Poppa Hawk

So, I'm currently in the middle of my second brew. I'm loving brewing. But during a brew, I don't leave my brew pot unless I'm about to piss my pants lol. Does anyone else do this or am I crazy, also will this subside with time? Or is it a good habit to keep?

It is probably a good habit to keep, but most don't. I try to pop my head in to make sure the garage isn't on fire, but usually I have too much going on to be able to watch the kettle for an hour. I stick around until I get my protein break, and then try to show up for my hop additions.

I stay in the general vicinity during the boil so I can keep an eye on the process, take in the lovely hop and malt aromas and to keep an eye on the timer for the various additions to the boil...

A pretty good rule of thumb is to watch it like a hawk as it first comes to a boil (hot break) and during/after any hops additions. Depending on your stove and pot, you should be able to "set it and forget it" from there.

Or you can obsessively stare at the pot while it boils and use the power of your mind to force it into being beer.

Both methods work, but RDWHAHB will cause fewer headaches and get fewer strange looks from SWMBO.

It depends on how much you mind boilovers. When I boiled on my kitchen stove, boilovers sucked bad, almost ruining my stove. When I boiled outside, I didn't care as much.

I'm back brewing inside with my all-electric rig and I thought that a 5 gallon batch wouldn't boil over in a keggle. I was wrong.

Yooper said:

It depends on how much you mind boilovers. When I boiled on my kitchen stove, boilovers sucked bad, almost ruining my stove. When I boiled outside, I didn't care as much.

I'm back brewing inside with my all-electric rig and I thought that a 5 gallon batch wouldn't boil over in a keggle. I was wrong.

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I think you are just super talented. :cross:

The corollary to "a watched pot never boils" is an unattended pot always boils over. Other than that it is a good safety practice.

I usually put a movie on or something and drink a beer and glace at it through the window. I use fermcap-S because my boils are usually right to the brim of my little 7.5 gallon kettle, but still get boilovers, so it's worth it to keep an eye on the thing.

I'm just always thinking the worst, like what if the pot falls off the stove or something, who knows. But I'm thinking there is already enough I can screw up on my own, I don't need anything to help me there!!!