Whats the difference between dry hopping and late hopping?
Well, for one, the aroma of a beer that has been dry hopped is preferred over that from a beer that is late hopped (where finishing hops are utilized for aroma). The aroma derived from late hopping is more intense and, since no boiling and thus less oxidation is involved, the aroma of the beer seems to more closely resemble that of the raw whole hops. The aroma imparted by dry hopping is likely to be more stable than when late hop additions are utilized. As background, here is some basic information on hop utilization. The hops have two basic components: one is resins and the other is its essential oils. The resins are often called alpha acids and are isomerized (or changed) when boiled to yield iso-alpha-acids. It is these iso-alpha-acids which provide the bitterness in the finished beer. The essential oils in hops are responsible for the hoppy “nose” or aroma in the finished beer. These essential oils are very volatile and will be boiled off if they are added early in the boil. For m
