slogger
Well-Known Member
Is it ok to leave the lid on when bringing to a boil?
I ask because I'm boiling on an electric stovetop and it's painfully slow.
I ask because I'm boiling on an electric stovetop and it's painfully slow.
unionrdr said:They say you should never do that,as it prevents some nasty,off flavor causing compounds to stay in the water. It should be allowed to steam/boil off to be rid of it. I let it do this on my electric stove till about .5G steams away. Then put a lid on ,leaving it cracked open a bit to get it to boiling. & I've got the thing cranked wide open.
They say you should never do that,as it prevents some nasty,off flavor causing compounds to stay in the water. It should be allowed to steam/boil off to be rid of it..
i have heard this many many times, yet, it doesn't make any sense. you can take the foulest, most disgusting water, (really, take a poop in it) then boil it and harvest the steam; you end up with delicious, perfectly clean water. i have done this more times than i care to remember while backpacking.
the thing is, the only thing that leaves the water in steam, is pure water. what are people thinking is inside that steam? best as i can tell, this is some relic from distilling where you let the first (toxic) flow and the last flow go. that's real by the way.
i usually leave my lid cracked during the boil only so i can monitor the boil better so all the hops don't end up stuck to the lid and on the side of the kettle above the wort. i use much less propane this way and evaporate less water as well.
all i ask is for someone to please explain what is in the steam? and possibly a source for that info, other than just an author of a homebrewing book saying it is so.
Yooper said:It's not DMS that is boiling off, actually. It's the DMS precursors, notably SMM.
i do apologize for slightly hijacking the thread, this is just something i have not understood for awhile.
That's a tad inaccurate
It is most certainly the DMS boiling off. The SMM converts to DMS during the boil, but at no point is there SMM boiling away - it remains a solid in solution the entire time until it is converted to DMS, because its melting point is significantly above 212° (let alone its boiling point!), while the DMS does in fact boil off because (as previously pointed out by someone) the boiling point of DMS is 99°.
thanks yooper, for providing more info, although you are one of the few i would just trust. anyway, can you describe the vegetal flavors more? i have heard some hops described as vegetal as well (mainly english hops).
admittedly, my palate is crap. i mainly drink hoppy beers, big bold dry reds, and eat spicy, garlicky, etc... type things because i just can't taste much. a botanist with lots of plant allergies doesn't bode well for the tongue!
i do apologize for slightly hijacking the thread, this is just something i have not understood for awhile.
flabyboy said:A friend of mine who brews for New Belgium says that DMS is not as much of an issue these days because many of the malts have been modified over the years making it a none issue. The topic came up when I questioned him on whter they do extended boils with pilsner malts
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