How to Make Hop Water: Recipe, pH and Carbonation, 1 to 30 Gallons
How to make hop water at home: hops per gallon, a hot steep and a cold dry hop, acidifying to pH 3.2–3.6, carbonating to 3 volumes or more, and a recipe card that scales from 1 to 30 gallons.
In this post
The short answer: hop water is carbonated water flavoured with hops, with no alcohol and no calories. Steep aroma hops in filtered water, about 24 g (0.85 oz) per gallon, acidify it to pH 3.2 to 3.6 with a little citric acid, then carbonate it hard, to 3 or more volumes. Keep it cold.
It tastes like the aroma of an IPA without the beer: citrus, tropical fruit, pine, over a crisp, sparkling water. Brewers make it because it uses the same gear, the same hops and the same carbonation skills as beer, and because it is the easiest non-alcoholic drink there is to make well. There is nothing to ferment.
What you need
- Filtered or RO water. Hop water is almost all water, so off-flavours in your tap water show. Chlorine and chloramine in particular.
- Aroma hops. Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy: anything you would dry hop an IPA with.
- Citric acid or fresh lemon juice, and a way to measure pH.
- A keg or a pressure-rated tank and CO₂. A carbonation stone makes the high carbonation quick.
Why acidify it
Beer is protected by its alcohol, its low pH and its hops. Hop water has only the hops. Bringing it down to pH 3.2 to 3.6 makes it far less friendly to bacteria, and it brightens the flavour, the way a squeeze of lemon lifts sparkling water. About 1 g of citric acid per gallon of RO water lands near pH 3.3; tap water with more alkalinity needs more. Add it in small steps and measure.
The recipe
The card scales from 1 to 30 gallons.
Bräu Supply recipe · Hop water
Citra Mosaic Hop Water
Ingredients · for 5 gal
| 5 gal (18.9 L) | Filtered or RO water | |
| 120 g | Aroma hops, pellets: Citra, Mosaic, or a blend | 24 g/gal |
| 4 g | Citric acid, to pH 3.2–3.6 (or lemon juice) | about 0.8 g/gal |
| 3 g | Calcium chloride, optional: rounder mouthfeel | about 0.6 g/gal |
Process
- Heat: the water to 170°F (77°C); it also drives off chlorine and cleans up the water
- Hop tea: steep a quarter of the hops for 10 minutes at 170°F for a little bitterness and body, then pull them
- Chill: to 40–50°F (4–10°C)
- Acidify: stir in the citric acid a little at a time until the pH reads 3.2–3.6
- Dry hop: the rest of the hops, 24–48 hours cold, then drop or strain them out
- Carbonate: 3.0 volumes at 34°F (about 14 psi) in the tank, or 3.5 volumes in a keg at 38°F (about 22 psi)
- Keep: cold, and drink it within about two weeks
Citric acid depends on your water: hard, alkaline water takes more. Add it in small steps and measure; a pH meter or strips are worth it here.
Hot steep or dry hop?
| Hot steep (170°F) | Dry hop (cold) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it gives | A little bitterness and body; rounder | Bright, fresh aroma; no bitterness |
| Time | 10 to 20 minutes | 24 to 48 hours |
| Watch for | Too long or too hot turns it bitter: aim for about 8 to 12 IBU | Too long turns it grassy |
Most brewers do both: a short hot steep with a quarter of the hops, then the rest cold.
Carbonation
Hop water wants more fizz than beer, 3 to 4 volumes of CO₂, closer to a sparkling water. The pressure that takes depends on temperature:
| Where | Temperature | Target | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unitank (15 psi relief valve) | 34°F (1°C) | 3.0 volumes | about 14 psi |
| Keg | 38°F (3°C) | 3.5 volumes | about 22 psi |
For more than 3 volumes, carbonate in kegs: the tank’s relief valve opens at 15 psi.
Variations
- Citrus: swap the citric acid for fresh lemon or lime juice, about ¼ cup per gallon, and adjust to the same pH.
- With tea: add 2 to 3 g of green or black tea per gallon to the hot steep for a little tannin and body.
- Single hop: brew one hop at a time to learn what each one tastes like. It is the cheapest hop trial there is.
- Lightly sweet: a teaspoon of sugar or honey per gallon softens the acid; it is no longer zero-calorie, and it must stay cold.
Frequently asked questions
Does hop water have alcohol?
No. Nothing ferments: the hops flavour the water and CO₂ adds the fizz.
How long does hop water keep?
Cold and sealed, about two weeks for the freshest hop aroma. Hop aroma fades with time and warmth, and it has no alcohol to protect it, so keep it cold.
Why does my hop water taste grassy or bitter?
Grassy: the dry hop ran too long or too warm, so pull the hops after a day or two. Bitter: the hot steep was too hot or too long, so keep it near 170°F for about 10 minutes.
Can I use hop extract or hop oil?
Yes: many commercial hop waters do. It replaces the hop steep and leaves nothing to filter. About 1 mL per gallon is a common starting point; follow the product’s directions and taste.
The setup
A jacketed Unitank does the whole job in one vessel: an element heats the water for the hop tea, glycol through the jacket chills it for the dry hop, a HopDrop adds the hops without opening the tank, and a carbonation stone carbonates it the same day. More non-alcoholic drinks: ginger beer, non-alcoholic beer and kombucha.