Don't do a 30 min boil

[Limbrizik]

So I brewed a light blonde ale a few weeks ago with an og of 1.040. I decided to do a 30 min boil. I have done this in the past with no ill effects but this time around I have a distinct DMS character in my beer. Part of the reason I believe this happened was because I had to carry my near boiling wort down into my basement from the garage which added maybe 10 or 15 min to my normal chilling routine. Typically I kill the boil with my chiller ready to go but since winter I have had to go inside for running water.

I just want to give my words of warning for brewers out there trying to minimize brewing time. Don't sacrifice boil length, not worth it. I have been trying to scrub the DMS out by pushing CO2 up from the bottom of my keg and that seems to help. An extra 30 minutes on brew day would have corrected this. I will never again boil for only 30 minutes!

 

[odie]

Ok...I'll ask a dumb question that has been in my mind a while....why an hour boil? What exactly is happening that takes and hour? Cooking food takes time...beer??? Once wort boils it's sterilized...all the fermentables are extracted in the mash...is it just to extraxt hops stuff at certain time points? I've always boiled an hour cause thats what was always what the instructions said...

 

[EDF713]

Ok...I'll ask a dumb question that has been in my mind a while....why an hour boil? What exactly is happening that takes and hour? Cooking food takes time...beer??? Once wort boils it's sterilized...all the fermentables are extracted in the mash...is it just to extraxt hops stuff at certain time points? I've always boiled an hour cause thats what was always what the instructions said...

Boiling longer will drive off more DMS, especially if you're using pilsner or less modified malts.

 

[Limbrizik]

My experience above is what happens when you don't.

 

[odie]

DMS? Stupid question I'm sure

 

[dstockwell]

Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) is a sulfur compound produced during fermentation of beer that has the aroma of cooked or creamed corn.

 

[Ryfi]

I usually boil blondes for 90 mins. Drives of DMS and makes them more tender...

 

[stratslinger]

Ok...I'll ask a dumb question that has been in my mind a while....why an hour boil? What exactly is happening that takes and hour? Cooking food takes time...beer??? Once wort boils it's sterilized...all the fermentables are extracted in the mash...is it just to extraxt hops stuff at certain time points? I've always boiled an hour cause thats what was always what the instructions said...

There's two things going on in the boil, above and beyond any question of sanitization/sterlilzation:

1) DMS precursors are being boiled off
2) Hops are being isomerized. That's why they get added at different parts of the boil. Boil them for 20 minutes or less, you get a lot more flavor/aroma and a lot less bitterness. Boil them closer to 60 minutes, and you get little to no flavor/aroma from them and a lot more bitterness. This is the biggest reason for a 60 minute boil, as most hops are fully isomerized in that amount of time.

 

[Challenger440]

Limbrizik, for the sake of discussion, could you share your grain bill for this beer? A lot of folks would say that DMS is not something you need to worry about with today's highly modified malts unless you are using Pilsner malt.

 

[odie]

Interesting...I'm looking into distilling...seems the mash is only heated extrzct the fermentables...no boiling after mashing...just cool and ferment with yeast...then heat to distill the good stuff out of the fermented "wort"...well from what I've read.

 

[elbinwyp]

Obligatory link to brulosophy exbeeriment link....

http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/08/update-lab-data-on-pils-malt-boil-length-exbeeriment/

 

[brewcat]

Why not install a frost proof spigot?

 

[Limbrizik]

Limbrizik, for the sake of discussion, could you share your grain bill for this beer? A lot of folks would say that DMS is not something you need to worry about with today's highly modified malts unless you are using Pilsner malt.

10 gallon batch
14lb 2 row
1 lb vienna
1 lb c10
1.25 lb carapils

It is Biermunchers Centennial Blonde Recipe

I should also note that I used denny's favorite yeast in 5 gallons of it which turned into the dms beer and I used a kolsch yeast in the other 5 which fermented noticeably more vigorously with no DMS flavor.

 

[Limbrizik]

Why not install a frost proof spigot?

This is a fantastic idea. I haven't heard of one of those before.

 

[MilwaukeeBrewGuy]

I was just forced into a 30 minuted boil because i double charged my "60" minute hop addition with CTZ when brewing up the wry smile rye ipa and realized it after i did it. I don't forsee any DMS poking though but we will see i guess!

 

[Limbrizik]

I have done 30 minute boils successfully in the past so you may be just fine. I am just planning on not risking it anymore. Too much beer at stake!

 

[Challenger440]

I've read that Denny's Favorite 50 yeast can take awhile to flocculate. You might be tasting the yeast. It is suspicious that you don't perceive the off flavor in the portion fermented with the kolsch yeast.

 

[catdaddy66]

There's two things going on in the boil, above and beyond any question of sanitization/sterlilzation:

1) DMS precursors are being boiled off
2) Hops are being isomerized. That's why they get added at different parts of the boil. Boil them for 20 minutes or less, you get a lot more flavor/aroma and a lot less bitterness. Boil them closer to 60 minutes, and you get little to no flavor/aroma from them and a lot more bitterness. This is the biggest reason for a 60 minute boil, as most hops are fully isomerized in that amount of time.

Another reason is to adjust your final volume which is important for OG, color and a few other things indirectly.

 

[passedpawn]

So I brewed a light blonde ale a few weeks ago with an og of 1.040. I decided to do a 30 min boil. I have done this in the past with no ill effects but this time around I have a distinct DMS character in my beer. Part of the reason I believe this happened was because I had to carry my near boiling wort down into my basement from the garage which added maybe 10 or 15 min to my normal chilling routine. Typically I kill the boil with my chiller ready to go but since winter I have had to go inside for running water.

I just want to give my words of warning for brewers out there trying to minimize brewing time. Don't sacrifice boil length, not worth it. I have been trying to scrub the DMS out by pushing CO2 up from the bottom of my keg and that seems to help. An extra 30 minutes on brew day would have corrected this. I will never again boil for only 30 minutes!

I just posted on this today! I'll quote it here, but you can click on the little arrow thingy to go that convo.

"And you will know my name is DMS when I lay my vengeance upon thee." - Pliny 1:070​

DMS is a real thing, and you'll know it is real when you have a beer that tastes and smells just like creamed corn. Years ago, a buddy of mine made a all-grain (pilsner) Schwarzbier. It was so awful with creamed corn flavor he had to dump it. I could not drink it. He swore he did not leave the lid on, so I can't say that's where the flavor came from. He did say he never had a strong boil.

Anyway, in many years of making and sampling and judging homebrews, I've never had another one like that. I suspect that he got the wort hot enough to create a ton of DMS, but not enough steam evolved to remove the DMS from the pot. So that's one data point for you all. BTW, that XBeeriment up there said that indeed he had a ton of boil off - in fact, the "lid on" boiled off the same amount as the lid off.

So, I'd say given all of that, just make sure you have a good boil, and maybe the lid isn't the hobgoblin we previously thought it was.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Why not install a frost proof spigot?

Because everyone forgets and leaves the hose full of water attached... and then the water in the hose freezes and cracks the spigot. I've done it twice. Of course, I'm an idiot. Lol!

 

[bobeer]

I do a 30 minute pale ale and it's totally fine. I do use 2 row instead of pils malt though which might have something to do with it. Not sure what your grist was though or what brand grains you were using. I've found that not all brands are created equal...