Franconian Beer Message Board

Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet
Posted by Nick B. on 2013-09-24 00:28:44
A discussion with Jackie, Barry, and Frank over relatively hoppy Spezial U last evening ensued, after the three had spent a day brewing some 200 litres of Hausbräu somewhere in Bamberg the day before. The theory that hops lose some facet of their aroma --and perhaps flavour-- through the processing into pellets is one that I've subscribed to for decades. (Two decades, anyway.)

During pelletising, kiln-dried hops are chopped up into tiny bits and then compressed under great pressure into pellets. This destroys and potentially heats the glands in the hop cones/flowers (German: Dolden) that  provide the bittering-, flavour- and aroma-producing oils and acids that we know and love.

Jackie raised a good point, that the kilning of freshly-harvested hops must also have an effect on this, and indeed this is absolutely true, and demonstrating how great non-kilned hops can taste and smell is why "fresh-hop" or "wet-hop" beers made immediately after harvesting hops have exploded in popularity among certain brewers in recent years.

Barry seems convinced that there is no difference between pellets and whole hops in the end effect on beer. A big-batch, infrequent homebrewer (200 litres 3 - 4 times a year) says so, and this trumps what the other homebrewer (me, 22 litres 3 - 4 times a month) says.

Take Jackie's point and extrapolate it one step further down the production line: significant character is lost when freshly-harvested hops are kilned, and character is then further lost when the precious flowers are chopped up into powder and then smashed into pellets.

Or am I way off here? At any rate, a visit to Oregon or even Kent during September to sample wet-hop beer is something interested parties should consider.

The U in the Gaststätte was significantly better last night than any other time I recall having drunk it in the last couple of years, FWIW...fresh hops?
 
Followups:
   Fresh/Wet-hop Beer in Oregon by Nick B. on  2013-09-24 01:05:06
   Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Fred Waltman on  2013-09-24 07:13:12
   Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Mark Andersen on  2013-09-24 08:38:27
     Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Gary on  2013-09-24 20:01:08
       Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Nick B. on  2013-09-24 23:49:46
         Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Barry on  2013-09-26 04:12:51
           Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Nick B. on  2013-09-26 05:44:50
             Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Fred Waltman on  2013-09-26 09:54:44
               Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Nick B. on  2013-09-27 05:54:56
                 Der Hopfen - Pellets vs Whole/Leaf/Natur vs Fresh/Wet by Nick B. on  2013-09-28 02:30:55
                   Präpositionen by Nick B. on  2013-09-28 03:05:57
                     Präpositionen by barry on  2013-10-01 04:12:13
                       Pelletised Hops Are also Dried by Nick B. on  2013-10-01 05:48:36
                         Pelletised Hops Are also Dried by barry on  2013-10-01 05:58:57
                           Pelletised Hops Are also Dried by Nick B. on  2013-10-01 06:08:09
                             Pelletised Hops Are also Dried by Nick Cowley on  2013-10-01 07:14:34
                               Pelletised Hops Are also Dried by Nick B. on  2013-10-01 08:21:31
                                 Hop Plugs! by Nick B. on  2013-10-01 23:21:23
                       Principles by Nick B. on  2013-10-04 03:44:35