Dip hopping May 27 2021, 0 Comments

With each passing day, it seems that there is another new type of hop to experiment with. And it also seems with each passing day, there's a new way to utilize these hops!

You've probably heard of mash hopping, first wort hopping, adding hops in the boil, dry hopping, double dry hopping, adding hops during active fermentation, whirlpool hopping, etc. But have you heard of "dip hopping?" This is a new one for me.

Dip hopping is a method that helps accentuate pleasant hop aromas while suppressing hop off-flavors. First experimented with by brewers at the Kirin brewery in Japan, dip hopping follows these general steps:

  • Running at least a portion of the wort from the kettle into the fermenter
  • Partially or completely cooling it
  • Adding hops prior to fermentation (but leaving the hops in)

There are may different ways you can experiment with dip hopping, including:

  • Running more or less of the wort into the fermenter
  • Cooling the wort down to different temperatures to attempt to bring out different characteristics
  • Letting the hop tea created by the dip hopping sit for longer or shorter times before adding the rest of the wort
  • Use different hops and hop amounts in the dip hopping stage

Brewers who have experimented with dip hopping have reported beers that are super aromatic, like a west-coast IPA, but without the onion and garlic aromas.

A good place to start perhaps would be to pull about 3/4 of a gallon of wort from your kettle into the fermenter about half way through your boil, cool it down to 170F, and add your dip hops (maybe 30% of the hop bill?). Finish the rest of your boil, add the rest of the wort to the fermenter, and away you go.

Happy hopping!