Is there any relation between the % of AAUs in a given hop, and the amount/intensity of aroma imparted in dry hopping, i.e., higher % of AAUs = more aroma imparted from dry hopping?
Is there any relation between the % of AAUs in a given hop, and the amount/intensity of flavor that can carry over in dry hopping, i.e., higher % of AAUs = more flavor imparted from dry hopping?
No, the alpha acids only impart bitterness.
The compounds that give us hop flavor and aroma aren’t measured as well.
nothing measured or scientific, but IME, the higher alpha acid hops seem to have a more intense aroma when dryhopping - CTZ, Simcoe, Chinook, Centennial, all seem powerful when using as dryhops whereas lower ones seem more floral.
again, I have no measurable basis for that other than what I’ve noticed when dryhopping.
I think that’s only a coincidence. Maybe hops with a higher AA also have higher levels of aromatic compounds, too.
right - that’s kind of what I was getting at, though there could be some correlation (higher AA usually have higher oil levels I think).
Aren’t the aroma compounds called Beta Acids? There is an entry for this in Beersmith but I don’t know that it’s used for any calculations, just reference. I know I’ve never used it.
“Beta acids do not isomerize during the boil of wort, and have a negligible effect on beer flavor. Instead they contribute to beer’s bitter aroma, and high beta acid hop varieties are often added at the end of the wort boil for aroma. Beta acids may oxidize into compounds that can give beer off-flavors of rotten vegetables or cooked corn.”
John Palmer confirms this on this episode of Brew Strong. He mentions that hops with a higher percentage of alpha acids will also have a greater amount of oils that contribute to flavor/aroma. He recommends dry hopping with high alpha hops for this reason, as they more of those oils as compared to vegetal matter that you are adding to your beer.
I did not listen to Palmer, but can you tell us what his justification was? What was his basis for what he said?
jim
I think brewbeard already said it - higher AA varietals tend to have more residual oils, which he proposes correlate to greater aroma.
Take a whiff of a fresh bag of Mt Hood cones then of Columbus or Simcoe. Grab a handful of each - my hands are always green and sticky when dealing with the monster hops, much less so with the <7% guys.
Just a little FYI.
Alpha acids are bittering compounds found in hops that are extracted when hops are boiled, steeped and/or soaked with wort and beer. The alpha acid “rating” on hops describes how much of the weight of the hop is made up of alpha acids. Hops with a higher alpha acid content will contribute more bitterness, flavor and aroma than a low alpha hop when using the same amount of hop.