Homemade vodka hop extract

[cmac62]

I saw this article and wondered if anyone has tried it. It seems like it would work. The other option is just using a vodka ticture. What do ya'll think.

http://stempski.com/hop_vodka.php

 

[Birrofilo]

That's my usual way to do dry hopping: a hop maceration in grappa or vodka. I use 2-3 hours. I then separate the hops from the macerate with a cloth (next I will be using coffee filters) and put the resulting extract (I don't know if that can be called extract technically, an extract to me is made with a still, let's say "the macerate") in the beer just before bottling, at the moment I add priming sugar to the container from which I bottle.

The article mentions repeated short-time extraction, I do a one-time extraction of the same quantity of hops which I would have used for dry hopping.

I don't agree with the affirmation that the maceration doesn't extract the bitterness from the hops. The macerate is quite bitter, and in general alcohol macerations do extract the bitter part of botanicals (that part is called in Italian the "amaro", the bitter (part), and that probably gives the name to the "amaro" as a product, the fact that, at least originally, it also used macerations, not just extracts).

If you bulk prime, or don't prime, I think that works very well as an alternative to dry hopping.

I never tried this method with the "vaccinating pistol" priming method, because there is some waste of hops, and that is because the syrup for the pistol is always prepared in a larger quantity than what is strictly needed for the bottles, for practical reasons. I can waste some sugar, but I don't want to waste any hop.

A further attempt would be to use a distiller and produce a proper hop extract with alcoholic vapour extraction. That would let in the kettle the "amaro" of the botanical (aldehydes, tannins, that stuff) and only carry in the extract the essential oils already dissolved in alcohol. With dry hopping we are not interested in the amaro and the still method would be in theory the most correct way to get the essential oils without the rest.

 

[cmac62]

Birro, thanks for the reply. I was also looking at a thread on here somewhere (looked but could not find it) that talks about using ice cold high proof vodka/everclear/151 rum and ice cold hops and olny a quick shake then refreeze and shake again. I think this may be an effective method and I'm going to try it out once I get some whole cone hops. I'll post results. I got some everclear sitting in the freezer, just need the hops.

 

[freakalone989]

Birro, thanks for the reply. I was also looking at a thread on here somewhere (looked but could not find it) that talks about using ice cold high proof vodka/everclear/151 rum and ice cold hops and olny a quick shake then refreeze and shake again. I think this may be an effective method and I'm going to try it out once I get some whole cone hops. I'll post results. I got some everclear sitting in the freezer, just need the hops.

Birro, thanks for the reply. I was also looking at a thread on here somewhere (looked but could not find it) that talks about using ice cold high proof vodka/everclear/151 rum and ice cold hops and olny a quick shake then refreeze and shake again. I think this may be an effective method and I'm going to try it out once I get some whole cone hops. I'll post results. I got some everclear sitting in the freezer, just need the hops.

please give us the feedback later on,

in 2 more days my juniper beries will Arrived, ill try to make gin with hops , ill give it an update later on
im planing to make a floral gin, since it is near Fasting month for the moeslem , ppl r selling a lots of ylang", im gona use it , with honey hops . shooting for a strong floral , citrusy , bitter and sweet aroma gin