Letting the wort rest for 30 min after boil?

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wfowlks

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So I used to be doing extract recipes, and a few of the recipes said that after the boil, let the wort sit with the lid on it, for 30 min. Then chill the wort with a wort chiller or in a bath. I currently have a wort chiller.

But I was wondering if you even need to let it sit for 30 min after the boil or why you would?

And yesterday when I did my first all grain, I let it sit for 30 min. But now I'm reading a lot of posts that just skip or don't mention this step.
 
I can't imagine any reason to let the wort sit without chilling, especially for an extract batch, unless you have 0 minute hops and want to let them steep a bit before chilling.

I like to chill right away (unless I'm using "whirlpool hops" at the end of the boil), but I know some who do that and THEN let the wort sit after a stir so that the hot break and stuff falls to the bottom. But I can see no reason at all to let the wort "rest" after brewing if not using those late hops.
 
Thanks for the clarification guys.

I think it may have been because it was a generic recipe where they just filled in the information for the recipe in pen, with the ingredients, and the steps were already there.

I can't imagine any reason to let the wort sit without chilling, especially for an extract batch, unless you have 0 minute hops and want to let them steep a bit before chilling.

I like to chill right away (unless I'm using "whirlpool hops" at the end of the boil), but I know some who do that and THEN let the wort sit after a stir so that the hot break and stuff falls to the bottom. But I can see no reason at all to let the wort "rest" after brewing if not using those late hops.

And there were a few cases where I had an extract with the 0 minute hops
 
hop steeping and/or whirlpooling would be the only reason. I whirlpool to let the trub settle a bit before I chill. Since I use a plate chiller my whole chilling process takes < 5 minutes; but by whirlpooling and waiting about 10 minutes I get a good bottom cone of trub that would otherwise clog my plate chiller.
 
After the boil I will create a strong whirlpool and let sit for about 10 minutes for things to settle in the center of the kettle and then chill but I drain my kettle through a CFC, no recirculation.

If you're using an IC and then dumping into the primary the whirlpool doesn't do anything.
 
Were these clone recipes? It is possible that it was done to simulate conditions in a commercial brewery; the wort would be whirlpooled and then have a rest of typically around 30 minutes during which the hops and trub would settle to the bottom in a tight cone. While you wouldn't be doing a whirlpool like that unless you had some advanced gear, the 30 minute rest with hops would give a similar flavor/aroma effect in the finished product.

Not saying this IS why the instructions said that, but it is one possibility.
 
Were these clone recipes? It is possible that it was done to simulate conditions in a commercial brewery; the wort would be whirlpooled and then have a rest of typically around 30 minutes during which the hops and trub would settle to the bottom in a tight cone. While you wouldn't be doing a whirlpool like that unless you had some advanced gear, the 30 minute rest with hops would give a similar flavor/aroma effect in the finished product.

Not saying this IS why the instructions said that, but it is one possibility.

No they were just cookie cutter instructions that came with the beer kits that the LHBS created & sold.
 
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