Boiling for 60mins??

[HomeDrewBrew]

Hi just looking for feedback on a topic i was thinking about.
I was wondering for smaller biab
recipes (smash) 2.5-3 gallon batches do i have to boil for 60mins everytime? Can i do 30? what does 60 min boil contribute more than 30min besides flavour.
Thanks.

 

[noobie]

Interesting question. Looking forward to more answers, but I would say that, yes, you can boil it for less time. The boil sanitizes the wort and a smaller batch will sanitize quicker than a large one.

 

[sfgoat]

Honestly unless you are using pilsner malt the boil time mostly just effects how the hops play their part in the beer. The longer the boil the more bitter the hops. Would help to see the recipe you are planning to brew but likely if it is a kit it will include some bittering hop that needs to be boiled for 60 minutes to acheive the desired IBU (bitterness).

 

[chickypad]

The two main things to consider are DMS (unless using extract) and hop utilization as mentioned. It really has nothing to do with the size of the batch.

 

[Ski12568]

If you care to read some more:

http://www.morebeer.com/articles/how_to_boil_wort

 

[brewkinger]

The two main things to consider are DMS (unless using extract) and hop utilization as mentioned. It really has nothing to do with the size of the batch.

And that pretty much hits the nail on the head.

I suppose if DMS was not a concern and you adjusted your hop additions to offset any loss in utilization, it could be done.

For me, the brew day is not about rushing. Don't get me wrong, I am all for shortening it here and there, but the boil is 60 or 90 min for me with no exceptions.

 

[HomeDrewBrew]

Thanks for the article on DMS!!
I learned alot from it.
Maybe ill keep playing it safe with 60Min boils and top up if needed.
Thanks

 

[mliptack]

A few good articles to read that pertain to this topic:

Achieving hop bitterness in 15min:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/bittering-hops-in-15-minutes.html

Extending the boil (always boiling for 90min):
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/extend-the-boil.html

I haven't tried the first, but its something that has come up in thought recently. What happens if you were to boil under pressure? You could reach 250deg F in a standard pressure cooker, would hop character/wort character change? It would be impossible to do any additions other than pre-boil and post boil. Either way - this is all off topic.

The second article falls in like with Brewkinger's comment, and its actually a practice I have already started about a year ago. In an effort for consistency, always boil for 90min. Don't rush your boil - its a great time to get other things done. Set a timer and go clean equipment, organize your garage, play with the kids/dog. Plus you will better understand your boil-off rate and you won't have to adjust your volumes from brew day to brew day.

 

[Hello]

Thanks for the article on DMS!!
I learned alot from it.
Maybe ill keep playing it safe with 60Min boils and top up if needed.
Thanks

Was your concern time or boil off? Are you doing full boils and finding that you're losing too much volume? You can calculate the amount of water needed by knowing your boil off. That may help. If it's time that you want to cut then based on what is linked, it may be achievable depending upon beer style.