Boil overs

[urg8rb8]

What do you do when you realize a boil over is about to happen?

 

[Dice_Boken]

Immediately remove the boil kettle from the source of heat.

 

[GPP33]

If it’s about to happen usually spritzing with cool water or stiring the foam will knock it down. If it’s already happened I kill the flame, clean up the mess, fire it back up and pick up where I left off. Then pay more attention for the remainder of the boil.

 

[seatazzz]

Fermcap does a great job of killing boilovers as well. I've found that adding a few drops right when boil starts will do the trick. I've tried using it when the hot break happens, but it's a crapshoot at that point. It's kind of a PITA to stand over the kettle waiting for the boil, but I'd rather do that than clean up nasty gunk from the outside of my keggle.

 

[Kent88]

I take off the lid, turn down the heat, and attack it with a spray bottle full of water.

 

[beermanpete]

Turn the heat down or off and stir it down.

 

[grampamark]

Buy a kettle with more headroom. Seriously.

I brew 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon BK. I haven't had a boilover since I started using the larger kettle, about 5 years ago, but I could if I didn't pay attention.

My typical pre-boil volume is 7 gallons and change. The only way to nearly eliminate the chance of boiling over is to use a BK of at least double the pre-boil volume.

 

[Pi Kapp Beer Guy]

+1 to the spray bottle of water. Additionally I kill the heat source if need be.

 

[Murphys_Law]

I always keep one spray bottle of star San and one of fresh water near by brew space (bottles are different colors and clearly labeled). If/when I get a boil over I’ll spray some fresh water and it always knocks it down.

 

[kh54s10]

Lower the heat or kill it entirely. Spray bottle. Careful watching and stay off HBT until the foam has subsided!! BTW it is very easy to boil over a 5 gallon batch in a 10 gallon pot!!

 

[Jako]

What do you do when you realize a boil over is about to happen?

this happens to me all the time. i just had a batch that spit all my hops out the beer taste like shi... you get the idea.

i am working on flame control the wind is crazy in my area.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Fermcap works like a champ