Bringing to boil

[tim_s]

Hi Everyone,

This is a question spawn from another thread I was ready about bringing wort to boil uncovered. First, I want to explain that my stove cannot bring my volumes to boil and thus I use a propane burner. Since my garage has a car in it and storage, it is not practical to brew in my garage. I brew on my back patio and up until now I have been bringing my wort to a boil uncovered.

I just upgraded my setup as I am moving onto all grain and one of the things I wanted to do was make sure that the brew is "covered" with a lid for most of the process. 1 to prevent liquid volume loss, to save propane to bring everything to a boil and finally to keep foreign objects to a minimum but ...

I just read in another thread that by doing so, the evaporation that would normally prevent DMS won't happen.

So is everyone boiling the wort without cover?

 

[zippy84]

Yes, no cover, you want volume loss... which includes dms! Any foreign objects will be well sterile by the time you're finished. Could you use some sort of grid/net to prevent unwanted craters?

My gas setup struggles a little, so I generally cover it until I've reached the boil and then take the lid off.

Edit: I wouldn't even worry about a grid/net cover. There are probably more unwanted microbes in your kitchen than there is outside. It will likely be too hot anyways for flies to go near. You can cover when chilling.

 

[kh54s10]

You do not want to boil with the pot covered, especially with all grain. DMS will collect in the steam, condense on the underside of the lid and return to the wort by dripping back.

You can use the lid until you get near the boiling point, but then remove it.

 

[flars]

I boil with the lid partially on. I periodically wipe the condensate from the under side of the lid.

If DMS is present in the condensate, it is very noticeable on the paper towels used to wipe the lid.

 

[kombat]

What they said.

Can't you just back the car out of the garage while you're brewing, and move it back in when you're done?

 

[Gavin C]

Apart from the DMS issue, without the lid off you will not be boiling off any liquid.

Brewing is a bit like cooking in that respect. If making a gravy or a sauce you will reduce it down over time to thicken it up and improve its flavor and mouthfeel.

All the good stuff, the maillard products and isomerized hop oils etc, are getting concentrated increasing the flavor and color density of the wort and ultimately the beer.

DMS is just one of many reasons to keep the lid off and maintain a rolling boil


Lid off? Yes, most definitely.

 

[mtyquinn]

no cover. DMS should be evaporated. I tend to cover my wort when chilling once it gets below 140degrees. When it's hotter than that you aren't likely to get infection anyways.

 

[DrunkleJon]

You can use the lid until you get near the boiling point, but then remove it.

This. Lid will let you get it to boiling faster and more efficiently. After you have reached the boil and gotten past the hot break you should remove the lid for the duration of the boil. Even with an underpowered stove/whatnot you should be able to keep it at the edge of being boiling with the lid off after that to get your wort concentration/hop utilization/DMS (and precursor) boil off.

 

[kombat]

Lid off? Yes, most definitely.

Would you say that boiling with the lid on is contra-indicated?