Low Temp "Boil"?

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ksbrain

ksbrain

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Had an idea today to make a beer that's never boiled. I'm talking all-grain, but just hold it around 180F for an hour instead of boiling.

According to my chemist friend, the isomerization of hops should happen, just at a slower rate at the lower temperatures.

So I'm thinking, FWH. Drain from mash tun into an insulated vessel, and then just put the lid on and let it cool (overnight?). Then transfer and pitch... I'd be expecting a ton of hop flavor and aroma and hardly any bitterness.

Any thoughts? Horrible idea, or worth a shot?
 
YooperBrew said:
Will 180 kill the lactobacillus? What about as it cools?
Click to expand...

+1

If you're doing no-chill, you need a hard boil and to pour the wort into your container as soon as flame-out happens; this will sanitize your container (if you haven't already... which you should.) You will also need a container that can fit an airlock or blow-off tube so all the hot rising air can get out and no outside air can get in.

Then there's the fact that you'll have no idea what your IBU's are. Plus without a boil you won't get a hot break and you'll likely end will eternal haze.

Just boil the sucker.... why wouldn't you?
 
According to my chemist friend, the isomerization of hops should happen, just at a slower rate at the lower temperatures.
Click to expand...

What about the other flavor problems?
YooperBrew already mentioned DMS
100_0308.jpg


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
You might be able to run a pump onto a wort spreader above the kettle in order to increase volatilization of DMS precursors. It is an experiment that I will be doing soon. It is something that is not seen on a homebrew scale, but is used on an industrial scale.
 
You might be able to run a pump onto a wort spreader above the kettle in order to increase volatilization of DMS precursors. It is an experiment that I will be doing soon. It is something that is not seen on a homebrew scale, but is used on an industrial scale.
Click to expand...
Merlin is such a system.
New Belgium Brewery has the Merlin wort boiling and stripping system made by
Steinecker.
Does not use a conventional brew kettle and no hops inside the kettle.


Cheers,
Claudiusb
 
ClaudiusB said:
Merlin is such a system.
New Belgium Brewery has the Merlin wort boiling and stripping system made by
Steinecker.
Does not use a conventional brew kettle and no hops inside the kettle.
Click to expand...

Why go through all the trouble? I mean, what are the benefits of not boiling vs boiling?
 
I am transitioning to brewing indoors year round on an automated system. For me, the goal would not be no boil, but very low evaporation rates. This would cut down on the amount of moisture I have to take back out of the air later, and reduce the risk of condensation without a hood on my bigger system.

Also, I like to play with processes. I am a nerd in that way.

Those are my benefits, but it could be very different for others.
 
jfkriege said:
This would cut down on the amount of moisture I have to take back out of the air later, and reduce the risk of condensation without a hood on my bigger system.
Click to expand...

Hmm, I never thought about that, but you are generally putting about a gallon of water into the air. Bad for wallpaper (but that's out of style anyway:p)
 
I am using kitchen/bathroom paint on all of my walls, so a little moisture is not an issue. I can brew my standard 2.5 gallon batches, and even 5 gallon batches without a huge issue. I want to be able to do 10 gallon batches indoors without a hood and still not worry about DMS or condensation.

To get back to the original poster, at just below boiling there should be very little difference in the speed of isomerization. To keep it just below a boil would be far more energy efficient than to keep it at a rolling boil.

As a completely off topic note, I HATE wallpaper. The people that had my house before me stuck some right to the drywall without priming it first. I ended up ripping out the drywall and just putting up new. PITA.
 
jfkriege said:
I am using kitchen/bathroom paint on all of my walls, so a little moisture is not an issue. I can brew my standard 2.5 gallon batches, and even 5 gallon batches without a huge issue. I want to be able to do 10 gallon batches indoors without a hood and still not worry about DMS or condensation.

To get back to the original poster, at just below boiling there should be very little difference in the speed of isomerization. To keep it just below a boil would be far more energy efficient than to keep it at a rolling boil.

As a completely off topic note, I HATE wallpaper. The people that had my house before me stuck some right to the drywall without priming it first. I ended up ripping out the drywall and just putting up new. PITA.
Click to expand...

In my experience with indoor 10 and 5 gallon batches, the boil-off seems to be the same. Without a fan, the room is like a Turkish sauna, but the drywall, tape, and wallboard are holding up just fine. DMS and condensation aren't an issue. I have the BK on a lower stand, with the ceiling approximately 5 feet above the top of the kettle, and don't have any issues.

I try to keep a door/window open and a fan blowing, but when it's really cold I don't.
 
The heat creates DMS (from SMM?). The boil drives off DMS. Without the latter, I predict cooked corn aroma. Likely a lot of other volatiles are driven off during the boil. There is a Brew Strong podcast called "The Boil" you might want to check out.

Also, here is a chart I refer to a lot.

Beer_Pasteurization_Curve.jpg
 
Like a few other people, I just don't see how this experiment would have any point to it. Why wouldn't you just boil your wort? Even if it turns out drinkable, it will never be as good as if you just boiled as usual. If you want lots of hop aroma and flavor, add flameout hops, whirlpool, dry hop - I mean ****, there are a lot better ways to get it.
 
It is really just an idea. But it would save the energy of boiling for an hour and lots of time. If I were to just mash, runoff, and then seal and let it cool, it could be a very quick and easy method for making beer.

Even though it looks like a pretty bad idea, I think I might try it with a very small batch. I could deal with dumping a gallon of unbitter, lacto-ridden, DMS-water. Then I'd know the answer.

Now about that wallpaper, I like how the previous owners of my house papered over paint which was applied over the original wallpaper. True genius. Of course, all I did was paint over the middle paint layer again :eek:
 

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