Boil Ups

[crd0902]

Sorry if this has been done before but I can't seem to find my answers. I've been reading about people adding crystal grains and hops and stuff and steeping ect at certain times in their boil. Is this with the coopers kits and stuff. I've been brewing kits for few years now and am now adding hops and Lme but just using hops like a cup of tea. Do people boil up the kits as well. Plz explain if you can thanks

 

[cam89brewer]

I would only add the kit at the end or only a short boil as if the kit had any hop aroma or flavour it could be boiled out if left for too long.
I know a lot of people who use kits with grain and hops additions and is just another step towards full AG brewing, but if using kits I wouldn't boil the hops for too long otherwise you will be doubling up on bitterness... better off using hops for flavour and aroma in these circumstances.

 

[crd0902]

Ok how do I use it for flavour and aroma instead of bittering

 

[crd0902]

So to do a boil means boil up some litres of water and your hops and what not and add your sugars and thekit

 

[cam89brewer]

Yeh pretty much. If you are steeping grains a lot of people say to just boil them and so do the local U brew it but I don't believe that is necessary, when I first did partials I only ever steeped at about 70C for approx 30 mins with a water/grain ratio of about 4Litres/1kg of grain and then drain or remove grains ( a grain bag or hop sock for speciality grains is very handy).

Then with the wort remaining add any extracts and adjuncts to the boil for approx 10 mins - 20 mins whilst adding hops additions for flavour at about 10 - 20mins to flame out and for aroma around about 5-10mins.

Also when starting off with these things it is good to follow a recipe in which if you read homebrewer/beerandbrewer magazine is very useful and only use the speciality grains lightly (no more than 500g for a 23litre batch when experimenting).

 

[crd0902]

Ok thanks

 

[cam89brewer]

I hope I helped you out a little anyway normally someone else has some type of opinion to back mine but I suppose its late-ish now...
I think you will find that no matter what you read or are told the best way to learn if from your own mistakes and experience. What I mean is brew a shit load. :beerbang:

 

[crd0902]

Oh I brew shitloads don't worry. The Missus reckons I got problems. Constantly got something brewing. Just tried honey in a Canadian blonde and kegged it today. Maybe frozen raspberries in a Canadian next. My mates look at me stupid but they shut up when they taste my beer lol. All fun and games. I'm starting to research about all grain but still a bit confusing yet. Get my kegs down pat first.

 

[cam89brewer]

Yeh I was the same and the missus had the same issues :lol: the only problem is the more involved you get the more she gets the shits oh well its worth it.

 

[crd0902]

You have helped answer my question yeah thanks.

 

[crd0902]

My Missus is pretty good cause she bought the kegerator. She just pulls the piss cause I'm always doin something or researching about my beer. I got a dedicated room in our house lol

 

[crd0902]

Next step is working out the equip to move to grains. That's months away yet

 

[crd0902]

My local shops aren't exactly a wealth of knowledge. I tell them what yeast to get me and what hops to put in so it's all up to ahb and google

 

[cam89brewer]

It is pretty easy to get carried away but I suggest that if you are like me try and restrain yourself a little :lol: if I let my self I would have a full scale brewery in my garage

 

[cam89brewer]

It is pretty easy to get carried away but I suggest that if you are like me try and restrain yourself a little :lol: if I let my self I would have a full scale brewery in my garage

 

[Yob]

If you are already using the stove top / gas cooker, look up nickjd's "move to all grain for $30", its a pretty good guide for starting out, if you have the space though, start your 3v build now, it can take a bit of time to get it all together and you can be researching while your building.

Yob

 

[crd0902]

Yob I'm not doing any stove top anything yet, just boiling some water in a jug and put the hop bag in for ten then tippin it in the fermenter but what's a 3v build I keep reading. Thanks for the post but I'll still have a read

 

[cam89brewer]

I would suggest that you get a feel for all grain before personalising your own 3 vessel system. The better and cheaper option is to start with BIAB and will make it easier to build a 3V system once you have a better understanding.

 

[Blitzer]

Just thought I would add to this rather than start my own thread.

Quick question around boils and adding hops, I'm doing an extract boil with a mini 5 litre boil for hops.
If I run this boil for 60 minutes I'm going to lose a lot of water. Do you keep topping up the water to a specific level to try and let the gravity sit at 1040 for the time?

Or do you just let the water boil out and not worry?

Thanks for your help

 

[Amber Fluid]

just let the water boil out and not worry?