Adjusting hops for altitude.

[chasjs]

I was just wondering if any of you increased your hop additions because of boiling at altitude. This is especially important for hop-bittered beers like IPAs. Since water boils in Arvada at 201-202 Degrees F the attenuation of the hops is decreased. Beersmith has an adjustment for this if you put your altitude in the equipment profile.

Anyone else doing that?

[evan.sherlock]

I have never heard of such a thing, so of course I had to look it up. I really wonder how much truth there is to this notion. If it holds true that means I am wasting pounds of yeast each year.

Article on hop utilization at altitude

[colterw]

I would have to agree the utilization is lowered a little bit. The math involved in the IBU is not really that good in the first place. https://www.experimentalbrew.com/experiments/writeups/ibu-lie-kind

The IBU math is based on one person’s system and he only used whole leaf hops. Super fast cooling I think has more of a lowering effect than a low boil point.

Cheers

Serving: Brooks Irish Red 4.8% ABV
Serving: Robert's IPA
Fermenting: We Are The Dreamer of Dreams (NEIPA)

[chasjs]

My own formula for IPAs is to increase bittering hops by 25%. I usually start with a recipe I have gotten elsewhere and start modifying it. I have generally been happy with the results of 25% increase for bittering. I am not so sure on flavor and aroma. This is all for pellets. For whole hops I am closer to a 50% increase but I do not use whole hops very often.

[discmonkey]

I’ve been increasing bittering hops by about 10%. I may bump it up to 25% like Chuck for my next brew and see how that works.

[chasjs]

The latest issue of Zymurgy Magazine had a good article on boiling your wort. It touched on the impact of altitude on hop utilization. attached is a chart they used. At my house I find I usually boil around 201 degrees F which shows a bittering hop factor of about 1.15.

The article had some other good information like long boil times can actually reduce the bittering as the AA will start to break down with longer boil times. Also had some other info about brewing at Altitude.

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   elevationonhops.jpg
   

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