Brewing Master

Question:

While it’s still unclear as to the exact bittering amounts contributed by FWH, the general consensus is that there is less "percieved" bitterness. What I would suggest is brewing a "known" batch (a regular recipe of yours) and use the FWH method. Then once finished decide for yourself if you feel the is an increase or decrease in bitterness and by how much…..adjust calculation accordingly. Cheers! – Jeff

Response:

Yeah, I’ve only tried this twice so far, and have just used 90-120 minutes for the boil time on the FWH hops.  I also make allowance with my hopping bill for the additional flavour injection. Kelvin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Odd.     I’ve always understood to calculate the bitterness of FWH just as you would the initial bittering addition.  I can’t quote a source off the top of my head, and FWH is still being investigated as to just how it works.  I do it for my IPA and Barleywine, and really like the flavor effect it has on the finished product.                                            Marc Gaspard

Response:

Do a search for an article on the subject by Marc Sedam.  I think the Paddock Wood website has it.  It should help you out.  You might also be able to link to it through about.com Cheers, Mike

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone know if utilization is effected by steeping hops during lautering?  I have heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

Response:

heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor  but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

I FWH frequently and calculate the addition as if it were a 30 minute addition as FWHing adds more to hop flavour in a finished beer. I’ve seen some who calculate it as a 45 or 60 minute addition. However, in the dozen or more batches that I have FWH’d I don’t perceive an increase in the overall bitterness to the extent that I would consider its IBU contribution at the level produced by the first ‘boil addition’. There is an article, think it is in the library at the brewery, which suggests that hop bittering and flavor components are bonded within the wort during the time the hops are in contact with the preboiled wort, and additional bitterness extraction during the boil does not occur. Thus the increase perception in hop flavour and (minimal) bitterness contributions from FWHing. The science is still out on the chemical mechanics of how and why this occurs.

Response:

There was a guy who posted several months ago where he used 27% utilization for FWH.  He did that with several brews and then had them analyzed and claimed that his calculated IBU was very close to the lab’s. Gary

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone know if utilization is effected by steeping hops during lautering?  I have heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

Response:

Odd.      I’ve always understood to calculate the bitterness of FWH just as you would the initial bittering addition.  I can’t quote a source off the top of my head, and FWH is still being investigated as to just how it works.  I do it for my IPA and Barleywine, and really like the flavor effect it has on the finished product.                                             Marc Gaspard

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Bittering effects of steeping hops in the wort while lautering will be negligible. Does anyone know if utilization is effected by steeping hops during lautering?  I have heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

Response:

Does anyone know if utilization is effected by steeping hops during lautering?  I have heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

Response:

Bittering effects of steeping hops in the wort while lautering will be negligible.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone know if utilization is effected by steeping hops during lautering?  I have heard that first wort hopping will improve hop flavor but haven’t used the process much.  I am curious about how to adjust % utilization for bitterness calculations.  Thanks.

Response: