Boil over

So I have been boiling 1/2 of my extracts for 60 min, and the other half added for last 5 min.

When the boil first starts, I lift the pot off of the burner, the foam subsides and I get a rolling boil. When I add the late additions, the boil stops. When it restarts, I have to remove the pot from the burner 5 or 6 times to avoid a boil over.

Why is that?

Protein break; basically the proteins in the wort reacting to the boil. Since you're adding more proteins with the late extract add, they're "breaking" again when the boil resumes.

NordeastBrewer is correct, although I'm just going to give you some advice. Buy some Fermcap. It will eliminate boilovers entirely and one bottle lasts forever. I think people who don't use Fermcap usually just use a spray bottle filled with water to spray the foam to keep it under control, although I have no first hand experience with using the bottle method. Either way it is probably easier than removing it from the heat.

Word. Fermcap-S is my hero each and every brew day.

Is your burner propane or electric?

Electric.

I don't mind.. I've never left the burner when this happens.. so no mess.

I just don't understand why the first hot break settles immediately after removing the pot from heat, while the 2nd one take 5 or 6 times.

Ster said:

Electric.

I don't mind.. I've never left the burner when this happens.. so no mess.

I just don't understand why the first hot break settles immediately after removing the pot from heat, while the 2nd one take 5 or 6 times.

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Are you adding hops around the first break? Hops can help break the surface tension and precipitate the break proteins. I haven't brewed an extract batch in a year or so, but I do remember there being another break when the kettle came back to boil after an extract add. Try and time a hop addition with your late add; like 15 mins extract, bring back to a boil and add 15 min hops. Should help with that break some. Another option is to do the late extract add at flameout; kill fire, add LME/DME and stir to mix in well, cover and let steep for a few mins to ensure the extract's pasteurized and chill. The latter is my preferred method for late LME adds, it eliminates the need to kill the boil in the boil.

I thought the hot break was desireable to precipitate unwanted proteins. I would think an addition @ flameout would not have this benefit.

Ster said:

I thought the hot break was desireable to precipitate unwanted proteins. I would think an addition @ flameout would not have this benefit.

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You are correct, it is. But.... when they make LME/DME, they boil the wort to concentrate it (and then spray dry it for DME) so the break has already happened. It breaks again when boiled, but nothing like a grain wort, and it's not necessary since the break happened once already during manufacture.

i can tell you from first hand experience that the easiest and cheapest way is to use a spray bottle with water. I just did a 5 gallon extract and had about 4 gallons in a 5 gal pot, many times it wanted to boil over but the spray bottle kept everything in the pot

My suggestion was going to be to feather the throttle on your heat, but with electric that's nearly impossible. It takes so long for the element to lose the heat.

A spray bottle and one of these has prevented any problems. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U5ZLEY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20