Seriously - is there such thing as too much hops?

[slym2none]

I was in a discussion about making some clone beers on another site, and someone wanted to make a Sculpin clone and wanted to know what kind of hops to use and how much. One person said that, for a 5-gallon batch of IPA, 6 ounces was the most you can put in beer and get a return on for late-addition and/or whirlpool(hop-stand) additions. I know some people here are using 10-16 ounces of hops in that sized batch, with most being late-additions.

So, my question is, is there a limit where adding hops gives diminishing returns on flavour and aroma? I know they soak up a lot of wort, but I am not looking at volume of beer. I am talking solely about flavour & aroma.

*EDIT* I am sure there is a saturation point, yes, but is it so high that it's not something we would ever use anyway, or is it lower than using, say, 8 oz of hops in your late additions? Point of clarification.

 

[wardens355]

I am not sure, but I have a bunch of excess hops and am making a beer I have named "2-Pound Clown". IIPA with 2 pounds of hops. In a month or so I'll have an idea if it is any good.

 

[slym2none]

Please, let me know!



I wonder if anyone has done an experiment with this... if I had space to run two FVs, I would do it myself, but I don't.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

For bitterness, the taste threshold is something like 100 IBUs. Above that, you supposedly can't distinguish additional bitterness. I'm sure there is a similar flavor/aroma threshold but I imagine that would vary depending on the hops. I have used up to 4 oz in hop stand and 4 oz in dry hop for a DIPA and couldn't really tell the difference from the same brew done with 3 oz. That said, some hops may give more with greater quantities. But it would have to be pretty damn noticable to justify the cost. Hops ain't cheap.

 

[ImNoExpert]

No! Moar hopps!

 

[Calder]

I read somewhere that you reach saturation somewhere around 3 or 4 ozs as dry hops in 5 gallons. I think it was in 'Hops', but I may be mistaken.

I like to add hops at different times to get different oils from the hops in the beer; @ 15, @ 5, Hopstand at 175 F, and dry. I've been getting some great results.

 

[bobeer]

I make a rye red ale every spring that calls for a pound in the whirlpool of a 5 gallon batch. I've never had the money to splurge that much on a beer but I do use about 5-7oz's in the whirlpool. It's sort of a kitchen sink beer as far as the hops go. Whatever I have leftover from the Winter is what goes in it.

I'm looking forward to hear about this 2 lbs of hops IPA someone is brewing in this thread!

 

[passedpawn]

I was in a discussion about making some clone beers on another site

wait wait wait. Wut? There is no other site.

but srsly folks, there's no limit to late hop additions. Not in my book.

 

[aprichman]

I'm making a 5 gallon batch with a 3lb hopstand - pretty sure it's going to be one of the biggest hop additions ever

 

[1977Brewer]

wait wait wait. Wut? There is no other site.

but srsly folks, there's no limit to late hop additions. Not in my book.

He's referenced it twice today. I think he's on Bizarro HBT. I bet they alway secondary everything and use undiluted bleach as sanitizer.

 

[drainbamage]

I'm making a 5 gallon batch with a 3lb hopstand - pretty sure it's going to be one of the biggest hop additions ever

3 pounds?! What kind of liquid loss do you get off of that?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I heart hops!!

I think you can add too much to the bittering end of the spectrum but late additions are hard to over do. I have no idea where it just becomes throwing money into the keg vs adding flavor and aroma but it is pretty high.

The only reason that you don't see commercial places adding 6# per barrel in the whirlpool and 6# per bbl in the dry hop is that they have to make SOME money on the deal. Who would pay $22/sixer for such a thing??

 

[noggins]

I heart hops!!

I think you can add too much to the bittering end of the spectrum but late additions are hard to over do. I have no idea where it just becomes throwing money into the keg vs adding flavor and aroma but it is pretty high.

The only reason that you don't see commercial places adding 6# per barrel in the whirlpool and 6# per bbl in the dry hop is that they have to make SOME money on the deal. Who would pay $22/sixer for such a thing??

Me

 

[sandyeggoxj]

HA! Nice. Well, looks like I have a new business model. Got any friends?

 

[1977Brewer]

Me

Ditto. A massive Mosaic/Citra/Amarillo IPA would FLY.

 

[slym2none]

He's referenced it twice today. I think he's on Bizarro HBT. I bet they alway secondary everything and use undiluted bleach as sanitizer.

It's actually the Mr.Beer message board.

 

[1977Brewer]

It's actually the Mr.Beer message board.

Flipping rad. Can I join? I've never seen a Mr. Beer outside of Garden Ridge.

 

[slym2none]

If you want, but it's more about the people for me, now. Anyone can join!

 

[drainbamage]

The only reason that you don't see commercial places adding 6# per barrel in the whirlpool and 6# per bbl in the dry hop is that they have to make SOME money on the deal. Who would pay $22/sixer for such a thing??

I think I paid something like $24 for a 4-pack of triple IPA last weekend, so guilty as charged...

 

[aprichman]

3 pounds?! What kind of liquid loss do you get off of that?

I'm thinking about 2 - 2.5 gallons

 

[m00ps]

I'm making a 5 gallon batch with a 3lb hopstand - pretty sure it's going to be one of the biggest hop additions ever

whens this batch coming up? you ever get a plan together for squeezing out the hop remains? this is going to be authentic green colored beer

 

[Venari]

Personally, yes, I believe you can have too many hops.

But then I suppose hops are an acquired taste.

 

[Zekk]

Well isn't the real limiting factor being liquid loss not taste? Using so many hops there's no liquid left to ferment sounds like too many to me.

 

[mraudible83]

Well last time i heard a guy went over to the extreme hopping with insane IBU numbers was due to taste changing/disappearing because of pancreatic cancer. . Absolutely undrinkable for everyone else

 

[aprichman]

whens this batch coming up? you ever get a plan together for squeezing out the hop remains? this is going to be authentic green colored beer

Should be brewing this around late October, I plan to document the whole brew day I think I might try to "press" the hops with a sanitized 12" lid. I'm planning on yielding around 7 - 7.5 gallons of wort before the hopstand, and would be happy if I get 4-5 gallons after the press.

I'll be using whole cone hops so hopefully they will act as a natural filter but we'll see haha.

 

[Brew_G]

I heart hops!!

I think you can add too much to the bittering end of the spectrum but late additions are hard to over do. I have no idea where it just becomes throwing money into the keg vs adding flavor and aroma but it is pretty high.

The only reason that you don't see commercial places adding 6# per barrel in the whirlpool and 6# per bbl in the dry hop is that they have to make SOME money on the deal. Who would pay $22/sixer for such a thing??

People pay $15 for a bomber, so $22 for a six pack doesn't seem over the top*.











*For people willing to waste money...

 

[jmpreiks]

I'm making a 5 gallon batch with a 3lb hopstand - pretty sure it's going to be one of the biggest hop additions ever

 

[unionrdr]

Well, I guess we'll find out in a month or so if enough is too much. I just finished chilling my PM Hellfire IIPA. Gotta get it in the fermenter & all that yet. Using 12ozs of hops between the boil & the dry hop. Will also " dry pepper" (can ya do that?!) it. 2 ghost chilies in the late boil, & dry pepper with 2 fatalii's & a trinidad scorpion. But I used hops that'll match the flavor/aromas of the peppers. I figured I could raise the pepper's flavors by matching them as close as possible. Magnum for bittering, then UK/EKG, mosaic, motueka, simcoe, ahtanum for flavor/aroma. The ghost chilies have a great, bright fruity aroma laced with fresh citrus thing going. Nice peppers from the ghostpepperstore.com...

 

[flars]

Yes, there is. Extreme hop additions will soon be a hop tea, not beer.

 

[1977Brewer]

Yes, there is. Extreme hop additions will soon be a hop tea, not beer.

Nah. Hop tea won't get you sloppy.

 

[flars]

Second problem.

 

[unionrdr]

Well, yeah, it'll be hot-n-hoppy, but at an estimated 8.9%, I think I can live with a few scoville...especially when the hop flavors & aromas should match the pepper flavors/aromas....

 

[slym2none]

Well last time i heard a guy went over to the extreme hopping with insane IBU numbers was due to taste changing/disappearing because of pancreatic cancer. . Absolutely undrinkable for everyone else

As mentioned in my initial post, I am talking about late-addition hops for flavour & aroma only. Not bittering.

 

[slym2none]

Yes, there is. Extreme hop additions will soon be a hop tea, not beer.

And at what point do we reach that?

 

[aprichman]

Haha yeah it's way overboard, I started the kickstarter as a bit of a joke but then the idea of doing an overboard hopstand started to really grow on me. When people from all over the world started chipping in the money to make it happen I did a bit of a double take. Well, the people demanded a huge hopstand and now I've got to deliver. I'm sure I'll have a few bottles to trade if anyone's interested - planning on sending one out to @Homercidal who pitched in a few dollars and has chosen one of the hops I'm using.

 

[Paps]

Even though i am not a fan of IPA`s i'd like to hear how this one turns out.

[emoji217]

 

[slym2none]

I'd love to have a taste!

 

[Paps]

I'd love to have a [emoji217]!

ftfy
[emoji217]

 

[StonesBally]

I made an imperial ipa with 24 Oz of hops in the boil and three rounds of dry hips for a 4 days each. It was 13.4 % alcohol as I added 3 lbs of honey as well. It was Columbus, amarillo, cascade, zeus, nugget, Simcoe if I remember correctly. The boil was like sludge, after 3 rounds of dry hops it was only 3 and 3 quarter gallons. I had shot for 6. It is so strong, hops so strong it tasted like soap and flowers. Even a year later. I still have a few bottles. I brewed it in 2011. I think it was too much hops all around.

 

[slym2none]

Nice example, that's what I am looking for!!!