boil time and clarity

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Machiavelli

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Okay, I've just read in several places that a longer boil can help with clarity and is definately recommended for lighter beers (90 mins at least). Helps to boil off and separate protiens and such, I guess.

Now I'm a bit confused. I remember a thread not too long ago about how "late addtions" can help lessen the "sugary" effect when extract brewing. Basically, not cooking the malt as long.

That seems a bit contradictory to me?

I'm getting ready to cook up a PM Kolsch and wanted to take steps to keep it as light/clear as possible.

Should I do a long boil (90 mins)? I was origianlly going to do a late addtion on my extract, which is what I THOUGHT was supposed to help with that. But now, Ive been reading that I should boil longer for that kind of beer.

Thoughts?

Thanks
M
 
i dont have a scientific answer, but i do know that you will lose more volume with a longer boil. i have boiled all of my brews (except the barleywine) for 60 mins. you can adjust your style, mouthfeel, flavor, sweetness, etc. etc. in the recipe and go with a 60 min boil baseline. i do and it works and is consistent.
 
I don't think a longer boil helps with clarity- that's a new one to me. What it does do, though, is reduce your volume (if you have 7 gallons of wort to turn into 5, you might need a longer boil) and if you're using a malt like pilsner malt that may be a DMS producer, a longer boil can help boil off those compounds.

I don't know of any reason an extract brewer would consider such a long boil. You get plenty of bittering from the hops in 60 minutes, and there shouldn't be any reason to have to boil off a big volume.
 
what type of base malt are you using in the partial mash? if its pils you should think about doing a 90 min boil, just add the hops with 60 min to go and the rest of the extract with 15 or 20 min to go. the extract has already gone through a boil at the manufacturer so you don't need to boil that for any extended period of time again.
 
okay thanks

Yeah, grain is:
3lbs pils
2 lbs 2-row

3lbs extrapale DME

Out of curiosity, why does pils need to boil longer? What other grains benefit from longer boil times?

Thanks
M
 
The lighter your base malt, the more SMM, and other DMS precursors are present. Compounds like SMM are converted into DMS by heat, but DMS is carried off by a boil. It is reduced in half-lives. This is also a reason why it is important to rapidly chill after flameout.

A good rule is to do a 90min boil if pilsner is your base malt, or you are using pilsner malt extract. 60 min boil is good for domestic 2-row, and English pale ale malt (like marris otter) can even get away with a 40 min if you so desired.
 
You can still add the extract late, with only 10-15 minutes left in the boil. Make sure you still start your hopping at 60 minutes, so you can boil the runnings from the mash (with top up water to get to your boil size) for thirty minutes before starting the hops additions.
 
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