Crafting 5-Gallon Batches of Hop Tea at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hop tea is a refreshing, aromatic beverage that allows you to enjoy the complex flavors of hops while being alcohol and gluten free. It’s a perfect alternative for those seeking the taste of hops in a non-alcoholic form. This guide will walk you through creating 5-gallon batches of hop tea at home, kegging, force carbonating, and serving it from a kegerator.
Ingredients and Equipment:
5 gallons of water
Hops (whole leaf or pellets) – approximately 1 to 5 ounces
Large pot (at least 6 gallons)
Strainer or hop bag
Homebrew Keg (5 gallons), CO2 tank and regulator
Step 1: Brewing Your Hop Tea
Boil Water: Begin by boiling 5 gallons of water in your large pot.
Add Hops: Once boiling, remove the pot from heat and add your hops. The amount can be adjusted based on your preference for intensity. For a moderate flavor, start with 1 ounce of hops, but feel free to increase depending on the varietals and the bitterness of your preferred hops.
Steep Hops: Let the hops steep in the hot water for about 10-20 minutes. This process extracts the oils and flavors from the hops, much like making tea.
Strain and Cool: After steeping, strain the hop mixture through a fine mesh strainer or hop bag to remove the hop solids. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature. You can expedite cooling by placing the pot in an ice bath.
Step 2: Kegging Your Hop Tea
Prepare the Keg: Clean and sanitize your keg thoroughly. Make sure all components are properly sanitized to prevent any contamination.
Transfer Hop Tea: Once cooled, transfer your hop tea into the keg. You can use a siphon or a pump for this process.
Seal and Cool: After filling, seal the keg by attaching the lid securely and place the keg in the fridge to cool. You can pressurize the keg with CO2 but the carbonation will be much more difficult until it has been chilled.
Step 3: Force Carbonating
Set Up CO2: Connect your CO2 tank to the keg and set your regulator to about 30 PSI. This high pressure will help carbonate the tea more quickly.
Carbonate: Let the keg sit under pressure for 24 to 48 hours, shaking it occasionally to help the CO2 dissolve into the liquid. After this period, reduce the pressure to serving levels, typically around 10-12 PSI.
Pour and Enjoy: Once fully chilled and carbonated, your hop tea is ready to serve. Pour it into glasses and enjoy the refreshing, aromatic flavors of hops.
Tips for Perfecting Your Hop Tea:
Different hop varieties offer unique flavors and aromas. Experiment to find your favorite.
Adding gypsum, calcium chloride, or citric acid, will change the mouthfeel and acidity of your end result.
Orange peels, grapefruit peels, and other fruits can be added into the steeping process and provide great flavor contrasts with the hops.
Longer steeping times can yield stronger flavors, but be cautious of bitterness.
Adjust the carbonation to your preference. Some prefer a lightly sparkling tea, while others enjoy more robust bubbles.
Crafting hop tea at home is a rewarding process that allows you to enjoy the nuanced flavors of hops in a unique way. With some practice and experimentation, you’ll be serving delightful, effervescent hop teas that can rival the complexity of craft beers, minus the alcohol. Cheers to your brewing adventures!
