Know plenty of people say no lids while boiling, but I think it helps keep a good boil going. I sourced a dead keg from a recycler, small dents, and a stainless wok lid from salvation army. I was thinking that any steam would roll down the wok lid due to the dome shape, and down the drain holes on top of the keg, keeping DMS from dripping back in. Am I missing something, it seemed like an easy solution, but I haven't seen anyone doing it?
Keggle lid
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LandoLincoln
Well-Known Member
Putting a lid on before it boils would be fine. Brings it to a boil faster. Helps conserve propane or electricity and saves time.
But yeah, your wok lid idea is a pretty good one. Makes sense to me. I'd give it a try on a simple SMaSH beer and see if you get any DMS tastes from the batch.
But yeah, your wok lid idea is a pretty good one. Makes sense to me. I'd give it a try on a simple SMaSH beer and see if you get any DMS tastes from the batch.
By escape you mean condense on said "lid", roll down the inside of the lid to the top of the keggle, where it will pool in the small space where the upper skirt is welded on. Then run to the drain hole, down the side of your keggle until it is burned onto the keggle. This is going to make a gooey mess.
Zamial said:
I don't think this would be a gooey mess at all. All that will be evaporating is water and some compounds. All of the sugars that would cause the gooeyness will stay behind. That's why you get a more concentrated wort if you boil for a longer period of time. The ceiling above your stove doesn't get gooey when you brew beer does it?
LandoLincoln
Well-Known Member
Well, if it does make a gooey mess out of your keggle, then you could make a modification to the wok lid. Pop a hole in the center of it and then connect a flexible copper pipe to it. The steam will escape into the pipe, condense back into liquid and then drain it off into a bucket.
Your operation will look more like a still, though, so you may attract the attention of the feds.
Your operation will look more like a still, though, so you may attract the attention of the feds.
I have pot lids that I use for the exact same thing as the OP that fit, as they should. I USED to have/use an oversized lid that I used and exactly what I am talking about happening has happened to me.
True while there is not a lot of sugars and compounds in the steam there is enough to make a decent mess. You are talking about trickling water down the sides of your keggle at about the rate of 1 gallon per hour... not misting the water onto a cool dry surface for evaporation, like the ceiling.
Me personally I would not risk the DMS not boiling away and making a mess on top of everything else. A heat stick will help you boil faster than any lid and by the time you fix pipes and tubing to it you will be money ahead.
FWIW I am not trying to talk anyone out of a DIY idea, even this one. I wish you the best of luck!
Brickout
Well-Known Member
Ummm, I'm going to let that one go.
Zamial hit it right on.
I bought a spare lid from Goodwill for $1.75 that fits perfectly. It now collects dust in the basement. It does drain crap down the skirt of the keg. Some of it scorches, but even the plain condensation is a PITA. It drips onto my propane burner and blocks some of the orifices until it boils off.
I've also ruined a batch by forgetting to remove the lid for most of the boil and it had nasty DMS flavor. Tasted like cream corn. I love cream corn, but not in my beer.
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