Proper tempeture for boiling

[THEUKRAINIAN]

Everyone,

My last batch of brew I made was boiled at a tempeture of 200-210 degrees. I had very little loss in wert from evaporation. I was wondering if there are issues with boiling at a low tempeture versus a higher tempeture?

 

[unionrdr]

It depends on how far above sea level your location is. The higher the level,the lower the boiling point by a couple degrees or so. Otherwise,you can regulate the strength of the boil. I crank my electric stove with aftermarket heating elements to "HI" to go from mash temp to boil in about 18 minutes. Get past hot break,& let it boil on HI for a couple minutes. Better hot break that way. then turn it down to 8.8 on the knob. This goes from a foamy bubbles jumping out of the surface boil to a even,far less violent boil that lowers boil off to about 1/2 gallon on average.

 

[Yooper]

Boiling is boiling- a boiling wort will never change temperature.

You want a nice rolling boil. The wort doesn't have to violently boil, but it should be boiling.

 

[unionrdr]

That's why I mentioned altitude. That's the only way it changes,& then not by much.

 

[kh54s10]

Agreed, Altitude is the only thing that will change boiling temperature in an open pot. The shape of the pot will have an effect on how much boil off you get though. A wide shallow pot will boil off more that a tall narrow one. It gives the wort more surface area and allows the steam out more easily.

 

[unionrdr]

I rather wish I'd concidered that when we bought the four nested SS stockpots on sale at Giant Eagle. It was a very good deal though. Still shiny & used everyday. I can use the burner knob to adjust the boil off a little anyway. But a 5G kettle that's a lil skinnier would've been a tad better boil off-wise.

 

[THEUKRAINIAN]

Thanks!

I have a 40 quart aluminum pot, if i remember correctly, the water was not a normal rolling boil, but a light one.

it is tuff to describe, but I wound up having a quart mason jar of wert left after i filled the carboy up to the gills.

 

[TyTanium]

Thanks!

I have a 40 quart aluminum pot, if i remember correctly, the water was not a normal rolling boil, but a light one.

it is tuff to describe, but I wound up having a quart mason jar of wert left after i filled the carboy up to the gills.

Do you have a blowoff tube?

 

[Channel66]

Boiling is boiling- a boiling wort will never change temperature.

You want a nice rolling boil. The wort doesn't have to violently boil, but it should be boiling.

I prefer a violent bill, I like to fear the wort stabbing me with a kitchen knife if I turn my back, makes brew day more exciting.

Definitely will want a blow off if you're filling your carboy to the top. That'll be interesting.

 

[BrewerinBR]

In Syracuse New York your at 380 feet above sea level so the boiling point of water is going to be 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Now the sugars in wort will require a higher temperature to boil as the density of the liquid is changed and depending on the SG it could be a significant amount higher (i.e. 5 F). So If your thermometer read anything different then it is off and you need to calibrate it or you did not reach a full boil (which can explain why you did not get much evaporation). Pot shape will impact the boil but if you never reached 212 plus then it did not boil, it got hot but it did not boil. So check your thermometer and validate it's accuracy. Then look at the heat source and determine if has sufficient BTU's to boil 40 quarts (assuming your doing 10 gallon batches) or 20 quarts if your doing 5 gallon batches.

 

[THEUKRAINIAN]

In Syracuse New York your at 380 feet above sea level so the boiling point of water is going to be 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Now the sugars in wort will require a higher temperature to boil as the density of the liquid is changed and depending on the SG it could be a significant amount higher (i.e. 5 F). So If your thermometer read anything different then it is off and you need to calibrate it or you did not reach a full boil (which can explain why you did not get much evaporation). Pot shape will impact the boil but if you never reached 212 plus then it did not boil, it got hot but it did not boil. So check your thermometer and validate it's accuracy. Then look at the heat source and determine if has sufficient BTU's to boil 40 quarts (assuming your doing 10 gallon batches) or 20 quarts if your doing 5 gallon batches.

it was definitely boiling, and i know it was around 212 on the floating thermometer, come to think about it. we will see how it turns out. it is in primary fermentation now.

I do remember the OG being 1.038 and the recipe called for 1.043. it's not too far off

 

[THEUKRAINIAN]

Do you have a blowoff tube?

oh yeah!

 

[invivoSaccharomyces]

I like to boil mine at the boiling point of water, but I know some people who prefer to boil at the condensation point of steam.

 

[THEUKRAINIAN]

I guess i had some concerns that day, I didnt want to burn the wert at the bottom of the pot, and didnt want a huge mess on the floor, so i kept it light.

what should i do different then? maybe aim for a higher boil temperature and take a pre / post boil SG?

 

[Channel66]

I guess i had some concerns that day, I didnt want to burn the wert at the bottom of the pot, and didnt want a huge mess on the floor, so i kept it light.

what should i do different then? maybe aim for a higher boil temperature and take a pre / post boil SG?

If you mix your ingredients in properly, you won't scorch the wort.

If you are adding extract just turn off the burner when you add it, stir it in fully, then crank the heat back up. A lot of us boil over huge propane boilers without scorching the wort.

 

[solbes]

You can't adjust the boiling temperature unless you move your brew rig to a different altitude. Boiling temp is only affected by altitude. Whether it is just starting to form large bubbles or bubbles are violently forming, the temperature will be the same.

You shouldn't be burning the bottom of your pot unless you have extract that wasn't fully stirred when added. Go for a medium, rolling boil. Post boil SG is best. Eventually you will adapt the water added in the beginning to get the right post boil volume. Note, you will lose less wort to evaporation druing the 60 minute boil in the summer months than in the winter due to the moisture in the air.

 

[THEUKRAINIAN]

You can't adjust the boiling temperature unless you move your brew rig to a different altitude. Boiling temp is only affected by altitude. Whether it is just starting to form large bubbles or bubbles are violently forming, the temperature will be the same.

You shouldn't be burning the bottom of your pot unless you have extract that wasn't fully stirred when added. Go for a medium, rolling boil. Post boil SG is best. Eventually you will adapt the water added in the beginning to get the right post boil volume. Note, you will lose less wort to evaporation druing the 60 minute boil in the summer months than in the winter due to the moisture in the air.

I dont ever venture off in to the extract brewing. I do all grain brewing.

 

[solbes]

I dont ever venture off in to the extract brewing. I do all grain brewing.

Even less chance of scorching your pot then. Boil away without fear or question.

BTW, if you ever have a brew that will take your wort to within an inch of the top of your kettle, try Fermcap-S to reduce boil overs. I've seen a huge RIS taken within a centimeter or so of the top that didn't boil over. Was a little scary though!