Abstrax Quantum Series Hop Extracts: Big Hop Aroma Without the Hop Debris
We are now carrying 1 oz bottles of Abstrax Quantum Series hop extracts at TrueBrü.
These are highly concentrated, hop-derived extracts designed to deliver the recognizable flavor and aroma of individual hop varieties without adding more pellet hops to your fermenter or keg. They are especially useful for cold-side additions, packaging adjustments, split batches, and hop water.
What are Quantum Series hop extracts?
Abstrax produces the Quantum Series using an ultra-low-temperature extraction process designed to preserve volatile hop aromatics. Each extract is varietal specific and derived from the hop named on the bottle.
These products are built for flavor and aroma, not bitterness. They do not contain the alpha acids needed to bitter a beer, so they are not a replacement for your kettle hops or another source of IBUs. Think of Quantum as a clean and concentrated tool for the cold side of your process.
Why would a homebrewer use one?
Large dry-hop additions can produce great beer, but they also introduce a few problems. Pellet hops absorb beer, create sediment, clog transfers, increase oxygen exposure during handling, and can contribute grassy or vegetal character when pushed too far.
Quantum goes directly into solution without leaving plant material behind. There is nothing to remove, nothing to clog a dip tube, and practically no beer lost to hop absorption. Abstrax also states that Quantum does not cause hop creep because it does not introduce the enzymes and plant material found in traditional pellet hops.
That makes it useful for:
Reducing a traditional dry-hop charge
You can keep some pellet hops in the recipe while replacing part of the cold-side addition with Quantum. Abstrax recommends replacing up to approximately 50 percent of the cold-side hop bill as a practical starting point. This retains some of the character that comes from traditional dry hopping while reducing beer loss and hop debris.
Adding aroma at packaging
Quantum can be measured directly into a purged keg, fermenter, or bottling bucket after fermentation. This allows you to add another layer of hop aroma without reopening the fermenter for a traditional dry hop.
It can also help bring back the aroma in a beer that tastes good but finished a little less expressive than expected.
Creating multiple beers from one batch
A neutral pale ale or IPA can be split between several kegs and treated with different Quantum varieties. One keg could receive Mosaic, another Simcoe, and another Krush. This is an easy way to compare varieties or create several tap options from one base beer.
Running quick trials
Add one drop to a pint of finished beer, mix it gently, and evaluate the result. This is one of the easiest ways to determine whether a particular variety complements the beer before treating the whole keg. Abstrax recommends beginning around one drop per pint for benchtop testing.
Making hop water
Because there are no pellets to contain or filter out, Quantum makes hop water significantly easier to produce. You can dose cold water, adjust the acidity, carbonate it, and avoid dealing with floating hop particles or excessive bitterness.
How concentrated is it?
The listed dosing equivalency is approximately:
0.5 oz of Quantum equals 1 lb of T-90 pellet hops
That means each 1 oz bottle represents roughly 2 lb of T-90 pellet hops in flavor and aroma equivalency. This does not mean you should add an entire bottle to one homebrew batch. A single bottle should be enough for several five-gallon batches, depending on how intensely you dose each one.
A simple five-gallon starting point
Abstrax reports that brewers commonly use approximately 0.3 to 1 oz per barrel. Scaled to five gallons, that works out to roughly 1.5 to 4.8 mL per five-gallon batch.
For most homebrewers, this is a reasonable approach:
Start with approximately 1.5 mL in five gallons for a noticeable but controlled addition.
Add it at the coldest and latest practical point in your process.
Purge the keg or dosing vessel with CO2 before opening it.
Mix by gently rocking the keg or briefly circulating the beer.
Allow at least 48 to 72 hours before making the final judgment. Abstrax notes that full integration may take three to five days.
You can always add another small dose. Removing an excessive dose is not possible, so starting low and building gradually is the better approach.
Should Quantum completely replace a dry hop?
It can, but that may not be the best starting point for every beer.
Quantum captures the aromatic side of the hop variety without adding the acids, polyphenols, plant material, or physical character contributed by pellet hops. Some brewers use it as a complete replacement, while others prefer a combination of traditional pellets and Quantum.
A good first experiment would be keeping approximately half of your normal dry-hop charge and replacing the other half with the equivalent amount of Quantum. This lets you compare the cleaner process and reduced beer loss without completely changing the character of your normal recipe.
Simple five-gallon hop water starting recipe
For a clean hop water trial, Abstrax recommends beginning with five gallons of carbon-filtered water.
Chill the water to approximately 32°F to 39°F.
Add approximately 1.8 grams of non-iodized brewing salt.
Adjust the pH to approximately 3.9 to 4.2.
Add 5 to 7 mL of Quantum.
Carbonate to approximately 2.7 to 3.1 volumes of CO2.
This is intended as a base recipe that can be adjusted to your preference. Start with one variety by itself before layering in citrus, fruit, herbs, or additional hop profiles.
Varieties currently available at TrueBrü
We currently carry the following Quantum Series extracts in 1 oz bottles for $36 each:
Mosaic®
Grapefruit, citrus, pine, and lighter floral notes.
Citra®
Bright citrus and tropical fruit with a woody or slightly spicy background.
Galaxy®
Tropical fruit, berry, passionfruit, and citrus.
Simcoe®
Tropical fruit, pine, dank resin, and blackcurrant character.
Centennial
Orange-like citrus with pine, cedar, and woody notes.
Krush™
Tropical fruit, stone fruit, citrus, resin, and dank character.
Abstrax produces many additional Quantum varieties. If there is a particular hop variety you would like that we do not currently stock, just ask. We may be able to include it with our next order.
Storage
Store the bottles sealed and protected from extreme temperatures. The recommended storage range is approximately 40°F to 90°F, and the product should not be frozen.
A new tool for the cold side
Quantum does not need to replace traditional hops in every beer. It gives homebrewers another tool for controlling aroma, reducing hop debris, protecting finished volume, and making adjustments at the very end of the process.
Use it to supplement a dry hop, rescue an underwhelming keg, compare several varieties in a split batch, or make a clean hop water without filtering out a pile of hop particles.
Shop our current Abstrax Quantum Series selection online or stop in to see the available varieties.