Dark Beer's Hoppy Character: Choosing The Right Hops

Dark beers with ample hops are a rare combination, as the bitterness of hops and the roastiness of dark malts can be challenging to balance. However, with careful recipe and process tweaks, it is possible to create complex and flavourful dark and hoppy beers.

When creating dark and hoppy beers, it is essential to consider the interplay between hops and dark malts. The roast character of dark malts can affect the overall flavour profile of the beer, including the bitterness and intensity. Additionally, the type of hops used can either accentuate or complement the roastiness of the dark malts.

When pairing hops with dark beers, it is recommended to choose hops with an eye toward flavour pairings that go well with the roast character. For example, hops with chocolate or fruity notes can complement the flavours of dark malts. Some specific hop varieties that are commonly used in dark beers include:

- Cascade: Often used for finishing additions, adding a citrus and floral character.

- Citra: Adds tropical fruit and citrus flavours, commonly used in IPAs and Pale Ales.

- Chinook: Contributes piney and spicy notes, suitable for dark beers such as stouts and porters.

- Simcoe: Brings earthy and piney flavours, often used in IPAs and Pale Ales.

- Mosaic: Contributes earthy, piney, and fruity notes, popular in stouts and porters.

While creating dark and hoppy beers can be challenging, brewers can experiment with different hop varieties and brewing techniques to find the perfect balance between the bitterness of hops and the roastiness of dark malts.

Dark malts and ample hops

Roast also imparts its own kind of bitterness, which can easily be overdone when combined with hops. Roasted malts also impart strong flavours, which can be challenging to balance with hop flavour.

However, these challenges can be managed with some recipe and process tweaks. Brewers should start with soft water, and then consider the chloride and sulfate (SO4) levels in their beer. If a crisp bitterness is desired, the brewer should target 200ppm of sulfate. If a less bitter edge is desired, they should aim for 200ppm of chloride.

If the brewer is concerned about the beer being too roasty, they can use huskless malts such as chocolate rye, crystal rye, or Carafa Special. They can also use higher-Lovibond crystal malts and specialty malts such as Briess Special and Extra Special Roast, which impart "dark" flavours without an excess of roast.

When it comes to hopping, brewers should leave some bittering room so that the huskier malts don't overload the impression of bitterness. They should choose hops with an eye toward flavour pairings that accentuate or complement roast. For example, Cascade hops are often used for finishing additions in dark beers.

Finally, brewers should consider the carbonation level of their beer. High carbonation can amplify roast flavour and bitterness, which is usually undesirable.

Water is the first consideration

The chloride and sulfate (SO4) levels in the beer are of particular interest. For a beer with robust hop flavours and a rich dark malt character, the chloride level should be around 200 parts per million (ppm). On the other hand, if a crisp bitterness is desired, the sulfate level should be targeted at 200 ppm.

The ratio of sulfate to chloride is also important, with a ratio in the range of 0.4 to 4 providing all the options needed in terms of flavour emphasis. A "balanced" beer that emphasises neither malt nor hops should have a ratio of around 1, while a ratio of over 1.6 may be too bitter.

Starting with relatively soft water and building up to the desired flavour profile is a good way to ensure the desired outcome.

Hop oils and boil

Hop oils are essential to the flavour and aroma of beer. While the resins and alpha acids in hops make beer bitter, the hop oils are delicate and contribute to the flavour and aroma. Hop oils contain over 500 flavour compounds, many of which are transformed during the brewing process.

The timing of when hops are added during the brewing process is critical to the final flavour of the beer. The longer hops are exposed to heat and the higher the temperature, the more likely it is that the hop oils will be driven away through evaporation. Therefore, hops for flavour and aroma are typically added towards the end of the boil.

There are several types of hop oils, with the four primary ones being myrcene, humulene, caryophyllene, and farnesene. Myrcene is the most prevalent hop oil and is often associated with floral or citrus aromas in beer. Humulene is the second most common hop oil and contributes woody, spicy, and herbal characteristics. Caryophyllene has a distinctive woody and herbal aroma and often contributes an herbal character to beer. Farnesene usually represents less than 1% of the oils in the hop, though it may be as high as 10% or more. It contributes a woody or herbal character to the beer.

Different varieties of hops will have different combinations of these primary hop oils, resulting in unique flavours and aromas. For example, Citra hops have a very high myrcene content, resulting in floral or citrus aromas, while Hallertau hops have lower alpha acid levels and are used primarily for their aromatic influence, with a spicy, floral, and citrus scent.

Dry hopping

The term dry hopping was first used by British brewers centuries ago to refer to the addition of hops to a cask shortly before shipping. Today, dry hopping refers to any addition of hops after the wort has been cooled. This can be done in the primary or secondary fermenter, or by adding hops directly to a keg.

The benefit of dry hopping is that it allows the brewer to get as much flavour and aroma as possible into the final beer, creating a floral hop essence and an intense flavour that is desirable in hoppy beer styles like pale ales and IPAs.

When dry hopping, it is common to use a hop variety that is considered a "flavour" or "aroma" hop, with a relatively low alpha acid rating, often around 6% or less. Some popular choices for dry hopping include Cascade, Crystal, Willamette, East Kent Golding, Fuggle, Saaz, Hallertau, and Tettnanger.

The amount of hops used for dry hopping can vary depending on personal preference, but a "normal" measurement is between 1-2 oz (28-56 g) of hops for a five-gallon (19-L) batch.

Some brewers choose to dry hop with high alpha acid varieties like Centennial and Chinook, and personal preferences will vary. In general, if you like the results of using a particular hop variety in the last 5-10 minutes of the boil, you will probably enjoy dry hopping with the same variety.

There are a few potential drawbacks to dry hopping. One concern is the risk of bacterial contamination since the hops are not boiled and sanitised. However, this is rare as hops do not provide a supportive environment for most types of bacteria, and the active yeast in the wort can compete with any bacteria present.

Another potential issue is that some beer drinkers may find the flavour of dry-hopped beers too "grassy" or "oily". This method creates a different kind of flavour and aroma compared to the traditional method of adding hops during the boil, so it may not appeal to everyone's taste preferences.

Carbonation

There are two methods of carbonating beer: natural and forced carbonation. In both cases, beer and carbon dioxide are sealed in a container under pressure, with the beer absorbing the carbon dioxide.

Natural Carbonation

Natural carbonation occurs during the fermentation process, as yeast digests the sugar in the wort, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is usually allowed to escape, but the brewer will seal the beer in a container when fermentation is almost complete. This method is used to carbonate beer in holding vessels at the brewery and in casks.

Another way to use natural carbonation is in the bottle. In this case, the beer is allowed to ferment completely and is left unfiltered, so active yeast remains in the beer. Then, a small amount of sugar is added at bottling time. Once the bottles are sealed, the yeast acts on the sugar, releasing carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by the beer.

Forced Carbonation

Forced carbonation involves pumping carbon dioxide into a sealed container with the beer and is commonly used for kegs. The beer is refrigerated, and carbon dioxide is pumped into the keg. After a few days, the carbon dioxide is absorbed into the beer, fully carbonating it.

Maintaining Carbonation

To maintain carbonation, beer must be fully sealed with a tight bottle cap so that carbon dioxide cannot escape until the beer is opened. Once opened, beer should be consumed within a few hours, otherwise, it will lose its carbonation and taste different from what was intended.

Frequently asked questions