Modern Homebrew Recipes (6 page)

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Hop bursting
– This technique involves a special hop schedule where most (sometimes all) the boiling hops are added in the last 15–20 minutes of the boil (and often within the last 10 minutes or after the boil is over). It may be used in conjunction with other techniques, such as FWH or whirlpool hops, but it implies that no traditional bittering hop additions (normally defined as hops added with 30–90 minutes remaining in the boil) are used. More hops must be used to reach the target bitterness level, but each hop addition contributes aroma and/or flavor to the beer. To my palate, the bitterness produced by this approach also tends to be cleaner and less harsh than traditionally bittered beers, much in the same way that adding dark grains at the end of the mash produces a less harsh beer. A recipe may or may not identify hop bursting or all late hop additions as a method.

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Whirlpool hops
– A commercial brewing term for adding hops while the wort is spinning in the whirlpool (an external device used to separate hop matter prior to chilling). On a homebrew scale, this step commonly takes the form of adding hops after boiling has concluded but before the wort has been chilled. Simply stir the wort gently using a long-handled spoon in a circular motion. Even if not adding hops, this method can help improve clarity when used in conjunction with a stand. I tend to use one of two methods, either adding the hops immediately after the boil, or waiting 10 or 15 minutes to allow the wort to chill a bit before adding them (waiting a few minutes lowers how many IBUs are extracted from the hops). Contrary to popular belief, adding hops after the boil can add IBUs, as long as the wort is hot enough. How hot? I’m not sure that’s been scientifically identified, but I’m speculating that IBUs are extracted down to the 180–185°F (82–85°C) range. If I’m using a large amount of a higher alpha hop variety, I wait a bit to add the hops unless the style can take more bitterness. In a recipe, this is just another form of a hop addition, and is typically shown as taking place at time 0 or time +10.

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Hop steep or stand
– When I finish boiling or whirlpooling, I let the beer stand for around 20 minutes or so to help it clear before I start running it through a counterflow chiller. I sometimes use
this time to add more aroma hops, depending on the recipe. My system allows me to achieve good clarity when I use whole hops without performing a whirlpool, but this is not the case on many other systems. While I may use whirlpool hops and a hop stand interchangeably, these are technically two different processes.

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Dry hopping
– Adding hops to finished beer to extract fresh hop aroma is called dry hopping. There are many different ways of doing it, but modern thought is that a relatively short contact time (3 to 5 days) at room temperature (about 60–68°F [16–20°C]) produces good hop intensity without excessively grassy characteristics. Multiple waves of dry hopping can be used to add more complexity and intensity, but be sure to remove one addition before adding the next. Cold-crashing can help separate hops that are not bagged. The goal of dry hopping is to extract hop oils but not excessive vegetal flavors. Keeping the hop contact time with the wort short and warmer is similar to my rationale for handling of dark grains and spices; avoiding tannins keeps harshness low. The final key to dry hopping is to avoid oxidizing your beer in the process. Oxidized hop compounds can be nasty, with big cheesy aromatics. Blow CO
₂
on top of your beer, or add dry hops using an oxygen-free transfer process. Dry hopping in a recipe appears as a hop addition, normally with
dry hop
used instead of a time. The recipe may specify the time and temperature of dry hopping, but this is rare. Follow my time and temperature recommendations above if none are given.

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Hopback
– Note that a hopback can also be used instead of, or in addition to, the hop stand or dry hopping. This involves filling a container with hops and running the beer through it on the way to be chilled. It’s an inline step between the boil kettle and the counterflow chiller, and adds some fresh hop character while also serving as a filter. I tend not to use this technique, but some who are set up for it can use it as a substitute process.

Recipe Design Techniques

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Single hop varietal beers
– Showcasing a single variety of hops in a beer allows the brewer to evaluate the characteristics of a hop. The techniques for brewing the beer are the same, but only one variety of hop is used.

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SMaSH beers
– Single Malt and Single Hop (SMaSH) beers are popular with some brewers because they highlight the specific flavors of the ingredients and can be somewhat of a challenge to brew. Again, the brewing techniques are the same, but the ingredients are limited.

MY PROCESS

I avoided describing my end-to-end brewing process in
Brewing Better Beer
because I was trying to encourage you to improve your system and methods, not replicate what I do. However, this book is different, and it’s necessary to describe my system and methods, as the way I brew informs most of my recipes.

My process is flexible, in that it allows me to have a similar setup for most styles, and doesn’t rely on the local water profile, making it easily adaptable to brewing in different locations. It works well for me, but it’s also designed around my equipment. I’m certainly not claiming that it’s superior to other methods.

Equipment and Setup

I brew on a 15.5 gallon, three-vessel system that uses stainless steel kettles configured as a hot liquor tank, a mash/lauter tun, and a kettle. The mash tun and kettle each have a slotted copper false bottom; the unusual aspect of this configuration is that there is almost 3 gallons (11 L) of space underneath them. I use two pumps to move liquids between vessels and to recirculate. If I perform decoction mashes, I use a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot from my kitchen. I chill through a plate chiller.

The system is propane-fired, and I brew outdoors. Each vessel has an independent burner, although they are all fed from the same propane tank. It’s a system I first put together in 1999, so it’s not exactly what I’d build today if starting from scratch. It does however work well, and I don’t want to invest the time in learning a new system as long as this one meets my needs.

Brewing Preparation Checklist

Tasks before brewing include:

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Obtain sufficient water
– As I mentioned earlier, my local water is awful for brewing, so I buy RO water from a local supermarket in 5-gallon (19 L) plastic water bottles.

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Determine water salts
– I prefer the taste of low mineral additions, so for most beers I simply add 1 tsp of calcium salts (calcium chloride or calcium sulfate) per 5 to 6.6 gallon (19 to 25 L) to get about 50 ppm of calcium.

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Prepare brewing liquor
– On most batches, I add about ¼ tsp of 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons (19 L) of RO water to achieve a pH of 5.5 at room temperature.

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Measure and crush grain
– If I’m adding grains at different times, I mill them separately. Otherwise, I just look for a good crush (husks torn but not shredded, starchy endosperm crushed into pieces). I store the grains in sealed containers.

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Measure hops
– I weigh my hops and put them in separate bags or containers, numbered by sequence in the hop schedule. I store my hops in the freezer.

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Prepare yeast
– Using a starter or a smack-pack, I have the yeast active and ready to pitch by brew day.

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Check supplies
– I try to get most of the ingredient work done ahead of time as it allows me to check that I have necessary supplies on hand, and run to my local homebrew store if I don’t. I always check to see that I have enough propane or a reserve tank handy.

Brew Day Procedure

I brew outdoors, so if the weather is good I can set up my equipment the day before. Otherwise, my standard process is as follows:

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Set up equipment
– I set up my Hot Liquor Tank (HLT), mash tun, and burners first, adding my brewing liquor to both the HLT and mash tun. I heat both vessels at the same time for speed. On my system, my strike water is 15°F (8°C) above my initial mash temperature. Once burners are lit, I finish setting up the rest of my equipment.

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Gather ingredients
– I bring the grain to the system, and complete any other ingredient prep (sometimes I prepare the hops on brew day).

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Final equipment check
– I do one last inventory to confirm I have what I need, make sure my mash tun has enough foundation water to cover the false bottom, and that I have electricity for my pumps.

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Mash in
– Once my water is at the proper temperature, I add my crushed grain and mash salts to the mash tun, typically while water is filling from the hot liquor tank. I stir with a mash paddle to break up any clumps, and to thoroughly mix the mash. I don’t really measure water volumes; I’m looking for a mash of a certain consistency that can vary by recipe (if I had to estimate, I’d say most of my mashes are about 2 qts/lb., plus the water under the false bottom). I take an initial temperature reading at this point, and make any quick adjustments (typically by adding hot or cold brewing liquor).

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Insulate mash tun
– I wrap duct insulation around my mash tun to help keep the temperature constant. On my system, it cuts heat loss dramatically.

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Monitor mash
– I like to check after 15 minutes to make sure the mash temperature is stabilized, and make any adjustments if necessary (usually either direct firing the mash tun while recirculating, or adding cold brewing liquor) I typically stir the mash at this point to help get a more even temperature distribution. On my system, this also helps improve efficiency.

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Perform mash steps
– Depending on the recipe, I might be doing a step mash, decoction mash, or other another process.

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Step mashing
– I use a pump that recirculates wort from the false bottom to the top of the mash while I’m directly heating the mash tun. Boiling brewing liquor could also be used to raise the temperature.

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Decoction mashing
– I pull decoctions using a large kitchen saucepan, and heat the decoction in a kitchen stockpot set up on one of my system’s burners. I don’t turn on the heat until I’ve finished transferring, and I stir constantly to avoid scorching. You don’t want the decoction to stick to the bottom of the pot and burn; that will cause an ashtray-like flavor that will never go away.

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Mashout
– When all mash steps are finished, I recirculate while heating to the mashout temperature. In most recipes, this is where I add dark grains and crystal malts. I normally mashout for about 15 minutes at 168–170°F (76–77°C).

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Lautering
– Prior to lautering, I cut deep channels into the mash using a thin kitchen spatula. I make a checkerboard pattern in the malt, maybe 2 inch (5 cm) squares, taking care not to cut all the way down to the false bottom. This improves lauter performance and is similar to what mash rakes do in commercial breweries. If the recipe calls for FWH, I add them now. I run the wort off slowly into the bottom of the kettle, and stop collecting when I hit my target volume (I measure volume using a calibrated stick, measuring from the top of the kettle).

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Sparging
– If I’m using a continuous sparge (my normal technique), I’ll sparge while lautering, adjusting the rates to maintain a constant water level in the lauter tun. I normally sparge at a temperature of 170–172°F (77–78°C), but I heat my hot liquor tank higher since I lose some temperature during the transfer. It’s important to keep the temperature in the lauter tun under 176°F (80°C) as this can increase haze.

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Boiling
– After the kettle has been filled to the appropriate volume, I take a gravity reading so I can adjust the boil length and final volume if necessary to hit my target gravity in the finished wort. I manage the boil, adding hops and other ingredients per the recipe. Even if not specified in the recipe, I add a Whirlfloc tablet (or an Irish moss product) and some yeast nutrient (I prefer the Wyeast brand) in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

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Whirlpool and stand
– After flameout, I stir the wort with a long-handled spoon to start a whirlpool, and then leave the kettle undisturbed for about 20 minutes to allow break material and hops to settle. I may add additional hops at this time. After the wort has clarified, I pump the wort out through an inline chiller. Note that I have a false bottom in my kettle which helps serve as a filter, especially when using whole hops.

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Preparation for pitching
– I collect the chilled wort in a sanitized bucket, move it indoors, then take a gravity and temperature reading. As I prepare my fermenter and yeast, I give the wort another chance to settle in the bucket, where small hop particles can settle out. I rack the wort into a fermenter, oxygenate it (typically I run oxygen at full blast through a sintered stone for one minute), and pitch the yeast.