Can a long boil increase astringency?

I've been AG for a year or so and it is going well. I have my process dialed in and get consistent efficiently @ 75%.

I recently did a batch of my house Standard Bitter. Ive used this recipe to dial in my process and have made maybe 5 time. All the numbers were on target, including mash Ph. As i was firing up the boiler i got distracted and ended up adding the gal of top-up water twice. No problem, says I, just boil for 120 minutes.

The beer has a different character which I really like, except for a bit of astringency. Assuming that everything else is equal would an extended boil cause or enhance astringency? Any suggestions to correct for this? The extra gal of water in the pot and the extra hour to boil it off were the only deviation from normal process.

Steve

If there were a decent amount of darker specialty grains in the mash that long, coupled with a higher Ph and sparging water above 170 then yes, this could be the cause of the astringency

That's the thing.. I checked my Ph and it was right were it always is with this recipe, right at 5.3 and I do a BIAB one pot mash. The grain bill is Crisp MO and .75 pounds British L 60 Crystal.. The only process variable was the 2 hr boil.

I wouldn't worry and be careful not to add that extra gal of water which required the long boil, but I like most of the flavor I got from the long boil. I'm just wondering if I can do a long boil but not get the astringency.

Steve

scook13339 said:

That's the thing.. I checked my Ph and it was right were it always is with this recipe, right at 5.3 and I do a BIAB one pot mash. The grain bill is Crisp MO and .75 pounds British L 60 Crystal.. The only process variable was the 2 hr boil.

I wouldn't worry and be careful not to add that extra gal of water which required the long boil, but I like most of the flavor I got from the long boil. I'm just wondering if I can do a long boil but not get the astringency.

Steve

Click to expand...

Not sure what caused it, maybe someone else can chime in, sorry.

How did you do your hop additions?

East Kent Goldings pellets

1oz -25 ibu at 60 minutes
.5 oz - - 5 ibu 30 min
.5 oz - 0 mins


Thanks

Steve

There is no reason boiling longer should cause astringency. It never has for me and I've done boils as long as 4 1/2 hours.

I think extended boils can increase Maillard reactions to a degree whic MIGHT effect the flavor profile but wouldn't cause astringency.

do you know if it was scorching at all towards the burners?

Also do you whirlpool or otherwise separate the trub after the boil? boiling longer can get a few more of those proteins and tannins to coagulate and fall out, maybe you just had more than you're used to.

That is possible and perhaps the simplest answer. But I've never had a scorching issue before.


Another factor might be a higher than normal mineral level in the finished beer. The extra gal of water would have left a bit more ions behind . I adjust my water to the sulfate Sid for this brew so it might have gone too far.

As I said in the op, the beer is plenty drinkable, just a little off. Maybe I'll tri a long boil again, watch closely for scourging and adjust my water a bit.

Thanks...

If your wort was not filtered very well and there is considerable amount of husk fibers etc. then yes definitely you can get strong astringency from a long boil.

This was a BIAB brew, so it was not well filtered. Just the nature of the process.

scook13339 said:

This was a BIAB brew, so it was not well filtered. Just the nature of the process.

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But the question was about length of boil. If you have too much husk material it could make a difference, but that wouldn't be affected by the length of the boil.

crysond said:

Also do you whirlpool or otherwise separate the trub after the boil? boiling longer can get a few more of those proteins and tannins to coagulate and fall out, maybe you just had more than you're used to.

Click to expand...

I forgot to respond to the trub issue. It is the nature of BIAB to have more drop then using a MLT. It least that has been my experience. I do whirlpool and and use a shorter pickup in the kettle, similar amount of trub gets in the fermenter.