Turning down the propane burner after hotbreak?

Xtreme newb question incoming.

I'm doing my first all grain brew and my first brew on a propane burner. I had the burner running pretty much wide open to bring the wort to a boil, but after the hotbreak I dialed it back a fair bit (I was worried about scorching the wort), but still maintained a rolling boil. When I dropped the IC in at the last 15min (it's 52 deg out) it brought the temp down enough to lose the boil, I cranked the burner back up and got it boiling again This got me wondering if I was doing it wrong and should have kept the burner wide open the entire time ?

I turn it down to keep a nice rolling boiling. If I keep it turned up I waste way to much propane and whenever I put anything in it wants to boil over again.

just keep it gently rolling and you are good. you may have been a smidge low if your chiller cooled it enough to make it stop boiling but probably not too far off.

Thanks guys, that's what I thought but wanted to be sure. I too turned down the burner to save propane and avoid scorching the wort. Next time I'll just turn the burner up a bit prior to dropping the IC in.

I do that too, bring it down low enough to keep a boil but not boil over. It's trained me to be a better cook too, I haven't had any pasta boil over aftering mastering the technique

Keep in mind that a rolling boil is not a violent boil. You only need to have the top of the wort forming moving mounds so the the wort at the bottom is moving up as it heats and the wort at the top moves back down as it cools. Large breaking bubbles and splatter mean you are wasting propane.

A few comments:

1) Keep it consistent - it's very helpful to know your boiloff rate for hitting your numbers
2) Crank it up at the end to drive off DMS. If you have a simmer/gentle boil going, let 'er rip at the end to drive off DMS. If you're rolling throughout, no worries.
3) Losing boil when you drop in the IC is normal (at least for me) and I don't worry about it - get's right back up within a minute or two.

I have never brought my propane burner (turkey fryer) up to full tilt when boiling wort. Even to get the wort up to temp before the boil. I slowly bring it up to 200 Degrees, and then manage my temp for it to just start a slight rolloing boil.

Gary

In cooking a rolling boil is the most violent, full hard boil,,,I believe home brewers see it as the time where you see bubbles roll up the sides,,,,I think this might be a sorce of some folks confusion.

I remember hearing that too strong of a boil can increase melanoidin formation also and lend an off flavor to a beer. I think it was from an episode of Can You Brew It, but i can't remember the particulars.