For those who hopstand/whirlpool hops, who uses only bittering plus whirlpool, vs bittering, other boil additions plus whirlpool, and why?
My last two batches have been FWH, hop stand, and dry hop. Soo much flavor and loads of aroma without the bitterness of using tons of hops.
Assuming we are talking about IPAs here. My last few batches have used a small bittering addition, FWH, hopstand and dryhopping.
One utilized 15 IBU bittering, 25 IBU from FWH, and approx 50 IBU from the hopstand. It had tons of flavor but needed a bit more bitterness up front.
Now my most recent batch I made several minor adjustments. I got 25 IBU from bittering. Kept the FWH the same, dropped the hopstand down to about 40. Also adjusted the OG down slightly from 1.068 to 1.065. This one is still fermenting.
My expectation is that I will continue to up the bittering addition. I will probably drop the FWH down as well. I have become less enamored with the FWH effect, especially when loading up with hopstand anyway.
I’m thinking that next, I might try 40-45 IBU from bittering and also 40-45 IBU from the hopstand.
FWIW I have kept my hop ratios the same (50% simcoe, 25% Amarillo, 25% citra).
I am really liking a late addition combined with a hopstand. Adds nice bite and a touch more flavor. Saturday, brewed a 1.072 IPA using a hop blend of 4 oz each of Centennial, Citra, Cascade, and Chinook. 8oz @ 15m, 8oz hopstand for 30m >185F. I am not dry hopping.
I would suggest a brewing a hopstand only once so you can see for yourself what it does. Adds more IBU than you’d suspect. Be sure to stir occasionally and keep the lid on.
Zwiller, what temp are you doing your hopstand that gets you those IBUs?
I’ve been doing my hopstands below 175 degrees to focus more on the flavor and get less IBUs. Then I dryhop for additional aroma.
For IPAs I’ve been combining the late flavor/aroma hop additions and DH then splitting it all in half, using one half for hopstand below 175 and the other half for DH.
I have done alot of testing with hopstands. I do NOT like the results of a hopstand held at low temps (<185F) My hopstand typically ends near 200F after a half hour. Of course, all this is subjective, but I think hop stands held under isomerization temps (185F) add more aroma than flavor. Above 185F, hopstands add more flavor than aroma. Both contribute IBU, but logically the low temps stand add less, and higher temps, more.
I am going for a really intense hop flavor and aroma is just a side benefit. Note I am not even dry hopping… Trust me, there is plenty of aroma from a nice sized hopstand.
I’ve decided that for my next IPA, I am going to skip dry hopping and try a vodka infusion, just to see how well that works out. Let it soak in vodka for maybe a few hours or overnight, then dump that in. Vodka tinctures work for everything else, so why not hops!?
Interesting thought dmtaylo2 :mrgreen:
Might be tempted to forgo adding the tincture and just enjoying the hop liquor all by itself… 
Now that’s crazy talk! 
