I was brewing a smash ale today. I have never gotten a full 19 litres from a batch (I have only done 7), because I have an 8 gallon electric kettle with a 4500 element. I fill as high as I can and am right on the heater rheostat to turn it down as the hot break rises, and up again as it falls. Today I decided to collect extra mash. I poured a litre of the mash into the kettle at 48 minutes to compensate for boil loss. I increased the heat from 50% to 60% to regain the boil. As soon as the boil returned the foam returned and fully covered the wort. I turned it down to 40%. It rose and broke just as the first. Can anyone explain why this happens? And does this mean it would be a bad idea to add the extra unboiled mash straight to the fermentor? Thanks
Second hot break
- Thread starter JawnnyO
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I can answer the second part, unboiled mash runnings bring the risk of contamination if put directly in the fermentor. Would also bring extra protein that could lead to haze.
I do know you can get multiple hot breaks by reheating wort but don't know why. Guessing there is just more protein left in the wort and bring back to a boil gets them to coagulate.
I do know you can get multiple hot breaks by reheating wort but don't know why. Guessing there is just more protein left in the wort and bring back to a boil gets them to coagulate.
You added unboiled wort to the boil kettle so of course that wort would still have the proteins that cause hot break still in it so you get a second (usually smaller) hot break.
There’s not a lot of ‘of course’ with me in brewing. For instance I didn’t know there was protein in the mash. I thought it was starch turning to sugar which we were trying to make alcohol from. Thanks for that information. Is the trub (editted) in the fermentor protein also?
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I am assuming you mean trub, and there is protein in that.
I am sure you are correct about the new wort bringing more protein to the kettle, but I have had to stop boils in the middle and without adding more wort when brought back to a boil there would be a second hot break. I don't believe the first hot break event will coagulate all proteins or there would not be cold break and chill haze.
Buy yourself some Fermcap S and add a couple of drops just before the boil begins. You will never have a boil-over.
