Can't reach rolling boil, is that bad?

I am boiling a wort right now and my stove to can't bring 2.5 gallons to a rolling boil. Right now the wort is boiling at 212 degree and thats as high as it will go. Will any negitive effects happen to my beer because of this?

You might not get as much hop utilization. Try reducing the volume a little.

I presume you are doing an extract brew.

If so I wouldn't worry.

Try a different pot with better contact to the heating element. ANY stove should be able to boil 2.5 gallons...

Unless you use a pressure cooker, 212 degrees is as high any boil will go regardless of the size of the burner.

If you can't get a rolling boil going, some of the holes in the burner are likely plugged. Try cleaning them with oven cleaner and some toothpicks or wire. A rolling boil is desirable for complete hop utilization but not getting one won't ruin the batch.

Tom

are you using a lid?

its hard for me to believe that with a lid you can't get 2.5gal to a good boil with ANY stove.

Don't use a lid. It's better to have a lesser boil than to boil with a lid on.

Had the same problem my 1st time. I kept waiting and waiting. Then finally just rolled and finished the recipe to spec and it didnt turn out too bad.

OK, if I understand the physics here, 212 is as high a temp as you can get at normal atmospheric pressure, right? To get higher temps, you need some way to increase the pressure, like a pressure cooker.

Until I get a burner and start some REAL boils, I start with the lid on the pot. I lift the lid regularly to let the DMS and other evil spirits out, and to check on the boil. Once I get a decent boil, the lid stays off.

Now that I have a 5 gallon pot, getting 4 gallons to boil in it takes FOREVER, even with the lid on. Our glass top stove sucks. I'm working on a heatstick, and that should help until I get my burner.

Just how important is a "rolling boil"? As long as you are at 212, you are boiling.

212 is the standard boiling point for water not wort.

The main reason for a rolling boil is to do with AG brewing.

To concentrate the wort.
coagulate proteins
drive of unwanted compounds.

All of those have already been done with extract.

Orfy said:

212 is the standard boiling point for water not wort.

The main reason for a rolling boil is to do with AG brewing.

To concentrate the wort.
coagulate proteins
drive of unwanted compounds.

All of those have already been done with extract.

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What is the boiling point of wort? Say 1.056 SG.

jkarp said:

Try a different pot with better contact to the heating element. ANY stove should be able to boil 2.5 gallons...

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Exactly what I was thinking. How do you cook a big pot of chili or stew if you can't 2.5 gallons to boil?

Figbash said:

Unless you use a pressure cooker, 212 degrees is as high any boil will go regardless of the size of the burner.

If you can't get a rolling boil going, some of the holes in the burner are likely plugged. Try cleaning them with oven cleaner and some toothpicks or wire. A rolling boil is desirable for complete hop utilization but not getting one won't ruin the batch.

Tom

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When I make candy my boil goes as high as 245. When I make sugar syrup my boil measures exactly 231.

Wort is pretty much water with tons of sugar added. The higher the concentration of sugar the higher the temp that you can achieve.

The vigor of the boil determines the degree of emulsification of the hop alpha oils. Much like the fat when making a veal stock. or When you are making a salad dressing of oil and vinegar. The more and harder you shake the better the emulsification.

Some people say it is simple physics how wort boils. I say it is not. I say it is, however, food chemistry 101,

I'm not sure what temperature wort boils at. I don't think I need to know.

I actually can't think of a single reason why you'd need to know the boiling point of wort.

Orfy said:

I'm not sure what temperature wort boils at. I don't think I need to know.

I actually can't think of a single reason why you'd need to know the boiling point of wort.

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Thank you for saying this.

Sheesh, this 212 = boiling discussion always devolves into a pedantic semantic useless debate of physics when in fact the vigor of the boil is the only issue.