start of boil

[Bruno_78]

I'm sitting here waiting for my wort to chill, and I'm wondering, how does one determine when the wort begins it's boil? Do you go strictly by boiling temperature, or by visual inspection. My wort seemed to be boiling pretty well, but the temp was only around 200 degrees.

I also remember from my chemistry classes that boiling point of a solution increases proportionately to the number of particles in solution. Now I have no idea how many particles are in my wort, but given that theory, my boiling point was way off. Anyone have any thoughts?

[danno]

I'm a visual inspection kinda guy. The better the boil, the better the hop extraction, so that's my main reason.

I'd wonder about the accuracy of my thermometer, or are you at any altitude? lower pressure will lower the boiling point...

[Bruno_78]

I've checked my thermometer at melting point, and it is right on. So I would think it would be close at the other extreme. My altitude is normal.

[S.F.B.]

To me boiling is when there is a good roll going and is consistent. I am at a fairly low altitude (150 ft.) so the temp is actually kind of low.

[mmmBeer...]

I start the timer when there is a good rolling boil and after the foam drops (no risk of a boilover). That would be the time that I add the bittering hops. I guess technically I boil for a little longer, but at least I won’t lose any hoppy goodness to a boil over!

[toneyc]

Yeah, I'm with mmmBeer, I start the timer when the boil is under control, usually right after I add the first hops.

:)
Toney.

[SLOSHomebrewers]

Bruno,

You do know how many particles you have in solution. Use your hydrometer. A simple calcuation from the gravity reading should give you the approximate boiling point.

That being said, I start the clock when I notice a good rolling boil, or when I start my fourth pint.

The most important thing is to boil for a minimum of 60 minutes. Longer can be better, but don't boil so much as to reduce your volume below your target volume.
________
CANNABIS SEEDS (http://marijuanaseeds.org/)

[kgaugler]

I ditto mmmbeer and tonyc. I start my timer when I get a good, rolling boil and the foam recedes. That's when I add my hops and boil for the designated period of time.

[wortchillergoal]

I start the time from when I see the rolling boil.

As for your temp being low but the wort boilng, there are a number of things which can change the boiling point of water. I remember in my chemistry lab in high school for one lab the temps were critical. The teacher did someting, I know what not, and informed us the boiling point of water that day at that time was 210.9 or somwehting like that. I think it had to do with barometric pressure.

[Bruno_78]

Boy, that's really going back in my memory. I know we used specific gravity to determine things like how many particles were in solution, but by god if I can remember how to do it. I've still got all my college chem books, I'll have to look it up. I was a chem major in college for a couple years, but got out of it because I couldn't imagine any chemistry career that I could do for the rest of my life. But isn't there a society of chemists entirely devoted to the making of beer? Maybe that could be my motivation to finish that degree.

When you lengthen your boil, how do you adjust your hop additions? I imagine you boil the wort alone for the extended amount of time, then add your hops at the scheduled time remaining in the boil.

[barley ben]

You can boil the bittering hops with the longer boil. It can give you a better bittering efficiency from the hops. As far as the flavor and aroma hops, you still want to keep them at the end of the boil as usual. Otherwise you will boil off their flavor/aroma.

After I posted, I realized how repetitive I was with words. Sorry...

[brewmonkey]

A good boil should look like the Millenium Falcon going into hyperdrive.

[kgaugler]

bruno, the Brix scale on our hydrometers is a reading of the percent sugar in solution (just about a direct reading.) Adding dissolved sugar to the water will do 2 things... increase the boiling point and decrease the freezing point. That's why we put antifreeze/coolant in our cars. So theoretically, the boiling point of wort should be higher than 212 deg F.

btw, being a chemist for a living ain't so bad. I was a marine bio major in school first and went back to finish a degree in chemistry when I found out how little money marine biologists make:eek:

[Bruno_78]

I guess I would be showing my age if I said that I was approximately as old as the first star wars movie. I'll probably have to rent the movie again, for I cannot remember exactly what the Millenium Falcon going into hyperdrive was like. But I think I get the idea.

[Jughead]

I start my boil with half my wort in one pot while I collect the other half of the wort in a second pot.

The wort in the first pot is likely a fairly high OG since it was collected at the start of the lauter. I add all of my hops to the first pot and boil for the full hour or whatever the recipe calls for (I realize that the high OG can decrease hop utilization).

The wort in the second pot gets no hops, and is likely a fairly low OG since it was collected at the end of the lauter. I usually boil it for only 10 minutes to kill any bugs.

I then cool and combine both pots.

Anyone see any problems with this? It seems to be working for me, but I thought I'd thow it out there and see what you think.

[wortchillergoal]

Originally posted by Bruno_78
I guess I would be showing my age if I said that I was approximately as old as the first star wars movie. I'll probably have to rent the movie again, for I cannot remember exactly what the Millenium Falcon going into hyperdrive was like. But I think I get the idea.

If you think you showing age because of Star Wars, there are those of us who could say you still stink of milk. I also believe that home brewers never age, well not brain power wise.