Hop utilisation efficiency

[Jjsh]

I am reading a brewing book which seemed to have very large hop additions for the given IBU, then I realised that the author assumed a 10% hop extraction efficiency. Does anyone know what Brewers Friend assumes as default?

 

[Mark Farrall]

The recipe builder will only put in a utilisation explicity for a few scenarios. So if you want to set one it's estimate what percentage of the time period the hops are in wort above 80C/176 F. So if it's a standard boil step it'd be 100%.

If it's something post boil you can use the recipe builder default of 5% for whirlpool or estimate your own.

 

[Nosybear]

I am reading a brewing book which seemed to have very large hop additions for the given IBU, then I realised that the author assumed a 10% hop extraction efficiency. Does anyone know what Brewers Friend assumes as default?

It sounds like you're talking about whirlpool additions. I believe 10% is the assumption used by the recipe builder, but you can change it. The overall hop contribution in the boil is based on an equation you select, default is Tinseth, good enough for homebrew estimation, you can change it in your profile.

 

[Yooper]

We recently changed the utilization to 5% after much more research, and of course the brewer can change it based on their own experiences.

 

[Nosybear]

5% more closely matches mine but then, at 6,000' elevation, my boil temperature is only 200 degrees!

 

[Yooper]

5% more closely matches mine but then, at 6,000' elevation, my boil temperature is only 200 degrees!

But whirlpool hops are added after boiling, usually at 170-190 degrees, sometimes lower, sometimes higher, so at least we're getting there!

 

[Nosybear]

Come on, Yooper, we KNOW there's no alpha acid conversion below 180 degrees!
One eventually discovers what works, n'est pas?

 

[Nosybear]

And the smiley didn't come through. No snark intended...

 

[Yooper]

And the smiley didn't come through. No snark intended...

None noticed! I laughed.