Hops are the spice in your beer and shrouded in mystery (described by Pliny and Hildegard von Bingen). In distant times hops were even controlled by monks and kings!
This application answers many of the hoppy thoughts I have had as a master brewer, and many of the hoppy questions I have received over the last 20 years.
I have divided this application into 7 keys. These keys cover topics for you as a brewer, to consider when dosing hops in whatever form you have decided to use. You can gain information about hops on the web or in brewery books and this application should be used as an addition to this depicting new figures and ideas. I have included a key covering links which I find useful and which you can’t easily discover under time constraints in your busy day.
Considerations, awareness and attention must be made when using different hop products and hop varieties as well as the time of addition. In order to maintain the quality of bitterness you should not only pay attention to the hop variety, crop year, hop oil content, hop product used, α-acid content but also a new ratio of hard resin to α-acid as well as time of addition. The new hop classification index, the “Eiken Hop Classification Index”, is proposed which I hope you will find intriguing.
Please be aware that this is not the only factor causing bitterness. Other factors like the grist composition, salt composition (e.g. the Chloride/Sulphate balance), yeast strain, volatiles and usage of processing aids are also very important to take into consideration.
By choosing a specific hop variety, or a blend of hop varieties, you control the desired aroma of the beer – such as earthiness, pine needles, elderflower, strawberry, passion fruit, garlic or grapefruit – and the desired type of bitterness. By choosing a specific hop variety you also decide how the bitterness is perceived by, and felt, on the tongue. Is it for instance, smooth, harsh, astringent, metallic, rounded, or lingering?
Take a look at this application and your feedback is welcome on: [email protected]
Enjoy your day and your hops.
Jens Eiken