Hops and boiling time

[Beardedterror]

I've got about 25 brews under my belt, and have done AG for the last 6. I can't get a very strong boil, so I usually have to boil for up to 3 hours to get down to my target OG. Aside from the carmelization that might be happening, what are the adverse affects of boiling hops for this long?

In terms of tweaking my process, I was thinking of adding the hops in at the boil in a hop bag, then just removing the bag after an hour and boiling until I hit OG. Would this work? If I decided to try an IPA, could I do this for 30 minute and 15 minute hop additions as well? Or would the boiling remove any of the aromatics I was aiming for?

Thanks!

 

[jmprdood]

I would stick with adding during the last 60 minutes if you boil for that long. I would be afraid of concentrating the hop flavors in the decreased brew volume and what the prolonged heat exposure would drive off the aroma and taste.

 

[BamaRooster]

I would recommend no more than a 75 minute boil on the hops. Like jmprdood says throw them in the last 60 minutes of your boil schedule.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

are you boiling on a stove top or a fryer??

 

[Beardedterror]

are you boiling on a stove top or a fryer??

Gas stove. I live in a tiny upstairs apartment, so a burner is out of the question right now.

 

[RM-MN]

How about something obvious. Use less volume to start and you won't have to boil down so much. Your boil doesn't have to be terribly vigorous, just a slow rolling boil will be enough.

 

[fletchsj]

How about something obvious. Use less volume to start and you won't have to boil down so much. Your boil doesn't have to be terribly vigorous, just a slow rolling boil will be enough.

I second this... Many brew software allows you to determine your boil off rates and helps you adjust you initial volume. I do 90 min boils all the time but, 3 hours seems excessive and a waste of resources. but, what do i know, maybe you get completely different flavor profiles from boiling that long.