So far, this series has focused on what goes into beer. Now it’s time to start digging into how we use those building blocks. The first ingredient we tackled was hops, so it makes the most sense to start there.
Tradition? Tradition!
Before we dive into the steps, let’s talk briefly about hops. They have alpha and beta acids, which contribute bitterness, and they contain a complex mix of volatile aromatic oils that provide the flavor and aroma we all love. Getting all of those components into your beer can be a little tricky because of a fundamental conflict. It takes time in the boil kettle to convert the alpha acids into their isomerized bitter form. But every minute of that time drives off and breaks down some of the aromatic oils. The traditional three hops-addition steps are a compromise that balances this trade-off.
The first addition goes all in for Team Bitter. These hops are added early in the boil, spending the most time in the kettle, usually 60 minutes or more. That allows plenty of opportunity for the alpha acids (e.g., humulone, cohumulone, and adhumulone) to go into solution and be chemically converted into their bitter form. Of course, that’s also long enough to boil off the volatile hops oils and lose most of the flavor and aromatics that these hops might have provided.