A newbie question. To boil or not.

[Asahikun]

I live in Japan where homebrewing has only been legal for a few years. I've just started brewing and pretty much the only stuff available is the Black Rock malt extract tins.
I had very good results with my first batch that I didn't boil. I've since read over and over that boiling is the way to go.
These extracts are already hopped. Should I boil or not? Does the answer depend on whether the extract is hopped or not? I assume that they were boiled when made.
Any input would be appreciated.

[ray m]

I come from the school (and probably most of the people here do also) that it is definitely best to boil (usually @ 1 hour). Boiling kills any potential beer spoiling bacteria in the wort. This goes for hopped & unhopped extract. I have read several articles about no-boil methods, but I don't wish to try it (if it ain't broke, don't fix it).

[Asahikun]

Thanks for the reply. I just wondered since the Black Rock blurb talks about hops used for bitterness and aroma. Since excessive boiling means loss of aroma, I figured that boiling a malt extract that has had hops added at the end of the factory boil would mean that the aroma would be lost.

[Richard English]

As I have already said previously, I have never boiled malt extract and never had a failure. I simply do not believe that bacteria could contaminate what is, in effect, highly concentrated sugar solution, even if they could get into the sealed can in which the stuff is supplied.

I do, of course, boil the hops - that's essential.

Pre-hopped extract I have not tried but I wouldn't boil it. Just bung in the yeast and let it rip!

[Asahikun]

Thanks Richard. I have a friend who also never boils and has never had any problems. I've often read that boiling leads to a better flavour, though. Perhaps that is not the case with tins of malt extract since they've already been boiled once.

[paul84043]

You boil your water, or use purified water don't you?
With the sterilized pre hopped extract, I wouldn't boil, but I would sanitize the container, whatever you use to open the can, and anything that touches the extract, like a spoon.

How did your first batch come out?


What the heck is wrong with the "Automatic random subject line inserter?????"

[Asahikun]

The 1st batch came out fine. Yes, I purify my water and sanitize everything that comes into contact with the wort.
I started a new batch tonight and boiled it for a while - since I keep reading that it will improve the taste. I hope I haven't done more harm than good.

[L.H.H.H.Brown]

I believe that boiling has an effect on the proteins and nutrients that are present in the wort. There is a chemistry involved that I believe is essential to the beer. Obviously it can be made without boiling but I believe it should be. Yes, the hoppiness will diminish though ( it should ). If it's alredy been boiled then it should be o.k. Good luck.

[Richard English]

Home brewers or winemakers, for that matter, must accept that boiling the ingredients will have a effect on the flavour of the finished product. Boiling de-natures proteins and this changes the taste.

Just think of the difference between fresh apple and stewed apple; steak tatare and well-done; raw egg and boiled egg.

It is a matter of taste as to which you prefer. I prefer not to boil my ingredients and, when making wine (which I make from fruit, not kits) I sterilise my equipment by using STP and inhibit the wild yeasts in the must by using a little sulphate.

I have never had a problem with beer but have had a few failures (only about half a dozen in around 30 years) with wine.

[Beerconnoisseur]

Boiling is done for several reasons. Yes, it does kill off bacteria, which is good. But the main reason is that the Alpha Acid content of hops is largely insoluble in water. Boiling the hops isomerizes the Alpha Acids, making them soluble, which then increases the bitterness.

My experience has been exclusively with unhopped extract, which I prefer simply because it offers the most control over the process. Beer too bitter? Try boiling hops for 45 minutes instead of 60 minutes. Not bitter enough for your taste? Try 70 or 80 minutes. Want to add some 6-7 different hops varities to a batch? Feel free to go wild. The thing I've liked the most about homebrewing is that it lets you have complete control over the end product.

I would simply shoot for creating a beer that you like, and which you can brew repeatedly. Everything else in the process is just a stepping stone to your ultimate happiness. :)

Ok, I went back and looked for a second opinion on this one, and came up with this, from The Brewmaster's Bible by Stephen Snyder (p.9):

"Except when noted, it is advised that the wort be boiled for at least one hour in all of the recipes, regardless of the malt extract manufacturer's instructions."

(Harper Collins, 1997)

So this would seem to be a good rule of thumb to follow, unless you have a recipe to the contrary...

[beertester]

I disagree. If it is a pre-boiled extract, it would be counterproductive to boil the extract for an hour. Additional boiling would only serve to darken and carmelize the malt. I think the "malt extract tang" that some people refer to is really the overboiling of malt extract. If it improves the beer to boil, why wouldn't a manufacturer say to do so? What do they possibly have to gain by discouraging it? Perhaps Steve Snyder was just getting his information from the old "Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian which instructs you to boil all malt extract for one hour.

You can boil your hops in plain water or the liquid derived from your steeping grains for an hour to achieve the proper bitterness. Then add your malt extract at the end of the boil.

[Beerconnoisseur]

Snyder's advice (for advanced homebrewers) is (from p.44 of The Brewmaster's Bible) that boiling for extended periods of up to 3 or 4 hours will lead to more toasted/caramel flavors, and is used frequently in brewing heavy, dark German beers.

Malt extract caramelizing is an interesting point, but I'm not sure how likely it would be after 1 hour. I'll have to try boiling my next extract batch for 2 hours to test it out. If the results are poor, I'll let you know. If the results are good, I'll probably be doing something other than bulletin board posting. :)

From the other literature I've read, people normally encounter 2 major problems with extract. The first is using old extract (as in, a year old), which can leave a "soapy" aftertaste. The remedy, of course, is: don't do that. I've never noticed this in any of my extract brews, however.

The second involves extract scorching at the bottom of the kettle, which usually occurs when you keep the heat applied as you add it. The easiest way to fix this is to turn the heat off during the addition, and use a long-handled spoon to stir, and scrape the bottom of the kettle so as much malt extract dissolves as possible.

I will also add that in my experience w/ instructions, some will encourage adding flavoring grains to extract brews for a mere 20-30 minutes. Yet, every time I have kept the grains in the heating water (at <170 degrees F) for 60 minutes or more, I have gotten a much maltier, tastier beer overall. And these instructions were from a reputable homebrew supplier! One would think they would benefit from more customers having a better experience with their products, yet...... I guess the moral of the story is: don't necessarily believe everything you read.

[Quoodle]

I have used both hopped and nonhopped extract for brewing and always boil the batch for about an hour. I have also heard that you will lose any arouma (flavor and bouquet) from your hopped malt if you boil it but this is easy to rectify.

The alpha/beta (bittering) acids should not be lost with the boil so you do not have to worry if it is the bitterness you are seeking. For bouquet you can dry hop (add hops to the carboy during the last five days of maturation - and then remove) or simpler still add arouma hops for the last 1-2 minutes of the boil and then quickly transfer (and cool) to the carboy. This will add alot of arouma to your batch and may, as Papazian says in Complete Joy of HomeBrewing, "blow you away" in the final product. Also according to Papazian there is no hop arouma in hopped beer kits so if you are happy with your nonarouma - hopped kit then the above is really moot

In any case, figure out what you like and keep doing it. It is a good idea to keep a journal if noone has told you this. In time you can recreate your past glories and avoid repeating problems when identified


Hope this helps

[Beerconnoisseur]

Originally posted by Quoodle
In any case, figure out what you like and keep doing it. It is a good idea to keep a journal if noone has told you this. In time you can recreate your past glories and avoid repeating problems when identified

This is a wise man indeed; particularly when you consider that barley and hops are crops and will vary seasonally. :)