Perhaps an idea in case y ou loose too much water during boiling..

[Gledison]

Hey guys,
After brewing my first 2 Batches, i´ve realized that im not loosing that much water during boiling. Im not tottaly closing the kettle but covering in with an anti splatter. This allows the undesired gases to evaporate but reduces the water loss, and ist cheap , maybe it can help someone with big losses...
cheers

 

[Nosybear]

Not a good idea. One of the functions of the boil is to boil off volatile compounds including the precursor to dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Even using the screen, water containing the compound will condense on it and drip back into your boil. If you like Miller Beer, this isn't a problem: DMS is their "signature" flavor note, kind of creamed-corn-cabbage odor and flavor. I'd propose a simpler solution for you: If you know you're going to lose an extra liter, put a liter of prepared brewing liquor (fancy term for water you've treated for brewing purposes) on a side burner, get it boiling and add it back to your boil. Take into account that concentrating your wort more than you planned will decrease hop utilization and as you gain experience, you'll know how much more to add to get the beer you want.

It looks like you're concentrating your wort anyway (brewing a smaller amount of wort than the finished batch size). Adding a bit more water in the boil phase won't hurt anything.

 

[Gledison]

Not a good idea. One of the functions of the boil is to boil off volatile compounds including the precursor to dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Even using the screen, water containing the compound will condense on it and drip back into your boil. If you like Miller Beer, this isn't a problem: DMS is their "signature" flavor note, kind of creamed-corn-cabbage odor and flavor. I'd propose a simpler solution for you: If you know you're going to lose an extra liter, put a liter of prepared brewing liquor (fancy term for water you've treated for brewing purposes) on a side burner, get it boiling and add it back to your boil. Take into account that concentrating your wort more than you planned will decrease hop utilization and as you gain experience, you'll know how much more to add to get the beer you want.

It looks like you're concentrating your wort anyway (brewing a smaller amount of wort than the finished batch size). Adding a bit more water in the boil phase won't hurt anything.

Hmm. I know how Dimethyl sulfide smells and i didnt notice in these 2 brews i've made. DMS boils at ca. 40°C and its almost water insoluble. I believe that only a lid in the kettle would keep the DMS. The gas should go throw that little holes.
But yeah, most of people just add more water to the boil and that's it.
Just wanted to bring an alternative that worked for me...maybe in the next brews I might get some DMS, I don't believ e so but will keep it posted.
Cheers

 

[jeffpn]

If a lid works for you, by all means, do it! I'm sure there are people doing crazier things then that to make beer. I'll just start with more water.

 

[Nosybear]

If a lid works for you, by all means, do it! I'm sure there are people doing crazier things then that to make beer. I'll just start with more water.

Ditto that.... Just seems like a somewhat risky solution to a relatively easy problem to me....

 

[Nosybear]

Oh, forgot one thing: How's that screen supposed to keep in steam unless it condenses the steam and drips it back into the kettle? As you pointed out, the gas would just pass right through.... Reason number two for me to think this isn't the best of ideas: I just don't see how it would accomplish your goal. Adding back water, well, I have to do it from time to time due to a more vigorous than expected boil (generally here because of less vigorous than expected wind). I usually don't even boil it before adding back - tap water is wonderfully sanitary.

 

[J A]

Just start with more in the boil pot. If the pot is at capacity and you're still not hitting volume, top up with clean water into the fermenter and be done with it. As long as you accurately track your boil volume and gravity (as determined by mash efficiency) and batch volume and gravity, the calculator will take care of the IBU contribution of your intended hop additions.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

Experience with a system will allow you to dial in losses without too many headaches .
I got caught out after I lagged my urn and got a stronger boil and just topped up at whirlpool with no real difference to end result

 

[Nosybear]

The Big Guys tend to brew over gravity and then dilute on the notion it's easier to dilute than to add gravity. But the general opinions, either start with more liquid in the kettle or add more water at the end, will all work and neither will affect beer quality with the exception of hop utilization. You'll learn with time what adjustments work and what don't.

 

[The Green Man]

I have been adding cooled bottled water the from the fridge to first bring down the wort temp to below 79c to halt the hop bittering and allow the aroma steep to work, then I add more to liquor back in the fermenter. But, I'm noticing big differences between bottles in the batch.
Is this due to me not mixing the wort properly after addition (though it gets a good shake pre-pitching)? Or, is it just not possible to get a uniform wort after its cooled?
Would appreciate any ideas/advice.

 

[J A]

But, I'm noticing big differences between bottles in the batch.

Any inconsistency in the bottle would have to do with priming and bottling methods, not anything that happened in the fermenter.

 

[GFHomebrew]

The yeast create a fair bit of movement during fermentation in the fermentor. So it all gets a good mix up in there.

 

[The Green Man]

Thats what I thought too. But, my first bottle had a great creamy head and mouthfeel. I could easily tell the influence of oats, with even some sediment at the bottom and cloudy. My bottle lasy night was clear and no real head, lots of fizz though. Same batch. I added sugar solution to the primary, gave it a stir and bottled. It's almost like the heavier ale at the bottom of the fermentor, which comes out first is better than the lighter (more watery?) ale that sits at the top and gets bottled last. Don't know, what do you think? Ever heard of problems with liqouring back?

 

[GFHomebrew]

Thats what I thought too. But, my first bottle had a great creamy head and mouthfeel. I could easily tell the influence of oats, with even some sediment at the bottom and cloudy. My bottle lasy night was clear and no real head, lots of fizz though. Same batch. I added sugar solution to the primary, gave it a stir and bottled. It's almost like the heavier ale at the bottom of the fermentor, which comes out first is better than the lighter (more watery?) ale that sits at the top and gets bottled last. Don't know, what do you think? Ever heard of problems with liqouring back?

Yeah im picking up what your putting down. Yeah maybe the heavier stuff could settle out and lighter liquid sits on top.

 

[jmcnamara]

You're not transferring to a bottling bucket first?

That may be the issue, you can only stir the beer so much without disrupting the trub, and I'm betting the priming sugar isn't thoroughly mixed

 

[The Green Man]

You're not transferring to a bottling bucket first?

That may be the issue, you can only stir the beer so much without disrupting the trub, and I'm betting the priming sugar isn't thoroughly mixed

Will transfer to a bottling bucket with my current brew and see if that sorts it. Bottling bucket doesn't have a tap so was being lazy. That mixing during the transfer might well be enough to get rid of that upper layer/ lower layer issue.
Cheers.

 

[J A]

It's almost like the heavier ale at the bottom of the fermentor, which comes out first is better than the lighter (more watery?) ale that sits at the top and gets bottled last. Don't know, what do you think? Ever heard of problems with liqouring back?

Don't bottle out of the primary unless you're adding priming sugar to individual bottles. You have more trub in the bottles that are heading up. And I don't know how you're using the oats in your recipe, but you could be leaving extra starch in the mash which would settle out and be disturbed by your stirring too. Eventually those bottles will clear out and pack down and you'll get more consistency. As for "liquoring back" - and I assume that you're using that term to describe topping up in the fermenter - what happens in the primary stays in the primary. Your bottling woes are due to priming/bottling process.
Another possible reason to have no head is bottle sanitation or infection. The slightest amount of oil or soap in the bottle or your glass will kill the head. Some secondary organisms might cause loss of head retention as well as off flavors.

 

[The Green Man]

Don't bottle out of the primary unless you're adding priming sugar to individual bottles. You have more trub in the bottles that are heading up. And I don't know how you're using the oats in your recipe, but you could be leaving extra starch in the mash which would settle out and be disturbed by your stirring too. Eventually those bottles will clear out and pack down and you'll get more consistency. As for "liquoring back" - and I assume that you're using that term to describe topping up in the fermenter - what happens in the primary stays in the primary. Your bottling woes are due to priming/bottling process.
Another possible reason to have no head is bottle sanitation or infection. The slightest amount of oil or soap in the bottle or your glass will kill the head. Some secondary organisms might cause loss of head retention as well as off flavors.

Thanks for this.
I add the oats to the mash with the rest of the grist. I heard that it makes the ale cloudy, so I'm guessing some starch stays in suspension and this is the source of the silky mouthfeel.
I felt bottling from primary might avoid oxidation issues, but maybe I was being overly cautious and introducing new problems into the mix. With my red ale, I'll use a bottling bucket with priming solution already in it and this should ensure a good mixing.
My bottles are rinsed after use, dishwashered, rinsed and then sterilised. This should be ok right?
Appreciate the advice.

 

[jmcnamara]

For what it's worth, I haven't experienced oxidation when bottling. Maybe I don't leave the beer around long enough to develop that flavor though...
I've never put bottles in the dishwasher, and I don't use dish soap on them (other than to get the labels off), so couldn't help there. However, it sounds like you're rinsing them off enough to me
Good luck!

 

[jmcnamara]

And I should add I get a fair amount of bubbles when racking to bottling bucket/keg/secondary