60-120 min boil of fermentable

[43North]

Ive brewed two Extract kits and as soon as I get all my Fermentables in the pot I go fro 6.5 gallons to 8 gallons. Both times boiled off 1-2 gallons before i add my hops.

Here’s my question, after steeping my grains, after adding my Fermentable's, (LME, Lactose, DME, Maltodextrin) is it okay to boil off the extra water for 60-120 minutes before my first addition of hops? As far as I can tell the only thing would happen is maybe a little more concentration of minerals because essentially I’m steaming off distilled water.

In the next couple weeks I’ll be able to try my first brew Dead underwent a two hour boil rather than one hour boil, but I won’t know if boiling off all that additional water resulted in a different taste.



Thanks

 

[grampamark]

OK, you’re gonna have to help us out here. What’s the purpose of adding water only to boil it off? That doesn’t compute.

Most extract brewers will heat the desired preboil volume to steeping temp, add the bag of steeping grains and leave the bag in for 20-30 minutes, then remove the bag and bring the liquid to a boil and add the hops at the appropriate times. The fermentables go in with 20 minutes or so left in the boil. If the available kettle isn’t large enough for a full volume boil, top up water will be added to reach the desired volume into the fermenter before pitching the yeast.

In all grain brewing the excess water which is boiled off is the result of the mashing and sparging processes. With extract, those steps have already been done for you. It sounds like you’re making unnecessary work for yourself.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

two Extract kits

Can you post the kit instructions?

is it okay to boil off the extra water for 60-120 minutes before my first addition of hops?

It's the only way to remove the extra water.

Before your next brew day, measure your boil off rate.

As far as I can tell the only thing would happen is maybe a little more concentration of minerals because essentially I’m steaming off distilled water.

For the recipe, any concentration would be measured based on the final volume - so there minerals wouldn't be more concentrated.

I won’t know if boiling off all that additional water resulted in a different taste.

Probably not a noticeable difference. Some people do long (4 hour) boils with barley wines to get additional desirable flavors.

Summary:

• Please post one of the kit reicpes
• Measure your boil off rate before the next batch.

 

[Kickass]

Calculate volume of liquid and dry fermentables with the assumptions below and add less water.


1LB LME=10.6 oz vol
1LB DME=9.4 oz vol

 

[43North]

Can you post the kit instructions?


It's the only way to remove the extra water.

Before your next brew day, measure your boil off rate.


For the recipe, any concentration would be measured based on the final volume - so there minerals wouldn't be more concentrated.


Probably not a noticeable difference. Some people do long (4 hour) boils with barley wines to get additional desirable flavors.

Summary:

• Please post one of the kit reicpes
• Measure your boil off rate before the next batch.

Here is my Recipe
Keep in mind, this was my second ever brew and I have no personal mentors other than this site. My nearest brick and mortar home brewing supply store is a 9 hour round trip!!

 

[IslandLizard]

Keep in mind, this was my second ever brew and I have no personal mentors other than this site.

One of the best homebrew mentors you can get: John Palmer - How to Brew 4th Ed.

 

[grampamark]

Here is my Recipe
Keep in mind, this was my second ever brew and I have no personal mentors other than this site. My nearest brick and mortar home brewing supply store is a 9 hour round trip!!

I think I see your problem. The kit instructions tell you, under the “Prepare for Brewing” heading, that the total water needed is 6.28 gallons. That‘s the total water needed for the entire process. You apparently interpreted that to mean that you should start out with 6+ gallons. If that’s the case, don’t feel bad. Kit instructions are notoriously bad at being clear and concise, especially for newbies who are on their own.

The proper sequence of water additions would have been, 2 gallons and change for steeping, then the volume of the fermentables, plus just short of a gallon, for the boil, plus whatever was needed to top up the volume into the fermenter to 5 gallons.

It’s a process. Familiarity will make it easier to understand, and as you get comfortable with your own system you will be able to customize the process to fit. Keep brewing, keep asking questions, and don’t get discouraged.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Here is my Recipe
Keep in mind, this was my second ever brew and I have no personal mentors other than this site.

Thanks.

Looks like @grampamark may have answered your question on water volumes.

If you have more questions, let him know.