HEXAHOP GOLD®
Improves foam stand and cling. It’s ideal for light-stable hopping in beers packaged in green or clear glass and it imparts a clean, smooth bitterness that is especially effective in low BU beers. Water soluble solution standardized to 10% blend of hexa-hydroiso- alpha & tetra-hydro-iso-alpha acids.
Hexahop Gold® is an aqueous solution, standardised to 10% w/w, comprising a mixture of hexahydro-iso-α-acids and tetrahydro-iso-α-acids produced from CO2 hop extract using a patented, all-aqueous process. Hexahop Gold® improves foam stand and cling and can be used for light-stable hopping in beers that will be packaged in green or clear glass. Hexahop Gold® imparts clean, smooth bitterness and is especially effective when used to develop low BU beers. Hexahop Gold® will also act as an antimicrobial agent when added to beer. Hexahop Gold® is classified as a modified hop extract which may be safely used in beer in accordance with US FDA regulation 21 CFR 172.560(b) (6) (7).
PRODUCT USE:
Hexahop Gold® is normally used after fermentation and before final filtration. Utilization of Hexahop
Gold® in final beer can be expected between 55 - 80% depending on the time and efficiency of dosing
(kettle dosing is not advisable, as utilization can decrease considerably). The point of addition should be
close to a region of turbulent flow, e.g. on the suction side of a centrifugal pump. The dosing pump should be adjusted to deliver the Hexahop Gold® over approx. 70% of the total transfer time. It is advisable to make the addition prior to the final filtration step. Local high concentrations of hexa/tetrahydro-iso-α- acids should be avoided and the addition point should be well separated from that of other beer additions. Hexahop Gold® may be added at ambient temperature without prior dilution directly to beer. If dilution is necessary, the use of de-mineralized water with a pH adjustment to 10 – 11 (with KOH) is necessary. Do not use sodium bases to adjust the pH of de-mineralized water – caustic soda or sodium hydroxide form poorly soluble salts with most hop acids.
The amount of Hexahop Gold® is calculated based on the hop product concentration and the assumed
utilization. Conducting trials at the brewery will determine the correct dosage of Hexahop Gold® with
regard to sensory bitterness and foam enhancement. Depending on the type of beer, Hexahop Gold® may give 1.0 - 1.3 times the perceived bitterness of normal iso-α-acids. Hexahop Gold® should not be left in dosing lines at low temperatures and we recommend cleaning dosing lines with warm, slightly alkaline de-mineralized water or ethanol after use.
USAGE CALCULATIONS:
The following calculations are based on the assumption that the mixture of hexahydro-iso-α-acids and of
tetrahydro-iso-α-acids is 1.3 times as bitter as iso-α-acids (IAA). Utilisation of hexahydro-iso-α-acids
(HHIAA) can be expected to be about 70% or higher when Hexahop Gold® is used as recommended.
Desired Sensory Bitterness Units = BU
hexa/tetra pure required in beer (mg/L) = BU/1.3 (1.3 assumes sensory bitterness relative to IAA)
Dosage hexa/tetra pure in mg/L (70% utilization assumed) = BU/1.3 x 100/70
Dosage in grams hexa/tetra per hL of beer = BU/1.3 x 100/70 x 100/1000
Amount of Hexahop Gold® (10% soln) in g/hL:
BU/1.3 x 100/70 x 100/1000 x 100/10g/hL
Amount of Hexahop Gold® (10% soln) in mL/hL:
BU/1.3 x 100/70 x 100/1000 x 100/10 x 1/1.020mL/hL = BU x 1.08mL/hL
(e. g. for 5 desired sensory bitterness units 5/1.3 X 100/70 X 100/1000 X 100/10 = 5.5 g/hL
(5.4 mL/hL) are necessary)
FOAM ENHANCEMENT:
Calculate required Hexahop Gold® as shown above for final hexa/tetra pure hop acids concentration to
typically be between 2 and 5 mg/L for foam enhancement. We recommend that the final concentration
of hexa/tetra hop acids not be more than 5 mg/L to prevent excessive foaming effects. Reduce alternative bittering contribution (kettle or other products) by equivalent BU to compensate for
the bitterness of Hexahop Gold®.
LIGHT STABILITY:
Hexahop Gold® will only provide protection from light-struck flavour if a complete absence of normal iso-α-acids is achieved, therefore no other sources of non-reduced iso-α-acids should exist in the wort or beer streams. Thus for light-stable beers packaged in clear or green glass bottles, all the hop bitterness must be derived from reduced hop acids such as Tetrahop Gold®, Redihop® or Hexahop® products. Iso-α-acids (from equipment or yeast) must not be present in the beer. If beta extracts are used as kettle additives, ensure that the concentration of α-acids and iso-α-acids are below 0.2%
PACKAGING:
Hexahop Gold® is normally supplied in high-density polythene containers of 20 kg.
STORAGE AND BEST-BY RECOMMENDATION:
Store Hexahop Gold® in full, closed containers at 15 – 25 °C (59 – 77 °F). Prolonged storage at high
temperature can cause deterioration. Hexahop Gold® performs best if used within 24 months from the
time of production if stored as recommended. Opened containers should be used within a few days.
ANALYTICAL METHODS:
The concentration of hexa- and tetrahydro-iso-α-acids is measured by UV Spectrophotometry (with
modified formula factors) or by the EBC Method 7.9 (HPLC). Details of recommended methods are
available on request.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS:
Description: A yellow to amber colored, aqueous solution of the potassium salts of tetrahydroiso-α-acids and hexahydro-iso-α-acids.
Concentration: Standard concentration is 10.0% ± 0.5 of a 50:50 mixture of tetrahydro-iso-α-acids and hexahydro-iso-α-acids by HPLC.
pH: 8.5 – 11.0
Density: 1.020 g/mL (approximately) at 20 °C (68 °F)
Viscosity: 2 - 10 mPas at 20 °C (68 °F)
Solubility: Soluble in pH-adjusted de-mineralized water, and in alcohol
Iso-α-acids: ‹ 0.1%