Boil grainfather with lid on

[RNBEERGUY]

has anyone tried to boil in there grainfather with lid on ? Please let me know how it turned out and if it harms grainfather the boil is just really weak on my grainfather

 

[AnthonyTD]

I did once, when I came to remove the lid I hooked my finger through the hole in the top and lifted it like that giving myself a nasty burn on said finger (not the hot lid but more the hot steam coming out of it)

 

[FreddyBrewger]

I wouldn’t recommend it. Your boil is an opportunity to rid the wort of DMS and you’re not letting as much out of the Grainfather with the lid on. Boil is a boil—it’s sterilizing nonetheless and it is reducing the volume and increasing OG according to Grainfather’s built-in calculations.

 

[hopjuice_71]

I have probably done about 100 brews on my Grainfather, most with pilsner malt, all with less than a 1 hour boil, and all with the lid on or on and slightly cracked. No evidence of DMS. My opinion is DMS is a bit of boogeyman, but it could also be the orifice in the GF lid is plenty big to allow volatiles to escape. YMMV. Keeping the lid on/cracked certainly helps to get to boil faster and keep it a bit more vigorous.

Cheers

 

[AnthonyTD]

I think you need to ask yourself what you expect from a vigorous boil.
You won't get a higher temperature (boiling is boiling), but you will boil off water faster.

However I think with the lid on while you will be boiling off water faster, a good amount will condense on the lid and fall back into the pot probably negating the benifits of the vigorous boil anyway.

 

[Harry482]

I leave mine partially on with a 2 in opening. It’s the only way I can get a steady simmer with the crap 110v.