WorthogReveiwJuly2015

SAN JOAQUIN WORTHOGS
NEWSLETTER
July 2015
Board of Directors:
President
Executive Vice President
Secretary
John Toepfer
Scott Bailey
Ryan Methmann
Treasurer
Jeff Dashjian
Sergeant of Arms
Corey McLaughlin
SINGLE VS. DOUBLE DRY HOP |
EXBEERIMENT RESULTS!
BY MARSHALL AT BRULOSOPHY.COM
I think some have misinterpreted the fact I don’t homebrew IPA very much as meaning I don’t appreciate and
enjoy the style. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is, I drink IPA all the time, it’s impossible to
avoid these days, I just don’t brew it very often for myriad reasons– there are plenty of delicious commercial
examples available, most of the dudes I hangout with brew enough for me to get my fix, and honestly,
they require quite the financial investment. Hops are fucking expensive, especially the varieties we all pine to
liberally dose our homemade beers with. When I do make an IPA, at least one of my own design and not a
shitty clone version of a delicious commercial example (shut up, guys), my goal is to suck as much
tropical/citrusy/fruity/danky/piney/whatever character out of the hops as possible, a goal I trust is shared
among all hopheads. A common method we’ve all adopted that helps to achieve this involves adding a charge
of hops, usually 2+ ounces per 5 gallon batch, toward the end of fermentation and allowing them to sit in the
beer for a certain length of time to extract all of those delectable aromatic oils– the dry hop. If ever the beer
gods gifted brewers with a kernel of knowledge worthy of exaltation, this would have to be it.
As the popularity of hop forward styles has grown, so too has our interest in better understanding how to
utilize this precious flower. Over the years, I’ve heard many hop experts discuss various dry hopping methods,
one of which caught my attention in particular. A couple years ago, I was listening to an interview with a
commercial brewer, I forget who it was, but my ears perked up as he began discussing a technique he
regularly used to achieve a stronger dry hop character. Rather than making a single large dry hop addition,
this brewer was divvying up his hops and adding them a few days apart, a practice he said had a noticeably
positive impact on his finished product. Simple as this sounded, I decided to give it a shot, and bada-bing
bada-boom, A Lil’ Slack IPA was born. Even at a couple months old, this beer took second place in a BJCP
sanctioned competition, both judges commenting on the pleasant hop aroma. It was enough to convince me
the double dry hop method worked.
Then the annoyingly skeptical part of my brain kicked in and I began to wonder if the beer might have tasted
the same had I dumped in the same amount of hops in a single huge addition. I ignored that tiny pestering
voice in my head for a couple years and continued to double-dose my IPAs, each time convincing myself I
could tell a difference, that my IPAs were better because of this modern method. It wasn’t until a group of
buddies decided to go head-to-head in a House of Pendragon Lancelot IPA clone challenge that I decided to
put this theory to the test. You see, I’m not a very competitive person, but if something as simple as splitting
up a dry hop addition would better my chances, hey, why not?
| PURPOSE |
To evaluate the differences between the same beer receiving either a single or double dry hop charge.
| METHOD |
As I mentioned before, I was tasked with making a “clone” of a local favorite, Lancelot IPA (Untappd), which
would later be blindly compared to versions made by 6 friends as well as the real deal. A couple days prior to
brewing, I made a starter of the yeast Tommy was using for this beer, an old favorite of mine, WLP090 San
Diego Super Yeast.
Click pic for Yeastir review
After a couple days, I stole a quart of this yeasty goodness for future use then threw the flask in the fridge to
crash overnight. I was all mashed in by 4:30AM the following morning.
Click pic for ThermaPen review
Since this would be a 6 gallon split batch, I chose to go with the no sparge method since my MLTwould hold
the entire volume of grist and brewing liquor.
After an hour long mash that included 3 brief stirs, I collected the very pale sweet wort.
Once the wort was added to the kettle and the flame turned on, it was time to weigh out the hops. This
particular recipe called for only 2 additions, a relatively small amount of Magnum at 60 minutes and a rather
large flameout/hopstand addition of multiple varieties.
This hopping schedule made for a really relaxed brew day, I almost forgot to toss my immersion chiller in the
boiling wort with 15 minutes left to go. Once the boil was complete, I quickly chilled the wort to 66°F, my
target fermentation temp, and racked 3 gallons into separate PET carboys, gently stirring to ensure equal
distribution of kettle trub. The fermentors were then placed in a cool fermentation chamber, the decanted
starter was evenly split between the carboys, and I engaged my standard ale profile on The Block Box temp
controller. Things were rocking and rolling less than 24 hours later.
The first dry hops were added 5 days into fermentation when both beers were showing signs of diminished
activity. The single dry hop batch was hit with the entire 5 oz charge of hops, while the double dry hop batch
received exactly half the amount of each hop. I returned 2 days later and added the other half of the hops to
the double dry hop carboy. The beers were left for an additional 2 days before being crashed, fined with
gelatin, and racked into their own 3 gallon kegs. After a few days on gas in the keezer, the beers were clear,
carbonated, and ready for testing!
Left: Single Dry Hop | Right: Double Dry Hop
| RESULTS |
Over the course of an 18 hour period, I was able to get 15 people to participate in this xBmt including 4 BJCP
provisional judges, 4 Cicerone Certified Beer Servers, a professional brewer, and a grip of other
experienced craft beer drinkers and/or homebrewers. Given this sample size, 9 tasters (p<0.05) would have
had to correctly select the different beer to reach a level of statistical significance. Each taster was served 2
single dry hopped samples and 1 sample from the double dry hopped batch in a relatively secluded
environment. Of the 15 participants, only 4 accurately distinguished the double dry hopped beer from the
single dry hopped sample, a number that falls below even that which we might expect if tasters made their
decisions randomly. Statistically, the responses of those 4 who were correct in the triangle test on the
subsequent comparative evaluation are meaningless, which seems about right as their responses were far
from consistent. Either way, since dry hopping is typically regarded as a method to impact the aromatic
qualities of beer, I figured some might be interested to know that 3 of the correct respondents believed the
aroma of the beers were somewhat similar while the other participant felt they were exactly the same.
My Impressions: Biased though I was, I couldn’t tell a lick of difference between these 2 beers. I tried my hand
at multiple quasi-blind triangle tests as well as more simple side-by-side comparisons and, even knowing the
nature of the xBmt, I couldn’t reliably pick out the differences. Aroma, flavor, mouthfeel– all the same to me.
| DISCUSSION |
Alright, so maybe the whole double dry hop thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Maybe there’s nothing magical
that happens by adding hops in multiple doses a few days apart. Maybe those who have claimed to notice a
difference (me) are deluded. Maybe.
But maybe not.
The credulous idealist side of me is at odds with the more pragmatic empiricist in me– I want so badly to
believe the qualitative differences experienced by others and myself are real, yet the numbers and my own
recent impressions just don’t add up, leaving me with an odd feeling that falls somewhere between
disharmonious confusion and slight satisfaction. I mean, I wouldn’t mind ditching the extra dry hop step, it
does require some planning (and remembering). Yet, as I sit here pondering, I find myself feeling the urge to
minimize the results of this xBmt and blame them on poor design, methodical limitations, and the
terrible palates of the participants. Then again… that’s just ridiculous.
I say it often, but perhaps this is yet another variable that makes more of a difference on the commercial scale
than it does for homebrewers. I’m constantly preaching the perils of blindly accepting the results of these
xBmts as fact and using them as an excuse to adopt potentially bad practices. Nothing is different here, this
remains a single point of data, not nearly enough to comfortably settle into the couch of absolutism. But
really, if I’m being totally honest, outside of any future xBmts on this topic, I’ll be making only a single trip to
my carboys for dry hop additions from now on, if for no other reason than the fact it’s just simpler.
I know I’m not the only one who’s done a comparison like this and I’m deathly curious what others have
experienced. Whether you’re a die-hard double dry hopper or single dry hopper for life, feel free to share your
thoughts in the comments section below. Cheers!
YEAST STARTER METHOD
BY MARSHALL AT BRULOSOPHY.COM
The first beers I made were fermented with liquid yeast, my process looking something like this:
1. Take yeast out of fridge a few hours before brewing
2. Once wort was chilled to about 75°F, open vial and pitch
3. Place fermentor in closet and hope the airlock is bubbling the next day
While those first few beers were nothing spectacular, they still came out pretty damn good, at least to the
point I never dumped a batch. It wasn’t until I really got serious about brewing at home that I even heard of
yeast starters, which I initially viewed as being more work than it was worth. After a couple batches that just
didn’t come out the way I planned, I figured one of the more simple things I could try was making a starter.
I’ve never looked back.
I fairly regularly field questions about whether making a starter is really all that necessary. My honest response
is always the same: no. The truth is, you can make a perfectly good beer by pitching a single vial or pack of
liquid yeast into wort. In fact, I recently heard from a dude who said he took 1st place in category with a beer
he didn’t use a starter on, which is fucking great! And I’m certain he’s not the only one with a similar story. So
what’s the point? Why invest the time and money making yeast starters when it is obviously possible to make a
delicious beer without one?
Now, I’m no microbiologist. Not even close. I could pretend to know more than I do about budding and
conjugation (thanks Wikipedia), but the simple fact of the matter is I’m hugely ignorant when it comes to these
issues. What I do know is that I love, in an almost lustful sort of way, what yeast does for beer. I’m fascinated
by the amazing plethora of flavors different types of yeast can create and how it acts differently depending on
the environment. After hundreds of batches, fermentation still seems like magic to me. I abide by the doctrine
that brewers make wort, yeast make beer.
While starters may not be necessary, they absolutely serve a function. I’m not sure new brewers ought to
stress too much about this part of the process, at least in the beginning, though the investment is fairly
minimal for what I believe to be a good payoff. Some of my main reasons for making yeast starters:
– Visibly observing yeast activity in a starter provides me with assurance the yeast is viable and ready to go to
work turning wort into beer.
– While in the starter, yeast go through a growth phase, meaning there are significantly more cells being
pitched into my wort, leading to decreased lag and a quicker fermentation with less chance of off-flavor
development.
– Pitching a starter has significantly increased the consistency of my brewing, making it much easier for me to
replicate a batch.
– Free yeast for future use! How would I harvest clean yeast if I didn’t have a starter to steal it from?
I’m sure with very little searching, numerous other reasons for making a starter can be found, along with
much more scientific sounding explanations why one should make them. My point is this: in my brewing,
making starters seems to have had one of the biggest impacts on the quality and consistency of the beer I
make.
How I Make Yeast Starters
I see a lot of starter how-tos that differ from my process in various ways. With my penchant for simplification,
I’ve settled on a method that seems to require a little less effort and has worked well over the years. The first
step is determining the proper starter size, which is a function of the OG of your wort, batch size, and yeast
age. Yeast Calculator is my calculator of choice. All you have to do is plug in the aforementioned data, select a
“method of aeration,” and it’ll spit out the details. Easy-peezy. Just remember to a make a larger starter if you
plan to harvest yeast for future use!
Yeast starters require little in the way of equipment, of which there are many options. I personally prefer
using 5 liter Erlenmeyer flasks for myriad reasons, such as the ability to make larger starters for lager beers
and larger batch sizes. I also have a 2 L flask I occasionally use for smaller batches of beer. I’m a huge fan of
StirStarter stir plates due to their very affordable price-point, durability, and lifetime warranty (they
make a new larger model now as well). While not really a piece of equipment, FermCap-S (anti-boilover
agent) is an absolutely necessary part of my yeast starter kit that has saved me from more volcanic eruptions
(and clean-ups) than I can count. That’s about it. For those who aren’t ready to invest in a fancy flask and stir
plate, a clean and sanitized growler shaken every time you walk by will get you by. If you’re good with
electronics and have the desire, you might also consider building your own stir plate.
Step 1: Weigh out DME and add it to your clean flask (a funnel helps)
Step 2: Add hot tap water from the faucet (if good quality, otherwise use cold), swirling the flask at first to
fully incorporate the DME
Step 3: Once proper amount of water is added (I usually go a hair over my target to account for boiloff), swirl a
bit more to make sure there is no DME stuck to the bottom of the flask, then add a couple drops of FermCap-S
Step 4: Place flask on stove, turn burner to high
Step 5: Watch the flask and turn burner down to low-med once bubbles start rising from the bottom of the
flask.
Step 6: Once wort is boiling, set timer for 10 minutes, and watch for potential eruptions! A quick blow down
the shaft of the flask will kill any large bubbles that may form.
Step 7: While wort is boiling, make a small bowl of sanitizer solution for the foil and stir bar
Step 8: When the timer goes off, carefully move the flask (OveGloves are a godsend) to a sink with the drain
plug in place, drop sanitized stir bar in, cover top with sanitized foil, then surround it with ice and cold water.
Step 9: Once wort is chilled to about 70°F, pitch room temperature yeast, set the flask on the stir plate, and
get things spinning.
Step 10: About 36 hours later, after stealing some yeast for future use, I usually move the flask to the fridge to
crash overnight so I can decant the beer off before pitching. Don’t forget to attach the stir bar to the side of
the flask with a strong magnet before crashing.
Free yeast!
In the end, starters may not be totally necessary for beer production, though I think most experienced
homebrewers would agree that it is one of the easiest ways to improve beer quality and consistency. If you’re
looking to step up your game, I strongly encourage you to consider making a starter for your next brew.
Cheers!
***I’ve been asked a couple times about how I decant the starter prior to using them. Basically, just gently
pour off all but maybe 500mL of starter beer, swirl up the rest to ensure homogeneity, then pitch as usual. If
you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask!***
MAY MEETING
The May meeting was held at member Rex Easley’s house in Sanger.
(Rex’s Awesome Fermenting Chamber)
This meeting was awesome! We brought the 5 test batches of the Riley’sWorthogs collaboration brew! We voted as a club and Mike Sumaya’s recipe won
and was made the following month on the Riley’s-Worthogs brew day in Madera.
Rex and his friend made us tasty homemade pizzas as well!! Rex did a stout as the
demo on his 3 tier home brew system.
Thanks Rex!
JUNE MEETING
The June meeting was held at Bencomo’s home brew supply in the tower district.
At this meeting we announced that the annual PUB CRAWL EVENT ticket sales had
begun. Tickets are open to members only until 7/13/15. Tickets are $65 and
include your bus fair, 2-3 meals, and tasting at 3 different breweries! We have sold
about half and plan to sell the rest soon so buy yours while you can! You can
purchase tickets directly from our website or at any meeting until they sell out.
Efren Garza did the demo
COMMPETION NEWS
http://www.sjworthogs.org/documents/WOTY%20Official%20Rules%20-%202015.pdf
Click link above for WOTY information. The next entry is a
Belgian Tripel due at the September general meeting. GOOD
LUCK!
The Fresno Fair home brew competition is approaching fast!
There will be more details to come but plan on submitting
entries in the middle of September. If you are making a beer that
needs some aging…don’t wait make it now! Contact Scott Bailey
for more information. Details will be available soon.
BEER ACTIVITIES AND FESTIVALS
Need Supplies?
Bencomo`s Homebrew Supply was founded in 1991 by Julian
Bencomo in his effort to try beer styles not available in local stores. This quest led him to become an award winning
brewer and nationally recognized beer judge.
Julian partnered up with the local homebrew club San Joaquin Worthogs to introduce home brewing to the San Joaquin
Valley. Since the early 1990's, numerous members of the Worthogs have become professional brewers and have opened
their own breweries.
Son and co-owner Michael Bencomo began his career at Bencomos's Homebrew Supply as a teenager hauling grain and
weighing out hops. He became an accomplished homebrewer and has seen all the renewed interest in home brewing.
Michael keeps up to date on all the latest trends in home brewing including new hops and yeast strains. His expert advice
is just a phone call away.
Bencomo`s has been in business for over 22 years because they love what they do and want every customer to feel the
same way about their homebrewed beer
http://brulosophy.com/
BY MARSHALL