Boiling When Using Kits

[Hefty]

Hi guys,
I've been reading a lot about boiling the wort recently, especially from howtobrew.com, and it all seems pretty straight forward but I've also read in different places that if you're using a kit that is pre-hopped then boiling for a hot break can take away most of the hop flavours in the kit.
If I'm wanting to use more hops with a pre-bittered kit for flavour more than just for aroma (eg a 15 minute boil rather than an infusion at the end) should I just boil these hops in some water separately, cool and then add to the rest of the wort?


Also, how do I actually know when the hot break has happened? What does it look like? What is the change in appearance?

Thanks guys!
Jono.

 

[The Big Burper]

Hi Hefty,

I put a couple of heaped tablespoons of dried malt in about 1 litre of water, dissolve this, then add the hops, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Strain into a
glass jar and keep stoppered until cool enough to add to the fermenter. I break open the Morgans hop pellet tea bags and add them. Cluster and Goldings are my favourite
aroma hops, and Saaz if I am making a lager style.

cheers
Dave

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

I have been shot down before for apparantly "giving advice" so this is what I do not what you have to do.When I make a K&K I boil up around 2-3 ltrs of water add my DME or LME bring it back to the boil and pitch in whatever ever hops I want to use. Boil for around 5 minutes, sieve it into my fermenter and add the Pre-hopped can of goo and top with water. What hops you use and so on is entirely up to you. You are right in saying that you should not boil up the pre-hoped can of goo, for the reasons you have been told.

BYB

 

[wambesi]

I have been shot down before for apparantly "giving advice" so this is what I do not what you have to do.When I make a K&K I boil up around 2-3 ltrs of water add my DME or LME bring it back to the boil and pitch in whatever ever hops I want to use. Boil for around 5 minutes, sieve it into my fermenter and add the Pre-hopped can of goo and top with water. What hops you use and so on is entirely up to you. You are right in saying that you should not boil up the pre-hoped can of goo, for the reasons you have been told.

BYB

I brewed my K&K's similarly, but I actually emptied the kit into the rest at flameout.
I stopped bothering to even filter the hops just throw everything in, it seems to settle out and I get no more sediment in my bottles then when I filtered the hops into the fermenter.

If using a can of malt extract (unhopped) I normally boil only half with the hops as it seems to darken somewhat.

 

[Brownie]

I concur with BYB and DBB.

There have been many threads on here that say boiling the hopped cans of goo does no favours to the Hop Extract in the can of goo.

I always boil my Light Dry Malt Extract, Dark Dry Malt Extract, Honey, Golden Syrup, Rice Malt Syrup, etc etc etc with whatever choice of hops in about 2 to 3 litres of water for 20 minutes then add the final hops for the last 10 minutes boil. This apparently gives bitterness first lot of hops and flavour second lot of hops.

I then add my hopped can of goo at flameout, let sit for a bit to cool, then into fermenter top up with chilled filtered or unfiltered water (depends on beer and energy at time), yeast and blah blah blah.

Whether true or not if this does anything, boiling make me feel good, give me something to do, and gives me some quiet thinkin time by myself.

I like the results and well.....I make the beers I make for me

I happy :icon_cheers:

 

[Hefty]

Sweet, sounds easy. thanks guys!
Jono.