Are You A Skimmer?

[brendanos]

I've been trying to find out what exactly it is that accumulates on top of the wort at the beginning of the boil - you know the stuff, it forms a cap trapping heat and causing boilovers. A lot of American homebrew forums refer to this as the hot break, but I think they are somewhat confused, as to me the hot break is solids that precipitate in the wort and fall out of solution at the end of the boil. Perhaps this does form a portion of the hot break, but on it's own does not constitute THE hot break.

For anyone out there in the know, what exactly is it that you are removing if you skim this foam and discard it? I have traditionally left it in, then skimmed any brown scum that might accumulate and form semi-solids on top of the wort, though I had a particularly full kettle today and skimmed all foam as a precaution, though I am curious to know if this skimming process is removing any proteins/compounds that are important to healthy/good beer. Obviously it is very handy to reduce the risk of a boilover (particularly when you're kettle is full), and the spray bottle/fan technique hasn't always proved successful (in fact during my last brew, the spray bottle induced a boilover!). The krauts recommend skimming the dark green skum that accumulates when hops are added to reduce "harsh bitterness" (old wives tale or legitimate scientific procedure?), but I don't remember ever reading about the initial foam cap. Does removing this cap or leaving it in have any significant effect on the finished beer?

Comments, ideas, experiences, discussion, and philosophical debate are all welcome!

 

[brendanos]

A final option and somewhat of a compromise could be to remove the foam at the beginning to prevent boilover, then add it back into the boil later on. That is, if there is anything useful in it!

 

[Bribie G]

I think it must be similar to the break proteins, in the Urn, the boil breaks through the dirty grey looking foam cap then 'chases' it to the sides where it sticks to the sides and forms a grey brown ring, so I just leave it. Whirlfloc and a rest before cubing usually gives me sweet crystal clear wort into the cube. I've seen shots of Pilsner Urquell in the Kettle (in the old Michael Jackson series) and the surface of the boil looks like a frothy quicksand... I'm sure I spotted a couple of half submerged supermarket trolleys and a slime covered roadworks cone in there :blink:

 

[Wrenny]

I always skim. I'm pretty sure it's not hot break, because the foam forms before boiling and before 'the hot break' when the proteins clump together.

I remember someone on this forum mentioning that their kids love eating it (provided they haven't added any first wort hops). So I decided to try it one day. It tasted pretty nice, very malty. And different every time depending on your grain bill.

So I took a clean bowl full of my skimmings, added enough sifted plain flour, baking powder (not baking soda) and a little bit of sugar. Made it into cake mix consistancy, baked it at 180 deg till it was cooked. Tasted pretty nice hot with some butter on it. I call it Malt Cake.

 

[Muggus]

I pretty much always skim any really solid dirty looking scum off the surface.
My pots usually almost full, so I have a tendancy of also skimming the white foam if it looks like it might cause a spill over. That's if i'm paying attention at the time! :blink:

To be perfectly honest, I have no idea why I do it, and would also be very interested to know what results is may make in the long run. Possible experiment mayhaps?

 

[Barry]

I have ben told/have heard that skimming can reduce head retention. No real proof that I remember. I skim some at the beginning to avoid boil overs but don't worry about it after that.

 

[brendanos]

I have ben told/have heard that skimming can reduce head retention. No real proof that I remember. I skim some at the beginning to avoid boil overs but don't worry about it after that.

That's essential the hunch that I have, but I have no hard evidence or scientific data to back it up!

 

[matti]

If you boil for 15 minutes before you add the first lot of bitterness hops the proteins will not coagulate with hop polyphenols and won't precipitate with the hot break and carry hop resins with it.

It all depends on what beer you are making.

For Lager I skim.
For an ale Not really necessary.

90 minute boils with FWH and 60, 40.20 additions and cube hopping is the norm an little or non skimming.

 

[Pumpy]

Brendanos,

I am a scum skimmer .

God dont you just love it

I have to as I brew on the edge 40 litre batches in a 50 ltre pot

I am into what ever floats pre hop addition I skim it
bits of old husk, flys ,bees , hop socks what ever rubbish is floating in there i scum skim it .

the main thing is it removes bits of husk which may cause 'astringency'

then when its all gone the hops go in and it reduces the potential for boiloves when the hops have settled .

If there was a degree in Scum skimming I would apply for it .

Anyway it makes you look as if you know what you are doing .

even if you dont :blink:

Pumpy

 

[Muggus]

bits of old husk, flys ,bees , hop socks what ever rubbish is floating in there i scum skim it .

the main thing is it removes bits of husk which may cause 'astringency'

Good point Pumpy!
I tend to get the odd bit of grain husk in amongst the foamy scum on top of my wort. Probably does some good getting that out of the boil.

 

[flattop]

My name is Flattop and i am a scum skimmer...

Why? Because the BIAB instructions told me to.
In todays brew i used hop plugs instead of pellets and then i found that i had hops in the scum so i had to resist the post hops skim.
I felt compromised ... was i doing something wrong?
Will i go to Beermakers hell? I'm sure i will meet the makers of Swan and XXXX there....

 

[Pumpy]

Good point Pumpy!
I tend to get the odd bit of grain husk in amongst the foamy scum on top of my wort. Probably does some good getting that out of the boil.

yep Muggus I have a SS FB and my crush is fine lets a bit of junk through

Pumpy

 

[randyrob]

I used to skim until i heard it was the new black, i no longer skim anymore and my beer is still drinkable :icon_cheers:

 

[chappo1970]

My name is Flattop and i am a scum skimmer...

I just knew you were one FT... <_< :lol:

I used to skim until i heard it was the new black, i no longer skim anymore and my beer is still drinkable :icon_cheers:

Me too... Had a Guru Demi Brewing God tellin' me to leave it FARKIN' alone and let drop back in, apparently good for the yeasties? Hasn't been wrong by my calculations so far. :super: Dedecated Non Skimmer!

Chappo

 

[clean brewer]

Impurities.....

 

[pdilley]

Non skimmer, it soon breaks down into the boil. If it tastes very malty I'd be inclined to let it stay through the boil until I read a chemistry paper on why it is better to skim.

but malt cakes sound yum, school fundraiser thanks to brewing dads

 

[Tony]

I skim!

I skim the crap off the top and put it in a plastic jug as i take it off.

The crap i colect smells awfull, it tastes awfull and it doesnt belong in the beer.

If i gave you a cup of smelly sticky break and grain residue and told you to put in your boiling brew...... what would you say?

i will take a guess...........

 

[clean brewer]

I skim!

I skim the crap off the top and put it in a plastic jug as i take it off.

The crap i colect smells awfull, it tastes awfull and it doesnt belong in the beer.

If i gave you a cup of smelly sticky break and grain residue and told you to put in your boiling brew...... what would you say?

i will take a guess...........

Impurities.... Same reason we skim Beef/Veal/Chicken/Fish Stocks and Jus and Soups... Its all the horrible shit coming out of the food.. :icon_vomit:

 

[Tony]

Chappo would be too busy posting to skim the crap off his brew anyway

Im with you Pumpy.......... if its not hops its not suposed to be there.

Mmmmmmm i need to build a propper scum skimmer

bulk buy?

 

[chappo1970]

Chappo would be too busy posting to skim the crap off his brew anyway

Oi... Shit lips <_<

I resemble that remark!

Bloody skimmers you just can't trust 'em can ya? Their like BIABers wanting to convert everyone... h34r: HERETICS!

Chappo