Question on hot break

I brewed my second batch this past friday. I used 1 gallon spring water and steeped my specialty grains. Then poured another gallon of spring water making it 2 gallons in a 4 gallon pot. I thought I would wait for the hot break to add another half gallon the recipe an AHS hefe calls for 2.5 gallon boil. Well I waited for about 15 minutes and no hot break. So I added the half gallong this time it was tap water because I read you want some hardness and minerals. Well I get the hot break within 5 - 10 minutes and had my first boil over which I was trying to avoid. My question is if using only spring water and using a grain / extract kit will it not produce any hot break? My next batch I am going to use 1 1/2 gallon spring water and half gallon tap water.

I used wyeast smart pack and did not make a starter but the bag swelled up and my lag time was about 12 hours. It is fermenting right now but it smells like farts is it suppose to smell like that? Also I did not get a vigorous fermentation which is known for a wheat beer no krausen in my airlock is it because I did not make a starter. I am fermenting at 64 degrees which is in a controlled fermentation cabinet. I will take a reading this weekend and see if it met my FG.

Thanks

I wouldn't worry too much about hot break from steeped grains, that's more of a partial mash or all grain byproduct. In an extract batch, there is little or no hot break. What you experienced was a simple boilover.

For your next batch, I'd recommend purchasing a [digital] thermometer and monitor your wort temperature. And, watch your boil more carefully.

By "farts", I assume you mean a sulfur smell. This is normal for some yeasts and will fade with time. Leave the beer in the primary (on the yeast cake) for at least 7 - 10 days to ensure the byproducts get fully converted.

lamarguy said:

I wouldn't worry too much about hot break from steeped grains, that's more of a partial mash or all grain byproduct. In an extract batch, there is little or no hot break. What you experienced was a simple boilover.

For your next batch, I'd recommend purchasing a [digital] thermometer and monitor your wort temperature. And, watch your boil more carefully.

By "farts", I assume you mean a sulfur smell. This is normal for some yeasts and will fade with time. Leave the beer in the primary (on the yeast cake) for at least 7 - 10 days to ensure the byproducts get fully converted.

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Why would I monitor my wort temps during a boil? Also what is the difference between a hot break boilover and simple boilover. Thanks

kryolla said:

Why would I monitor my wort temps during a boil?

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So you can tell exactly when the wort is about to boil. Also, you mentioned steeping grain for which a thermometer is good investment.

kryolla said:

Also what is the difference between a hot break boilover and simple boilover.

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Well, there is no difference. A boilover is just that - a boilover.

Like I said, don't worry about the hot break if you're using extract. Just do a better job of monitoring the temperature of the wort and/or get a bigger pot.

I do have a digital thermo for steeping the grains. I'm pretty sure I know what hot break looks like and I have experience it with this batch and my last, it might not be as much as AG or PM. What else will explain on why there is a sudden increase in foam then it subsides and the wort looks like egg drop soup. I guess I will answer my own question when I brew next week whether water chemistry has anything to do with hot break occuring. I've read people using gypsum on spring water or RO/DI water and the hardness of the water has something to do with hot break thus when I add my tap water which is really hard the hot break occurs. The only thing that I don't get is when I add hops I don't get an increase in foam that is why I always wait until the hot break is over to add any hops.