OnTap Magazine

In some ways, this is the purest, most unaltered way to add hops to beer, because almost none of the bittering compounds found in the alpha and beta acids of the hop plant are extracted. Instead, hop flavour and aroma become the stars of the show. Dry hopping is well suited to hop varietals that have strong tropical and fruity overtones, and results in a more grassy, fresh rendition of such hop flavours. Good candidates for this approach include Citra, Chinook, Cascade, and Centennial (the so-called "C hops"). Successful dry hopping is a matter of timing. Active, primary fermentation can blow off the delicate flavour compounds you're trying to capture. So, to ensure that dry hopping has the desired result, measure the gravity of your fermenting beer before adding your hops. Only once the bulk of primary fermentation is complete (around a 60% reduction from your starting gravity) should you add your hops, otherwise the results will be disappointing. Having some yeast activity is still a good idea (hence 60%), because yeast is pretty good at scrubbing oxygen out of your fermenting beer, which is what we turn to next. Yep, oxygen, that old enemy of good beer everywhere, should be kept out of the dry hopping equation as much as possible. There are myriad ways of ensuring that your dry hop addition doesn't also introduce O2 to the wort, but perhaps the simplest and cheapest way is to thoroughly soak your hops (pellets or cones) in water (preferably distilled) that you've pre-boiled and allowed to return to room temperature. Use just enough water to cover your hops and then add the whole shebang (hops and water) to the fermenter, slowly and gently. Once in the fermenter, ensure that the hops stay in the fermenter for at least 3-6 days before bottling or kegging. Hops are magnificent additions to well brewed beer. Whether you're brewing a super face-melting double IPA or a smooth lager, it helps to become a master of hop manipulation. Give some (or all) of the techniques above a go and I assure you, your beer will be better for it. TIPS FOR DRY HOPPING Hop flavour becomes the star of the show NOW GO BREW SOMETHING AMAZING(LY HOPPY). MARCH HOMEBREWERS’ DIARY Wort Hog Brewers East Rand, Werners Bistro, Bedfordview | 6:30pm Details TBC. Please check our website and socials. 31 Helderberg Homebrew Club Triggerfish Brewing, Somerest West | 6:30pm Educational meeting – water chemistry 101. R50 per meeting or yearly fee applies. 24 Durban Homebrewers Brew-to-Style 1000 Hills Brewing Co, Kloof | 10am Join us to taste and judge our brew-to-style competition – this time around it’s amber and red ales. All welcome! 26 FIND YOUR CLOSEST HOMEBREW CLUB Joining your local homebrew club is the very best way to further your knowledge. Here’s a list of the various clubs around SA. Get in touch with your local club, follow them on social media or sign up for their newsletter. Durban Homebrewers www.durbanhomebrewers.com East Coast Brewers (KZN) facebook.com/groups/ eastcoastbrewers Eden Brewers (Garden Route) facebook.com/edenbrewers Free State Fermenters (Bloemfontein ) facebook.com/ groups/305132382867636 Hartbeespoort Brewer s facebook.com/groups/ hartbeespoortbrewers Helderberg Brewers helderberghomebrewclub.co.za SouthYeasters (Cape Town) southyeasters.co.za Wijnland Homebrewers Club www.facebook.com/ wijnlandhomebrewers Wort Hogs (Gauteng/North West) worthogbrewers.co.za Yeastern Cape Brew Club facebook.com/yeasterncape 52 | Autumn 2022 | ontapmag.co.za