Oops, I added hops before hot break

I'm brewing my first batch if beer, a malt extract pale ale. When the water came to a boil, I threw in the hops, then the malts. I've been waiting for the hot break/foam, and realized, I added the hops too early, or at least I think so. Do I need to do anything to compensate or fix it?

Your beer will just have higher bitterness, since the hops were in the boil for a little longer time. Your beer will still be fine, so I wouldn't worry about it.

the first addition should boil for 60 mins anyway on a pale, no?

the last addition you dont wanna miss tho, might miss out on some hoppy goodness!

Thanks. I don't mind bitter beer, actually that's what I prefer. Should I boil it a little longer than an hour?

There's really not going to be much of a noticeable difference, don't worry about that. You get more infusion of hops during the actual boiling....and with pale ales, there's usually a hop schedule that you have to adhere to...add in a certain amount of hops right at the start of boiling, and continue to step in some more hops up to 2 or 1 minute until end of boil.

What? I'm suppose to wait until the hot break??? this is knew to me

Grinder12000 said:

What? I'm suppose to wait until the hot break??? this is knew to me

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that make me feel a little better. I guess my concern is that there wasn't a foamy hot break. It just came back to a slow boil, and continued as a slow boil. I boiled it for about 80 minutes...

A lot of recipes have you boil for 55 min then add the finishing hops for the last 5 min. You should be fine. Just don't take your eyes off it because that's when it will erupt.

I added the finishing hops and boiled for another 5 minutes, not even close to an eruption.. It's chilling now, so we'll see what happens in a few weeks. Thanks for the quick help.

mev said:

that make me feel a little better. I guess my concern is that there wasn't a foamy hot break. It just came back to a slow boil, and continued as a slow boil. I boiled it for about 80 minutes...

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When I was brewing extracts, I also didn't get much of a foamy hotbreak....I think that's more of a phenomenon for all grain. Really, if the main thing you were concerned about during your first brew was whether you added hops too early: you're going to have some mighty fine beer....in fact, excellent for a first beer!!

mev said:

I added the finishing hops and boiled for another 5 minutes, not even close to an eruption.. It's chilling now, so we'll see what happens in a few weeks. Thanks for the quick help.

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Sounds good so far My first batch boiled over. I was watching it and it was then all of a sudden it bubbled over like the blob. Still turned out good though.

I didn't wait on my first few brews, as soon as bubbles started breaking the surface I'd throw in my hops. Now I wait for 5 minutes or so after boil starts, and I can't tell any difference. On an extract brew I think it's probably inconsequential, as there is not a big hot break anyway.

OK, you did your first brew and your first "First wort hopping" A boil of hops over 60 minutes just adds a few IBU's to the bitterness. Don't worry about it.

Hot Break? Foam? I think I need a hotter stove. I may actually get a beer to foam up once every 15 brews. Can't wait til it warms up and I can start using my new outdoor turkey fryer.

I've only done 4 brews so far, but every time i drop the hops, the fight is on to keep the foam down. I pretty much feather the propane regulator and blow, and have to do this for around 10 minutes until it calms down. I thought that was normal.

verotik said:

I've only done 4 brews so far, but every time i drop the hops, the fight is on to keep the foam down. I pretty much feather the propane regulator and blow, and have to do this for around 10 minutes until it calms down. I thought that was normal.

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If you're consistently having issues with that, you can always get some fermcap to add to the boil. It'll prevent the boil from over-foaming. The other option is to use a spray bottle of star-san to break the surface tension.

The only reason to wait for the hot break is because adding hops tends to make it foam up even more thus increasing the danger of a boil over.

If you add your 60 minute hops once it starts boiling, just start your timer then. Won't make a difference.

Hop oils actually aid in forming a good hot break, early hopping can help you from having a boil over

The concern wouldn't really be with hops... after 60 minutes you don't get much more bitterness out of most hops...

If anything, by not boiling your malt extract long enough you may get some DMS flavors, but not if you boiled for 80 minutes... I think you are going to brew a good beer...

noblesquirrel said:

If you're consistently having issues with that, you can always get some fermcap to add to the boil. It'll prevent the boil from over-foaming. The other option is to use a spray bottle of star-san to break the surface tension.

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+1 on the spray bottle. Just keep it close and you shouldn't have any problems. Works like a charm