This is kind of a rookie question, but I just cooked up my 3rd batch and I was wondering if I should put a lid on my pot when cooking my wort? I haven't on the 3 I've cooked so far, and the first one turned out amazing but I noticed this last batch went down significantly as it was boiling, should I have left the lid on the pot?
Lid or no lid? When cooking wort
- Thread starter WortMan83
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jiggs_casey
Well-Known Member
no lid.
No lid. Account for boil off when formulating recipes. There are some volatile compounds that should be driven off with a vigorous boil. Most notably, DMS and its precursors need to go away - it causes vegetal/cooked corn flavors.
chumpsteak
Well-Known Member
mmmmm. corn.
There's a search button on this forum right?
no lid.
There's a search button on this forum right?
no lid.
SwampassJ
Well-Known Member
Leave it off. Like they said above it boils off some nasties that can ruin the flavor and as a side benefit you get an increase in gravity from the water boiling off. It's also extremely easy to boil over with a lid on.
Arkador
Well-Known Member
+1 no lid. I put a lid on while chilling only to keep new nastiest out.
I use a lid to trap heat on the way to the boil though, saves a little time
I use a lid to trap heat on the way to the boil though, saves a little time
madbaldman
Well-Known Member
I keep the lid on while heating up to boil (it speeds up the boil) but take it off when it starts boiling. You just can't forget and walk away or a boil over is certain.
TromboneGuy
Well-Known Member
My stove is underpowered, so I kind of balance my lid about half-on during the boil to keep everything at an actual boil. Haven't noticed any off flavors from doing that. Last time I also wound up a couple of points high on my OG. (Not sure how that happened... better efficiency than usual, for some reason, I guess.)
I do something similar on my stove, I put the lid on every now and then to ramp the heat off, and usually do a 90 minute boil to compenste for dms blowoff, like I would with a pilsner. Since most of my stovetop beers are experimental beers I submit for contests, so they are usually beers that are judged, I can say the DMS/Corn flavors have NEVER been mentioned in conjunction with these beers.
Thought I read in some reputable brewing reference that boiling should be with the lid on, but not completely covering the pot. I could be imagining this though.
I always boil with the lid off. Man, do I get a huge boiloff during a 60 minute boil; more than the 15% Beersmith specifies as a max.
I always boil with the lid off. Man, do I get a huge boiloff during a 60 minute boil; more than the 15% Beersmith specifies as a max.
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