Letting First Wort Hops Sit?

[buckinin]

I brew extract with steeping grains. I usually brew at night after the kids' bedtime, but often handle the grain steep before bedtime then let things sit (with kettle covered) while putting the kids to bed (maybe 30-45 minutes). I have a recipe that calls for first wort hops during the steep. Should I take the hops out after the steep and put them back in for the boil (I use a hop bag so I can take them out) or will it not impact the brew to leave the first wort hops in the kettle for an extra 30-45 minutes before I crank the heat back up for the boil? Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

I brew extract with steeping grains. I usually brew at night after the kids' bedtime, but often handle the grain steep before bedtime then let things sit (with kettle covered) while putting the kids to bed (maybe 30-45 minutes). I have a recipe that calls for first wort hops during the steep. Should I take the hops out after the steep and put them back in for the boil (I use a hop bag so I can take them out) or will it not impact the brew to leave the first wort hops in the kettle for an extra 30-45 minutes before I crank the heat back up for the boil? Thanks!

FWH go in the sparge runnings, not in the "steep" or mash.

To do that as an extract brewer, put the hops in your wort while you are bringing the wort up to a boil. It's not exactly the same, but it's as close as you can get without doing a partial mash and sparge.

 

[buckinin]

Great! Thanks! I added the FWH when increasing the heat for the boil the last time I had a recipe calling for FWH. The instructions (from one of the big mail order suppliers) say to add the FWH when steeping the specialty grains. I guess I already don't follow many of the items in kit instructions based on advice picked up here. Add this to the list!

 

[Yooper]

Great! Thanks! I added the FWH when increasing the heat for the boil the last time I had a recipe calling for FWH. The instructions (from one of the big mail order suppliers) say to add the FWH when steeping the specialty grains. I guess I already don't follow many of the items in kit instructions based on advice picked up here. Add this to the list!

I guess you could do that, although I've never heard of it being done that way. You would lift the grain bag out, but leave the hops in there I suppose. That doesn't sound like it would do any harm at all.

 

[Calder]

You can add FWH hops at any time before the boil. The cooler the wort, the better I would think.

Adding them with the steeping grains would risk the water absorbed with the grains haveing some of the valuable hop oils. The larger the liquid to grain ratio, the less this would have any effect (if noticeable anyway)

I mash, and add them to the sparge. If I were to do an extact/steep batch, I think I would probably add them when I removed the steeping grains.

Once you have put them in, there is no reason to take them out until the wort goes into the fermenter. Extended steeping of the hops prior to bringing to boil will not hurt.