Boiling Questions

Hi everybody. First I'd just like to say think you to everyone who helps out the newbs here, I'm sure it's the only reason I've managed to do this with any success so far. I've done 2 beers with a buddy of mine, we are both new to this, but having a lot of fun.

The first batch was a John Bull Pale Ale, was ok, but kinda boring. So for the next batch, we found a recipe for some Maple Sugar Brown Ale, steeped some grains, boiled hops, used real maple sugar, and WOW what a difference.

My question is actually about the part that should be the easiest I suppose. I brew in a 2 bedroom apartment, so the space is limited. I have an electric stove and use a pot big enough to boil 2 gallons at a time. My problem is that I'm not sure if I am boiling correctly.

I put 2 gallons in my pot, turn on the stove and when it hits boiling, I've added my LME. But at that point, it does not come to a pronounced boil again. I can see some bubbles coming up and I can hear that it is boiling, but there is no foam on the top. Is this the type of boil I want? Last time I tried cranking up the heat a bit more, but it did not seem to do much and I was afraid I might scorch it.

Recently I read about adding the LME for just the last 15 minutes of the boil, but I've also read that you should start timing the 1 hour boil from after the hot break. So if I do not add the LME until the last 15 minutes, do I have to worry about the hot break?

I guess basically I'm just confused about how much of a boil things need to hit and how I should expect the wort to behave as I move into more complicated brews. Thanks in advance for any insight.

LME are "pre-cooked", so when you add it isn't so critical, although it will make some difference. Just take it off the heat and stir until it is all in solution. Some LME's you won't get a hot break at all. What needs a rolling boil is the bittering hops.

I suspect extract makers skim off the hot break mix it with the spent grain and sell it as cattle feed.
Protein is good.

The late extract addition method is a great way to make better extract beers. You must add some of the extract at the beginning of the boil along with the grain tea from the steep, because otherwise you will be boiling your bittering hops in just plain water which would adversely effect your hop utilization.

As stated by david 42, some LME will not give you any noticeable hot break and the rolling boil is necessary for the hops. Here is what I would do if I could only do partial boils. Steep your grains in about 2 qts of water per pound at 150˚F for 30 minutes. Remove the grain bag and bring your volume up to about the two gallons you have been using. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add about 1/3 of your LME, stir thoroughly to make sure that all the LME has been dissolved. It's best to have had your container of LME sitting in a pan of hot water to make it easier to pour. Return to the heat and bring back to a boil. Add your bittering hops and set the timer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove from the heat again, add the rest of the LME and stir thoroughly to dissolve. Return to heat and bring back to a boil. Add your flavoring hops (depending on your hop schedule) and Irish moss, set timer for 15 minutes. With about 5 minutes left in the boil add your aroma hops. At flame out, move the kettle to an ice bath in the sink (or if you have an immersion chiller put that in the boil kettle when you added the last of the LME with 15 minutes left in the boil). Cool the wort to below 110˚F and pour into your fermenter that already contains 3 gallons of previously refrigerated water. Top off with more refrigerated water to end up with about 5 1/4 gallons in your fermenter. Take a gravity reading with your hydrometer, if you have one, and make a note of it.

At this point you should make sure that you wort temp is at or below 75˚F with a sanitized thermometer. If using dry yeast, just pitch away. If you are using liquid yeast, you would benefit from making a yeast starter, but that is another story in and of itself.

John

Think about going someplace like Kohl's or Target (assuming you are in the US) and finding a four gallon pot. I found a nice stainless steel one for about $16. The difference between a four gallon one and a two gallon one is night and day. Boil-over worries disappear. Plus they are great for corn on the cob or (if you are wealthy or live in New England) lobsters.

If you're gonna get a big pot then why not get the propane burner to go with it. They whole turkey fryer setup can be had for 30 - 40 dollars at most.

If you're not getting a good rolling boil on the stove then I'd say you need to step up to a better stove or a turkey fryer. While I am not an extract brewer and so I am no expert in that department I don't see why adding the malt extract late in the boil could possibly be beneficial. It's not like hops where you're boiling off aromatic compounds. If anything you're boiling off unwanted compounds like DMS (though the extracting process may well remove it anyhow).

The liquid malt extract will not scorch no matter how high the heat and most brewers around here would suggest a good rolling boil to ensure the proper removal of undesirable compounds and a good hop utilzation. Just be sure to remove the pot from heat when you add the liquid malt extract.. stir it in real good so there's non sitting on the bottom and then return the pot to the burner. The only possible way you could scorch your brew is by leaving an undissolved blob of extract sitting on the botttom of the pot.

Yeah, you need that rolling boil. What kind of stove top is it? Electric? Are there any Large burners on it? Have you tried half covering it with the lid? Be careful of boil overs if you do.

Do you have a balcony? If so move up to a turkey frier setup. You can buy one at walmart with a 32 qt pot for cheap.

As I just noted in another post, I just bought a 28 quarter electric turkey fryer for $69 at Home Depot. Much better choice, I think, for an apartment-dweller, since you absolutely CANNOT use a propane burner inside (unless you don't mind killing yourself and SWMBO of CO poisoning). If this works as well as I think and hope it will, not only will I no longer have the same problem you do (trying to keep a rolling boil), but I'll be able to do full boils and - GASP - sometime soon try all-grain.

Ah yes, electric is a good idea. Why not build a heatstick using the element from a water heater. There's some good info about it here on the forums.. do a search if you like. Seems like a fairly cheap and easy upgrade to your brew gear.

the_bird said:

As I just noted in another post, I just bought a 28 quarter electric turkey fryer for $69 at Home Depot.

Click to expand...

Do you have a model number/brand? I searched on Home depots website and can't find any electric turkey fryers.

Thanks

EDIT: Just found this at QVC. What do you think??

I *think* thats the same thing. It's a Charmglow, but I heard they are made by the same company (and it looks pretty much identical). Home Depot was having a manager's special (that technically ended four days ago but they left up the sign), so I'm not sure if it's available at that price elsewhere. Regular price is $99. I think, though, that I saw one on eBay that had only received a couple of bids, so you might look into that route as well.

Cool.. thanks for the info

http://cgi.ebay.com/CHARMGLOW-ELECTRIC-TURKEY-FRYER-28-QUART_W0QQitemZ150016404104QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Charmglow-Elect...ryZ20674QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem