We're a week out from Halloween, so let's get spooky. Hop Creep definitely scared me when formulating the recipe for Eternal Evidence, so much so that I neglected caramel malts from the grist. Granted, I had just listened to Vinnie Cilurzo lecturing on the topic but after reading this chapter, there are processes you can implement to avoid hop creep other than cutting out caramel malts.
Hops contain enzymes that can break down dextrins into fermentable sugars. If yeast is present, it will consume those sugars, increasing alcohol content. This is known as refermentation or hop creep. As Allagash Brewing found when bottle-conditioning their dry-hopped Hoppy Table Beer, refermentation can cause beers to become over-carbonated.
Hop creep is most commonly found in heavily hopped styles.
The enzymes responsible for refermentation are amyloglucosidase, alpha-amylase and beta-amylase. Short dry hopping durations, lower temperatures, and smaller dry hopping rates produce fewer fermentables. One to two days of around 50 degree dry hopping temperatures is what an Oregon State study found to be most effective.
Diacetyl can stem from hop enzymatic activity. Typically, VDK/Diacetyl is caused by too high of temperatures or rousing. Janish usually drops the yeast first, then dry-hops below 58 degrees Farenheit to avoid VDK production. Though if you do get VDK spikes, give the beer a week in the tank and the levels should drop off.
That's all. Hop creep can be easily avoided if recipe formulation and fermentation processes are consciously executed. Why not save yourself from an unknown variable that can derail your beer?
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