Managing Bitterness while Pursuing Significant Flavor and Aroma from Hot-Side Hop Additions

In recent years, brewers have become hyper-focused on innovations pertaining to cold-side hopping in order to emphasize hop flavor and aromatics. Meanwhile, many traditional styles rely exclusively on hot-side hopping techniques to achieve the perfect balance between malt and hops. Achieving such a balance requires a clear understanding of hot-side hop performance. This presentation is designed to help you gain control of and predict outcomes associated with hot-side hopping techniques.

Learning Objectives

• Gain an improved understanding of hot-side hopping dynamics
• Understand how to quantify IBUs based on informed assumptions of utilization
• Learn strategies for scheduling hot-side additions to match desired outcomes (bitterness, flavor, aroma)
• Build the basis for creating a useful hop calculator for hot-side additions based on desired bitterness in the context of desired flavor and aroma intensity

About the Speaker

Tim Yarrington graduated cum laude from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor of science degree in wildlife science (1989), earning the Outstanding Senior Award of his school. He attended the University of California, Davis’ Master Brewer’s Program and passed the Institute of Brewing’s Associate Membership Examination (1995). Mr. Yarrington directed and managed the start-up of the Long Valley Pub and Brewery in Long Valley, New Jersey and was head brewmaster there from 1995 to 2002. During his tenure at Long Valley, Tim earned two bronze and one gold medal at the distinguished Great American Beer Festival. In 2002, Mr. Yarrington directed and managed the start-up of the New Times Square Brewery and Restaurant II (the second incarnation) in New York, New York and was Head Brewmaster there from 2002 to 2005. From 2005 to present Mr. Yarrington has worked as an independent, free-lance consultant directing several brewery start-ups in the north-eastern United States. He became the Head Brewmaster of Elk Creek Café + Aleworks in 2007. In the fall of 2016, Tim began consulting for the Pennsylvania College of Technology, helping to create and develop the content and curriculum for their Brewing and Fermentation Science Program. Mr. Yarrington joined the faculty at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in the spring of 2017 as Lead Faculty and Head of Curriculum Development for the Brewing and Fermentation Science programs. As he prepares students to enter the brewing industry, Mr. Yarrington continues to oversee operations at Elk Creek Café + Aleworks as Director of Brewing Operations, and continues to consult for the brewing industry on a limited basis.