Boiling Bock Wort

[tintin]

It's that time of year to be brewing bocks. I've read on this site about a longer than usual boil time for bocks (up to 5 hours!), I think for caramelisation. Would 2 hours do the job? I can't leave it simmering on the stove o/n because little kids and hot wort don't mix too well (it makes the beer taste strange).
While I'm at it, any opinions on this one (for a 22l partial mash batch)...

1kg light Munich
1kg dark Munich
100g choc
200g dark crystal

1.7kg amber LME
3.4kg light LME

28g Hallertau plugs @ 60 min
14g Hallertau plugs @ 15 min

WLP bock yeast

Thanks

 

[SJW]

I have done lots of All Grain Bocks and dark Lagers and 1.5 hours is all thats required. IMO any longer than that and your just wasting gas. I let it boil for 10 to 15 mins for hot break, then let boil for the 1 hour with hop additions. Much long then that it just ends up on the garage roof!

 

[SJW]

By the way, the recipe looks fine, But I would use Vienna in lieu of the Light Munich and not use plugs. But thats me!

 

[tintin]

Thanks. Just curious, why wouldn't you use plugs? Are pellets better?

 

[Trev]

One compromise position is to boil the first runnings separately, say 5 lites. Boil them down to half that whilst you're collecting the rest of the wort in your main kettle. Add the first runnings to the main kettle once they've reduced enough.

A lot less time and a lot less gas.

I haven't tried this myself (yet) but from what I've read it's a techniques used to get the caramelisation flavours into things like Barley Wine etc.

If you do, let us all know how it went, and if you can taste any difference?

Trev

 

[Darren]

Hey Tintin,

My advice would be to concentrate particularly well on the health and amount of yeast you are pitching. A lager needs extra yeast but a BIG lager needs a HUGE amount of yeast. I estimate you will need a good 5-10 litre starter to make a good example of style. The last ting you want in it is apple flavours that come with underpitching big beers like Bocks.

I guess the reason not to use plugs is they "steal" quite a bit of your beer and also you will be storing this beer for a while so many of the "freshness" associated with plugs will be lost in time.

cheers
Darren