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HackInBlack

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OK, here's the deal. I need advice in the next 30 minutes as I am in the middle of a brew. I am doing an extract brew with 11 lbs. of malt. I started with 1.5 gallons of water in a 5-gallon brewpot.

I can't even get the wort to boil before the foam heads for the top and I have to shut the burner off.

What I don't need to hear is that my pot is too small - that's become very obvious - lesson learned. HOWEVER, I want to save this brew. I've been altering the heat on and off, but I don't leave the heat on for more than 30 seconds before the foam starts moving on up. How in the hell do I boil my way out of this mess? Any ideas? Or am I SOL? Thanks.
 
get a spray bottle filled with cold water, spritz the foam as it starts to rise. Also aim a fan to blow across the top of your kettle. Once you get past the initial hot break you should be able to maintain a low boil with no more foam creeping up.
 
Blowing on it will usually calm it down a bit. Some people use a spray bottle of water. Once it gets boiling it usually stops foaming up as much. Next time, get yourself some fermcap-s. Keeps the foam down.
 
Blowing on it will usually calm it down a bit. Some people use a spray bottle of water. Once it gets boiling it usually stops foaming up as much. Next time, get yourself some fermcap-s. Keeps the foam down.

I'll definitely grab some fermcaps before the next boil. Thanks.
 
Next time, add most of the extract at the END of the boil. Then you won't take up so much room in your pot!

Glad it's working out this time with the spray bottle.
 
Next time, add most of the extract at the END of the boil. Then you won't take up so much room in your pot!

Glad it's working out this time with the spray bottle.

OK - obviously I'm new at this, so how does one determine how much extract to add at each end of the boil? Also, I'm doing a continual hop addition, so does that matter? Thanks for any insight.
 
OK - obviously I'm new at this, so how does one determine how much extract to add at each end of the boil? Also, I'm doing a continual hop addition, so does that matter? Thanks for any insight.

Well, if you add only a pound or two, you'll have lots more room in your pot. I'm a fan of adding the bulk of the extract at the end, or at least half of the extract at the end if you don't want to do that. Really, a pound of extract in a gallon is more than sufficient. Your hopping doesn't affect adding the extract, continual or not.

One of the advantages of adding most of the extract at the end is that the wort won't darken as much and you'll have a lighter colored beer, and you don't risk scorching the wort as easily.
 
Well, if you add only a pound or two, you'll have lots more room in your pot. I'm a fan of adding the bulk of the extract at the end, or at least half of the extract at the end if you don't want to do that. Really, a pound of extract in a gallon is more than sufficient. Your hopping doesn't affect adding the extract, continual or not.

One of the advantages of adding most of the extract at the end is that the wort won't darken as much and you'll have a lighter colored beer, and you don't risk scorching the wort as easily.

So do I do a late extract addition the same as the initial - remove from heat, stir in, then bring back to a boil?
 
add most of it at the end, thats how I did it.

and try two or three pots. just guesstimate(?) into 1/2, or 1/3. at one time I had three pots going.

love it or hate it,the beer will will be good.
 
So do I do a late extract addition the same as the initial - remove from heat, stir in, then bring back to a boil?

Some people do. I hate stopping the boil, so I'm a fan of adding the extract at flame out. It's hot enough to sanitize the extract if you're worried about that, but not going to stop the boil with some time left and then bringing back up to a boil. That might screw up your hopping some.
 
Some people do. I hate stopping the boil, so I'm a fan of adding the extract at flame out. It's hot enough to sanitize the extract if you're worried about that, but not going to stop the boil with some time left and then bringing back up to a boil. That might screw up your hopping some.

Thanks.
 
If Sdechert's extract is producing a hot break, he shouldn't just do a late addition at flame out. Doesn't he need to boil all the extract to precipitate the hot break?

@Sdechert: What kind of extract are you using? Check the manufacture's website to see if it has any diastatic power. If so, you will need to do a hot break.
 
If Sdechert's extract is producing a hot break, he shouldn't just do a late addition at flame out. Doesn't he need to boil all the extract to precipitate the hot break?

@Sdechert: What kind of extract are you using? Check the manufacture's website to see if it has any diastatic power. If so, you will need to do a hot break.

No, I wouldn't think a hot break would be required. I've never seen or used diastatic extract, though.
 
Some people do. I hate stopping the boil, so I'm a fan of adding the extract at flame out. It's hot enough to sanitize the extract if you're worried about that, but not going to stop the boil with some time left and then bringing back up to a boil. That might screw up your hopping some.

OK, I just recalculated my next recipe in Beersmith using your advice. My total extract will be 8lbs and I divided it 4 at the beginning and 4 after flameout. Beersmith recalculated the IBUs as way higher with that setup, causing me to eliminate about half the hops in my original recipe to bring the IBUs within spec. Is this accurate or a Beersmith failing? Thanks for any continued knowledge/advice. :)
 
OK, I just recalculated my next recipe in Beersmith using your advice. My total extract will be 8lbs and I divided it 4 at the beginning and 4 after flameout. Beersmith recalculated the IBUs as way higher with that setup, causing me to eliminate about half the hops in my original recipe to bring the IBUs within spec. Is this accurate or a Beersmith failing? Thanks for any continued knowledge/advice. :)

Well, in my opinion it DOES change the hops utilization, but there is some new knowledge from greater minds than mine saying it's not as much as previously thought. I'd probably reduce the hops about 20% (bittering hops only- not the 15 minute or less hops), because that's worked best in my experience.
 
I've never seen or used diastatic extract, though.

I asked about it because it is an issue I have to deal with. The bulk extract that my LHBS sells by the pound is United Canadian Pale LME and it does need a hot break. I have had problems doing late additions with it because of the foaming hot break.
But you are right that most extract (eg. Briess) does not need a hot break. Sdechert could just mix some of his extract in a cup of water and boil it in the microwave to check.
 
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