Lid on Kettle?

Novice Question:

In all my reading and forum searching - I can't find any directions on whether or not to use the kettle lid for any of the boil - should I ?

You can use it at the beginning to get the heat up, but not afterwards. Even then, it's risky because it can induce a boilover in a split second. I use my kettle lid on partially until I know I'm getting close to boiling, then I remove it.

Once you are boiling you really don't want the lid on as one of the processes of boiling is to boil off undesirable compounds. Keeping the lid on impedes this process.

Thanks for the response. I have one more question: Should I use my wort chiller in the kettle after the boil is done, or should I put in it my fermenter and then move the wort into the fermenter for chilling?

You should definitely put it in the kettle, and you should put it in 10-15 minutes before the boil is done in order to effectively sanitize it. It should be clean of dirt and other particulates before you put it in the kettle.

Why in the kettle?
1) To achieve good cold break and leave that sediment in the kettle, not in your fermenter where it could contribute off-flavors.
2) Pouring boiling hot wort in to your fermenter will:
a) melt it if it's plastic or
b) crack it if it's glass.

I made my first brew last night - an IPA. I put the chiller in AFTER the boil, but I had sanatized it with dilluted bleach and then rinsed with hot water. Should be ok, right? I'm starting a second brew today - an ESB.

Should be fine...just easier to let the boiling wort sanitize it.

burnsie said:

Thanks for the response. I have one more question: Should I use my wort chiller in the kettle after the boil is done, or should I put in it my fermenter and then move the wort into the fermenter for chilling?

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Chill in the kettle (and THIS is the time to use the lid, to block the nasties from getting in). If your boil is less than 5 gallons, a little simple algebra can tell you what temp to bring your wort down to in order for the total temp in the fermenter (after adding your wort and whatever amount of water you add) to be around 75 for pitching.

pctWort*wort_temp + pctWater*water_temp = target temp in fermenter


(example: 3 gallons wort in kettle, top-off water is at 50 degrees:

(.6 * x) + (.4 * 50) = 75

Solve for x -- x = 91.67 degrees

I always chill to no more than 90 (you can adjust the temp of the top-off water) to avoid hot wort aeration when siphoning to the fermenter.

If you have a lot of trub in your kettle, you can chill to about 5 degrees above your target temp, pull the chiller out, and give it a good whirlpool swirl with a well-sanitized spoon, put the lid on, and let it set for 20 minutes or so before siphoning. The trub will settle in the middle & you can siphon from the edge.

If your chiller is stainless or copper dont put it in bleach solutions. sanitise with idophor.

AHammer16 said:

If your chiller is stainless or copper dont put it in bleach solutions. sanitise with idophor.

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(love the Laura Palmer pic, btw)

I just drop it in the kettle for the last 15-20 minutes of the boil. The boil sanitizes it.

It's also cool how any moisture left in the coils of the chiller gets almost immediately expelled by the heat.

cweston said:

It's also cool how any moisture left in the coils of the chiller gets almost immediately expelled by the heat.

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What's not cool is the way it can burn sandalled feet! Or at least that's what a friend told me...

BeeGee said:

What's not cool is the way it can burn sandalled feet! Or at least that's what a friend told me...

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Yeah--the first time I discovered this, it went onto the back of my hand. Not quite hot enough for a legit burn, but it didn't feel too good, either.

Another good reason not to keep your kettle covered, besides the ones listed is to prevent the buildup of DMS. It'll make your beer taste like cooked corn.

Sam75 said:

buildup of DMS. .

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Isn't he a rapper?

AHammer16 said:

Isn't he a rapper?

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Yeah.. and you don't want him anywhere near your beer!