Boil questions.

[paul84043]

I have a few questions on stuff that happens during the boil and I wanted others opinions and experiences...

(I always use pelletized hops from a kit and very few of my kits come with hop bags)
After you add the hops and the foam rises, do you keep scraping the hops off the side of the pan and putting them back into the boil? It seems like there's alot that collects, maybe even a very large portion of the hops.
I always scrape them back in.

I had a small boil over last night, and it looked like it carried quite a bit of hops with it. Do you add more to comepensate for this?
I thought about robbing from my aroma hops to add to the bittering, but decided against it.
Maybe in the future, I'll buy a tiny bit extra to keep on hand just for this kind of emergency.

What do others do?

[ray m]

I use hop bags, so I don't have too much problem, or an issue, with worrying about hop material getting onto the sides of the kettle. Before I add the hops, I make damn sure my boil gets under control and I've got the heat regulated right, so I am pretty comfortable that the boil-over danger is over, before I toss my hops in.

If I were in your position about not having hop bags, (for I also use pellets), I know I would scrape the particles back in.

Drink hearty!!! Up the irons!!!

Ray

[Luther]

I have always used pelletized hops also. Bagging them makes for a less messy primary ferment in my opinion.

But when I don't have bags scraping them back down into the boil is the right thing, or at least I feel like I am getting all the goodies I can from the hops.

Boil over! What's that?....LOL :D

[b3s]

i scrape the hops back in, but i just got some hop bags, so i won't need to do that any more :) also got a 30qt pot with my turkey fryer, so i'm hoping no more boil overs, too!

[Luther]

I make my hop bags out of my wifes old panty hose...it works well enough. I might add that if you do this try to avoid the toe area and the ....well it may make for a different tasting brew.

:p

[paul84043]

I use a 30Qt pot....so I doubt your boil over troubles will be over...
I find that if I crack the garage door so that a decent air current comes through, and put my boiling pot near the doorway at the back which concentrated the air coming through the garage, the air keeps the boil over to a minimum, its like blowing on it constantly.

I always forget to buy hop bags when I'm at the homebrew store, and I kind of like the idea of pouring all the hops into the primary, I kind of feel like I'm getting more out of my hops that way...plus it beats straining...

I make my hop bags out of my wifes old panty hose...it works well enough. I might add that if you do this try to avoid the toe area and the ....well it may make for a different tasting brew.

Hmm, "Old Nags Toe" Sounds like a good name for a brew!!
Of course, you may just catch the rest of the foot for using it!
Old hoes are a great idea, but my wife doesn't wear them.

[b3s]

no boil overs today....brewed outside, and it was cold!

[paul84043]

I have noticed considerably less boil over problems when it's cold as well.
I can't imagine trying to brew in my kitchen, I make a big mess in the garage and just break out the hose...

[kevin]

after you reach the hot break and the foam starts to settle out can't you add your hops then? that is what I do and then I start the timer for the 60 minute boil, stirring only occasionally.