Scum Skimming

[Pumpy]

Are you a Scum Skimmer , Do you remove that froth at the boil ,I do it now before adding the hops ,It is supposed to help make the brew smoother!!!!! .

Anyone boast any merits of this task ????


Pumpy

 

[Borret]

Are you a Scum Skimmer , Do you remove that froth at the boil ,I do it now before adding the hops ,It is supposed to help make the brew smoother!!!!! .

Anyone boast any merits of this task ????


Pumpy

[post="73300"][/post]​

Hi Pumpy,

An interesting question that I have a different lilt on. I have done it on the few boils that I have done so far however my question is with starters. Do you skim the same crap of the top of your starter wort when boiling or not?
I have done it and the yeast slurry looks alot cleaner at the end but is there beneficial yeast nutrients in the break that are important for starter growth? Something I have wondered for a while.

Cheers

Borret

 

[Ben]

I'm only new to all of this, but from what I understand, skimming can help reduce the likelyhood of boil overs. I tested the theory on the weekend - as soon as I skimmed the top off, the boil "settled down" and seemed more manageable.

Probably not unlike boiling pasta or rice. I'd imagine it has something to do with surface tension etc.

 

[Pumpy]

Borret,

I pour off my trub from my kettle into a gallon jar put it in the fridge and let it seperate.

I pour off the clear wort from the heavy trub from the gallon jar and aerate the good wort I add harvested yeast from the top of the primary main brew for this starter.

So I have a great starter for my next brew and seems to work well. generally I even bottle the brew from the starter for a couple of extra bottles .

I brew most weekends .

pumpy

 

[Pumpy]

Ben your right it does that , it works a treat too .

Pumpy

 

[TidalPete]

Am skimming the boil ATM & can't recall reading any posts on skimming for years so dragging out this old dinosaur of Pumpy's as I'm curious if anyone bothers skimming these days?

I'm a scum skimmer but that's no recommendation.

 

[QldKev]

I used to skim for the first year or so, then I tried a few brews without. To be honest I can not tell any difference in the final product. I never bother anymore.

 

[manticle]

Never bother unless I'm making chicken or beef stock.

 

[Dan Pratt]

I think of what they do for craft/commercial brewing scale and how that could relate to or be used for my home brewing...........they dont skim so why would I.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I do it for boil over protection if I'm not in a daring move or have a large 60min addition!!!

 

[fraser_john]

I used to skim for the first year or so, then I tried a few brews without. To be honest I can not tell any difference in the final product. I never bother anymore.

Per QldKevs response

 

[mosto]

I too, am a reformed skimmer. Originally done it as I didn't like the look of the crud forming on top of the boil. After a while decided I was taking too much of the good stuff with it, so I stopped. Haven't noticed any taste difference, and am getting greater volumes, therefore better efficiency, into the cube. By the end of the boil the crud is greatly reduced anyway, as I found out.

 

[Alex.Tas]

it gives me something to do whilst im waiting for it to come to the boil.
I generally get heaps of trub from my system so i figure why not remove it while its readily available.

 

[Flash_DG]

Most of my hops float about on top so I figured if i'm skimming then I'm throwing out the hops

 

[warra48]

I'm with most of the others who don't bother.

I did it for a while about 5 or 6 years ago. Then stopped and have noticed no difference.

 

[bradsbrew]

I'd go as far as saying that my beers are clearer when I am not skimming. Like alot of others, I did it when I first started but havn't skimmed for years.

 

[AndrewQLD]

Always have and always will, if I don't on my system I get a second foam up about 1/2 way through the boil and I usually have my back turned when it happens.
When I skim I don't get any foam up.

 

[Flaminghedgehog]

I am a skimmer for a couple of reasons.
1. I brew double batches in a 71L kettle so headspace is at a premium and as mentioned previously it seems to reduce the chance of a boilover.
2. On the one occasion that I did have a boilover I noticed that the crud solidified into an unpleasant looking grey rubbery substance that I figured my beer would be better off without.

 

[MHB]

I put this question to a brewing consultant, (ex-head brewer for Tooheys and was teaching at Ballarat Uni, IBD Master Brewer) so someone I would not argue with.
His opinion was that there is a finite amount of head building ingredients in a wort - so why would you remove any.
A portion of what people call scum is in fact very good for head building and retention in the finished beer. The parts that aren't wind up in the trub.
I suppose you can guess which way I swing on this one.
Mark

 

[Batz]

I put this question to a brewing consultant, (ex-head brewer for Tooheys and was teaching at Ballarat Uni, IBD Master Brewer) so someone I would not argue with.
His opinion was that there is a finite amount of head building ingredients in a wort - so why would you remove any.
A portion of what people call scum is in fact very good for head building and retention in the finished beer. The parts that aren't wind up in the trub.
I suppose you can guess which way I swing on this one.
Mark

This is similar to what I have been lead to believe, I was told it is mostly proteins and very beneficial for both yeast health and head building. This may or may not be the case, but I have never been a skimmer, and I do believe my beers are no worse because of it.

Batz