When do you start your boil timer?

[blefferd]

I start mine as soon as it starts to boil. Any one start as soon as you put the wort on the burner?

 

[unionrdr]

No,I start the timer after it starts boiling a minute or two,& when the first bittering hop addition goes in.

 

[FlyDoctor]

No - when its on the burner it's not boiling yet

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

When I do AG it's after the hot break proteins settle, when I'm doing extract it's when it hits a rolling boil.

 

[scubasteve03]

When I do AG it's after the hot break proteins settle, when I'm doing extract it's when it hits a rolling boil.

I do the same

 

[JLem]

I start my timer once the bittering hops go in - this is usually a few minutes after I'm up to a roiling boil to give the hot break time to form and the foam to subside. I have very little room at the top of my kettle and if I add the hops too soon, I get major boil overs. So I might boil for 65 minutes, bit still have a 60 minute hop addition.

 

[Gixxer]

I start my timer once the bittering hops go in - this is usually a few minutes after I'm up to a roiling boil to give the hot break time to form and the foam to subside. I have very little room at the top of my kettle and if I add the hops too soon, I get major boil overs. So I might boil for 65 minutes, bit still have a 60 minute hop addition.

Me too

 

[blefferd]

I figured that was standard practice, I have done it both ways before but never could tell a diff in te end item.

 

[hops2it]

At a roiling boil.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

When I do AG it's after the hot break proteins settle, when I'm doing extract it's when it hits a rolling boil.

I do the same

same here.

 

[Yooper]

I start my timer after the hot break.

 

[pellis007]

It depends on if I've over-shot my estimated pre-boil volume. I'll boil down until I reach my desired pre-boil volume. Usually I've already had my hot break. If not, I don't start the timer until I've achieved hotbreak and added my first hop additions.

 

[rico567]

Hmmm......this seems like a fairly straightforward question (he said, expecting a long and argumentative thread). When I see the boil start, I start the timer.

 

[govner1]

I start my timer as soon as the hot break is over and I've adjusted my burner to a nice rolling boil.

 

[Big_Cat]

When my temperatures reach 212* f and hops are dropped in.

 

[LaurieGator]

I start the timer right after I add the first hops.

 

[krackin]

Naturally after hot break.

 

[ODG34]

as soon as my boil is under control and i can walk away....

 

[barmyarmy]

Yep, after the boil is stabslized start your timer.

 

[Clonefan94]

I let my wort come to a boil, after the hot break, I add the first hop addition, then I start the timer. The wort can boil as long as you so desire, it's the hop additions that are usually timed.

 

[Big_Cat]

I let my wort come to a boil, after the hot break, I add the first hop addition, then I start the timer. The wort can boil as long as you so desire, it's the hop additions that are usually timed.

Exactly ...

 

[govner1]

When my temperatures reach 212* f and hops are dropped in.

You're assuming 212 I'd boiling for everyone. You have to know what your boil temp is for your altitude, etc. for instance at my altitude it's 210.

 

[Big_Cat]

You're assuming 212 I'd boiling for everyone. You have to know what your boil temp is for your altitude, etc. for instance at my altitude it's 210.

I was speaking for myself not for anyone else ...just giving my opinion on the matter at hand

 

[robertkerr79]

I'm keen to revamp this thread as I've been wondering if my approach accounts for the fact that I often finish the boil slightly under volume.

I run a continuous sparge into the kettle and start heating as soon as the wort covers the heating element. It struck me last brewday that the evaporation process really ramps up for the duration of the remaining sparge time during which the wort in the mid-60s °C is preventing the kettle from getting to boiling point. I'm inclined to record the boil as started when I can see a current and some hot break, but before it's fully rolling.

 

[fragged]

I'm keen to revamp this thread as I've been wondering if my approach accounts for the fact that I often finish the boil slightly under volume.

I run a continuous sparge into the kettle and start heating as soon as the wort covers the heating element. It struck me last brewday that the evaporation process really ramps up for the duration of the remaining sparge time during which the wort in the mid-60s °C is preventing the kettle from getting to boiling point. I'm inclined to record the boil as started when I can see a current and some hot break, but before it's fully rolling.

::insert snarky comment about necro-threading;;

Got that out of the way for those that feel the need.

Anyways, I start it when my wort hits 215 (boiling here).

That said, I just watched a video that I thought was really clever. I'd seen it before, but forgot - a symptom of homebrewitis. This guy marks his kettle at his desired pre-boil volume boils to that level, then starts the timer. Not that novel, but seemed like a stupid simple concept to always hit numbers, as I find the most variance in my process is pre-boil (biab).

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I use a similar technique: I have some mini alligator clips and clip both pre-boil and post-boil/pre-cool markers right on the bk sight glass shield. As well, if for some reason I used more volume in the hlt than usual, I mark where the sparge liquor level should be at the end of the fly sparge so as not to dump more water than necessary into the mlt (with 22 to 42 pounds of wet malt it's heavy enough as it is ) I also clip the mash level in the mash tun during recirculation to help catch any flow rate issues before they become critical...

Cheers!

 

[Dland]

When I ramp down the controller to avoid boil over at beginning of boil.

 

[marc1]

::insert snarky comment about necro-threading;;

Got that out of the way for those that feel the need.

Anyways, I start it when my wort hits 215 (boiling here).

That said, I just watched a video that I thought was really clever. I'd seen it before, but forgot - a symptom of homebrewitis. This guy marks his kettle at his desired pre-boil volume boils to that level, then starts the timer. Not that novel, but seemed like a stupid simple concept to always hit numbers, as I find the most variance in my process is pre-boil (biab).

How far below sea level are you?

 

[MaxStout]

How far below sea level are you?

Brewing on the shores of the Dead Sea.

 

[DuncB]

Brewing in a mine maybe? or the worlds deepest cellar.

 

[fragged]

20, 000 leagues.

 

[Jayjay1976]

When ya boy's rollin' , den's when U hit de toy-mah. Noh befo-ah, eh, else ye'll be takin' a smak, royt, let er froff out proppah, roll'en smoove loyk, den you e'ets yo toy-mah. Fughin' sho, yu'll be roit es rayn. Fahk.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I'll typically wait until the froth subsides to add my bittering charge, then I'll start the timer.

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

With my Mash & Boil, I typically wait until I see the start of a rolling boil before I set my timer and drop in the first hop addition.

 

[odie]

timer starts once I reach my starting volume. either by boiling down or adding water to the boil. usually 6.5 gal for most of my recipes given the boil off rate of my system and target fermenter volume.

 

[Spartan1979]

When I take my first gravity reading.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Ummmm, . . . . . . when the boil starts . . . . .

 

[thebigbrewbowski]

When ya boy's rollin' , den's when U hit de toy-mah. Noh befo-ah, eh, else ye'll be takin' a smak, royt, let er froff out proppah, roll'en smoove loyk, den you e'ets yo toy-mah. Fughin' sho, yu'll be roit es rayn. Fahk.

Dont happen to go by JumboJake on another forum do you?

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

Ummmm, . . . . . . when the boil starts . . . . .

 

[michaeltrego]

When my PID says 212 (which I trust), and the surface of the kettle is erupting, then my boil timer begins. But normally I already have some FWH in the kettle, which I highly recommend.