of beer.
Roy
I’ve done the 5 gallon kit twice now. What they are referring to is a second hop stand. You put your first batch of hops in at flameout and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then you put your kettle in the sink to drop the temp. In the 5 gallon kit you are supposed to drop it to 180 degrees and do your second hop stand. My assumption is that they are telling you that as soon as the wort starts to cool to go ahead and dump in your second batch of hops. This is a second hop stand to get more hoppy goodness aroma into your beer as it cools. Then you continue as you normally would to pitching temp and let them get to work.
I would just do one hop stand at flame out for 20 min. Some time these directions overly complicate things. Does anyone really think 10 minuets is going to make a difference. You can also wait until 180 and do the hop stand if you do.
Did couple of times flame out hops. .but why add later more hops. Before transfer to fermentor. Once it does cool down. ? So if iam right. You do add more hops once you reach a temp of 180 is this not the same as. Dryhops adition later on
It may yield simlar results but when I makey hoppy IPA I tend to layer in during the boil and continue to layer in after the boil. An amount for hopstand then some in primary then some in the keg.
I’m with you BC, I do like late addition hops, I feel I get more hop character. I used to just add to the boil, then FO. Not anymore. Even as far out as 15 minutes, then add every couple minutes. Sneezles61
It’s not the time between hopstands that makes a difference it’s the lower temperature. Theory being that essential oils are cooked off above 180 that could lend more aroma when added for the hopstand below 180.
Maybe not. I’ve been chilling to 180 prior to adding my whirlpool hops for a while now. I fee like I get good aroma that seems to hold up longer but I’ve been DHing the crap outta my beers too.
Yes I’ve been reading and even on beersmith, there was a couple of conversations on this subject. I still find that the late hop additions brings hops to the party. I haven’t developed my torpedo yet, just as another plausible option. Sneezles61
I wonder if anyone’s looked at a time impact on each of the methods and whether there’s a discernable difference after several weeks? I’ve made some really hoppy beers based on the Off the Topper recipe complete with hopstands and massive dry hops and others without the hopstands. One thing I’ve noticed is that at first they both seem to be just a bitter mess, giving that stuck to the roof of your mouth bitterness. Give 'em a few weeks in the keg and the hopstand beer gets, for lack of a better description, luscious losing that rough edge. Some of the others with late hop additions and similar dry hopping and nearly the same timeframe, although very hoppy and delicious don’t seem to have the same qualities. Just musing over this and haven’t done a side by side or any kind of exbeeriment and won’t since I like 'my beer done either way and am by nature lazy.
