Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

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LlewBru
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Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by LlewBru » Thu Dec 16, 2021 7:39 am

Good morning. My brew yesterday was a disaster! Mad rush,plenty of distractions and the end result my bittering hops (Cryo Simcoe 26% AA) were left out of the boil and only found when tidying up! :oops:
I have found mention on the web of boiling the hops in a pot or kettle to make a 'tea'. Does anyone have any info or have tried this? Any tips at all? I really don't want to bin this brew as its my favorite dark ale!
Any help would be greatly appreciated !
Cheers!!

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Mashman
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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by Mashman » Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:07 am

I've used this after a similar episode

https://www.geterbrewed.com/isomerised- ... home-brew/

M
Two Valleys Brewery

Brewing up trouble

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MashBag
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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by MashBag » Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:45 am

If you still have wort, boil a small ammount of it (stovetop) with the hops and add back.

Thinking out loud, you could also do it with the fermenting beer. Remove a saucepan full. Boil, actually SIMMER. Then strain & add back once temps are the same.

Don't be too concerned about infection etc, as your yeast will keep it good.

All is not lost. 👍

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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by f00b4r » Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:58 am

MashBag wrote:If you still have wort, boil a small ammount of it (stovetop) with the hops and add back.

Thinking out loud, you could also do it with the fermenting beer. Remove a saucepan full. Boil, actually SIMMER. Then strain & add back once temps are the same.

Don't be too concerned about infection etc, as your yeast will keep it good.

All is not lost. Image
Some of the Aussies do this when no chilling. They no chill the beer and then eg the next day take a small part of wort and boil the last 15 minute hop additions and chuck it direct in the fv with the cooled wort to bring to near pitching temperature; it also means you can split the wort and play around with different hops. You might have to play around with the hop amounts though.

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LlewBru
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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by LlewBru » Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:04 am

Mashman wrote:
Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:07 am
I've used this after a similar episode

https://www.geterbrewed.com/isomerised- ... home-brew/

M
Thank you! That would be great but not available here! Darkest Africa y'know!
Cheers!!

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LlewBru
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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by LlewBru » Thu Dec 16, 2021 9:06 am

f00b4r wrote:
Thu Dec 16, 2021 8:58 am
MashBag wrote:If you still have wort, boil a small ammount of it (stovetop) with the hops and add back.

Thinking out loud, you could also do it with the fermenting beer. Remove a saucepan full. Boil, actually SIMMER. Then strain & add back once temps are the same.

Don't be too concerned about infection etc, as your yeast will keep it good.

All is not lost. Image
Some of the Aussies do this when no chilling. They no chill the beer and then eg the next day take a small part of wort and boil the last 15 minute hop additions and chuck it direct in the fv with the cooled wort to bring to near pitching temperature; it also means you can split the wort and play around with different hops. You might have to play around with the hop amounts though.
Thank you! Any idea of volumes? Should the same amount of hops be used that would have been in the boil?
Cheers!!

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Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by f00b4r » Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:39 am

The wort will be a higher gravity (as it is your post boil gravity) and you are boiling in a smaller amount of wort per weight of hops (TBH I am not sure if the latter really makes a difference). You can just use a bitterness calculator to work out what you need to change, although don't forget that you will then be diluting it down eg. tenfold.

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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by MashBag » Fri Dec 17, 2021 7:16 am

In this instance, the best thing you can do is add exactly the same as you missed out earlier.

99% chance that will be right.
If you start changing other things you will never know what made the difference.

Don't over think it and start fiddling just for the sake of it. Let's get your beer back on track. 👍

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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by LlewBru » Sat Dec 18, 2021 12:15 pm

Once again - thanks for all the advice!
Sooo - what I am doing is putting 200ml of water in a pot, boiling it, dropping it down to simmer and then adding my hops ( same amount as was requierd and trying to maintain my 200ml of water for 30 minutes. Hopefully it will work out! Ill let you guys know in a week or two! Cheers!
Cheers!!

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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by LlewBru » Sat Dec 18, 2021 12:16 pm

Oh dear! Please excuse the spelling! REQUIRED!!! lol
Cheers!!

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Re: Using Hop 'tea' for increasing bitterness during/post fermentation

Post by MashBag » Tue Dec 21, 2021 11:48 am

Did you not fancy stealing some of the wort, or is water just easier.

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