Improve the utilization of hops

Based on the traditional hop adding technology, there is only 50% Alpha acid being resolved in wort and isomerized to Isoalphaic acid, but after wort cooling, fermentation, cold aging and filtering etc, the final hop utilization is only 20~30%.

The micro breweries all hope to improve the hop utilization with some methods, for reducing the hop dosage and lower the production cost. Here are some methods that could be used for improving the utilization as below:

Reasonable hop adding methods

In principle, with a lower hop adding ratio, more adding repeatedly and earlier adding time, the hop utilization should be much higher. But if adding too early in the first 1~2 times, the polyphenols in hops would be combined with protein in wort , that is not good for removing the polyphenols in wort. You know the polyphenols is the major components of the turbid substance, so these two adding times better not too earlier, saying at about 10min and 30min after boiling. The final hop adding is for fortifing the hop aroma, the utilization of Alpha acid is very low and the adding dosage better not too big, and better with aroma hop at high quality.

Controlling a higher boiling intensity

The higher boiling intensity generally with a strong writhing result, it is good for the hop utilization. So the boiling intensity could be controlled at 10~12% by settings on steam heater, the structure of brew kettle and heating steam pressure.

Appropriate increasing the PH

With the growing of PH, the solubility and isomerism would be increased correspondingly. The wort PH generally being controlled between 5.2-5.6, and better not exceed 5.8.

Reasonable boiling time

Generally the wort boiling time cannot exceed 90min, if the boiling intensity is higher and the protein solidification is good, the boiling time could be controlled within 60~75min, that would help to save energy and time, also could reduce the further conversion of isomers .

Using hop products

Reasonably using the hop pellets and hop extract etc, that could help the effective constituent being dispersed and isomerized.