Electric Kettle - soft boil

[DavoOhno]

To put it simply, I'm not sure I'm getting a vigorous enough boil.

I'm doing 2-2.5 gal BIAB in a kettle that was designed for as an eletric HERMES HLT. I live at about 6500' and my boil temp is 201 F. I reach 201 F, but I have very little "roll" to the boil.

So, how much "roll" to the boil do I need?

The heat is supplied by a single rod type element, and the small amount of "roll" directly correlates to this in area and shape.

 

[EnglishAndy]

You need just enough roll so that all the wort gets to regularly meet the surface so DMS can be expelled.

You may want more vigour if you have a target gravity to meet or you want to achieve some kettle caramelisation.

There's nothing wrong with a gentle rolling boil, in fact it's one of the requirements for admission to the church of LODO brewing

 

[Bobby_M]

What is the current wattage?

 

[DavoOhno]

It's a 1500 W rod.

To be clear, it's 2-2.5 gal batch size. So BIAB full volume with an average 5 lbs grain should still be in the 4 gal range.

 

[Big Monk]

To put it simply, I'm not sure I'm getting a vigorous enough boil.

So, how much "roll" to the boil do I need?

If you are getting good turnover, your hop utilization seems on point, you are planning your volumes to hit gravity (rather than letting boil-off alone dictate that), and you arent having issues with DMS, then there isn't anything wrong with a soft boil.

 

[RM-MN]

New research indicates that long term stability is improved with a very mild boil. Unless you are detecting DMS I wouldn't try for a more vigorous boil. The hop oils will isomerize a temps less than a boil and the reduced boil off can be planned for and calculated.

 

[DavoOhno]

So I decided to do a little water test to give you an idea of what kind of light boil I have.

Here is a short video

 

[RM-MN]

That looks like a more vigorous boil than what I have except just at the start when the wort is covered in foam. I'd say you can make good beer with that boil.

 

[DavoOhno]

That looks like a more vigorous boil than what I have except just at the start when the wort is covered in foam. I'd say you can make good beer with that boil.

Thanks for the reply. I never have gotten that foam covered wort with this boil. Not like I did when over a propane burner with more vigorous boil.

I suppose I'll increase my boil today to 90 min to reduce DMS, just in case.