Have you ever wondered:
- about hop aroma’s shelf life in beers brewed with pellets compared to those brewed with extracts?
- whether a hop extract can seamlessly replace pellets in an established brand?
- about the influence of alcohol content in dry-hopped beers?
- about the correlation between the hop storage index (HSI) and perceived bitterness?
Recent research that examines questions such as these supports brewers interested in maximizing the aroma potential of hops by employing them post-boil.
The financial benefits of using advanced products have been well-documented. “I think that late in the pandemic was when we first saw a shift in what we were hearing from brewers,” says Tom Britz, CEO at Glacier Hops Ranch. “Brewers told us they were sick and tired of the yield losses they were experiencing in their hop-forward beers.”
Glacier Hops Ranch produces Hopzoil, which is steam-distilled from freshly picked, unkilned hops. “Given added inflationary pressures, brewers of all stripes were increasingly looking for an alternative,” Britz says. “These losses were no longer acceptable, and brewers were actively looking for solutions without compromising the sensory profile of their beers.”
That’s where the research comes in, examining the impact of advanced products and other variables of importance to brewers—including those making nonalcoholic beers.