Dry hopping techniques have evolved a lot. With the information now available, brewers are starting to push techniques to get an explosive hop aroma into their beers.
Double Dry Hop?
The term DDH stands for Double Dry Hop. It is possible to dry hop at any time during fermentation, conditioning or storage of beer. In the process, the aroma compounds are meant to be dissolved and dispersed. However many of the hop compounds are hardly or only slightly soluble. Brewers can make use of the following parameters, to positively influence solution behaviour:
- Alcohol Content
- Exchange surface & movement
- Yeast activity/temperature
From a practical perspective, it makes sense to spread the dry hopping over the conditioning and storage phases. During maturation, the alcohol content and the slightly higher temperature both help. Gentle circulation is ensured by means of secondary fermentation.
During storage, the alcohol content helps again. As no more yeast or trub residue is present to absorb the aroma compounds, no flavour is lost. However, the beer is no longer moving.
Making sense
From a sensory perspective, dry hopping techniques should extend to dry hopping during the main fermentation. This ensures with the help of yeast activity a natural circulation and the creation of additional pleasant, fruity aromas. In addition, the higher temperature contributes to the dissolution and the distributions of the compounds. Yeast activity and temperature also influence which aroma compounds are expelled with the co2. However, the yeast cannot then be reused.
In conclusion
Dry hopping techniques will show that each point of dry hopping will lend a different hop aroma to the beer. More dry hopping will consequently result in greater complexity. Research has even shown that multiple dry hopping can lead to a more intense aroma using a lower quantity of hops. As the dissolving behaviour of the hop aroma compounds is suboptional; adding astronomical quantities just doesn’t help it only serves to increase beer loss.
Smarter more deliberate hop additions are the way forward instead of larger quantities. The best DDH is in fact a TDH Triple dry hop!