Hopping the top off water

[linuxelf]

I'm doing partial boil extract batches. I've got a nice APA in my primary right now, and plan on doing a big IPA (or IIPA) and just pitching it onto the APA's yeast cake. One thing I'm considering is, since I only do partial boils, can I increase my hop utilization by turning my top off water into basically a hop tea? Would this lead to off flavors?

[bub]

Yes and no...
Hop utilization / isomerization is controlled by many factors including PH, wort concentration and volume.
Someone here will have the numbers for you but you may be better off by adding some extract to a few quarts of water and boil the piss out of this with the hops in it. The small volume would mitigate the carmalization of the wort. But I may be talking outa my ass.

BUB (boob)

[George]

Interesting idea. It would work, but I don't see how it would be substantially different in requirements from doing a split boil. You'd still need to boil and cool the hop tea, might as well put the extract in as well. I suppose maybe if you did it the night before, but then you might just as well do the Texas Two-Step.

[linuxelf]

Hrm.. I may just try the split batch this weekend. I'm doing a large IIPA. 90 minute boil, lots of hop additions. If I split it, do I just add half the hops to each pot at each addition?

[George]

Hrm.. I may just try the split batch this weekend. I'm doing a large IIPA. 90 minute boil, lots of hop additions. If I split it, do I just add half the hops to each pot at each addition?

Yep. Mix the runnings together so the gravity is the same, then split it up into two pots. Whatever the ratio of your wort sizes, use the same ratio for hopping. If they're equal, just split each addition.

[one_eye]

I've heard some guys talk about the off flavor that you might get out of the "hop tea" meathod, they all said that they never actualy tasted anything odd, but there is always a chance of grassy off flavors, to be sure to avoid it add at least a little extract (i would guess make the wort some where around 1.01). Also only so much hop juice can be isomorized into a volume of water, so the more water the more hops you can put in. But like I said "I've heard", I havn't tried any of this, but I plan too.

[Brewbear]

Had a chance to listen to a couple of interviews with Gerard Lemmens on the Basic Brewing Radio podcasts. The guy is the godfather of hops and hops pellets. Most of what I've heard and read gets to adding some extract to the water, recomends doing full boils - you may get 100% isomerization of your hops but in a partial boil you will dilute it. Also, when using extracts, you only need to boil them for 15 - 20 miutes to sanitize them and maintain the light color by limiting caramelization.

Cheers,
Brewbear

[one_eye]

Basic Brewing Radio was were I origionaly heard this idea, but I think that I've heard Dr. Scott and Justin talk about it before too.