Stirring Wort In Kettle

[tipsy_mcstagger]

Should I be stirring the wort during the boil? Is there a danger of aeration, leading to oxidation?

Thanks

Tipsy?

 

[///]

Should I be stirring the wort during the boil? Is there a danger of aeration, leading to oxidation?

A rolling boil completes the action itself. No need to worry about oxidation, if you have seen a whirlpool run you'll never worry about it again.

Scotty

 

[Adamt]

No reason why you can't stir, I like to stir my hops around (in my hopsock) to "aid extraction" in a way. The key is stir, don't splash.

 

[sqyre]

I stir every 5-10 minutes untill it reaches a rolling boil to try and keep all the wort around the same temp.

I have noticed if i dont stir it boils the stagnent wort at the bottom of the kettle while the wort at the top stays considerably cooler..A quick stir shows a considerable temp jump at the top each time.

Once it reaches the rolling boil i leave it alone..

Stirring during a rolling boil for me, creates this wierd surging boil that throws the wort clean out of the kettle... :blink:



Sqyre...

 

[therook]

How do you brewers describe a rolling boil???????????

rook

 

[Trent]

Rook
A rolling boil is when it is bubbling continuosly. Put a couple of litres of water in a pan, and put it on the stove, full bore. You will notice when it starts to boil (a few bubbles coming up) to a rolling boil, where bubbles are constantly coming up, making all the liquid roll around, and stir itself basically.
All the best
Trent

 

[Ross]

How do you brewers describe a rolling boil???????????

rook

Pic here Rook, courtesy of Pat's first AG day...


Cheers ross

 

[KoNG]

Ironically...That picture has probably saved us all reading one of PP's 3000 word essays on the meaning of "rolling boil"

 

[yardy]

This is sort of on topic and I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, my last AG (4th), I had a pretty agressive boil on the go, at the first hop addition it wasn't a boilover but it rose significantly up the kettle and there was quite a lot of hops deposited above the fluid level, my question is, do any of you guys and gals bother to try and get that hop residue back into the boil ?
Will it affect the hop utilisation if i don't ?

Cheers

 

[bconnery]

Ironically...That picture has probably saved us all reading one of PP's 3000 word essays on the meaning of "rolling boil"

So a picture really is worth a thousand words...

Or three thousand PP words

 

[PistolPatch]

Tipsy,

Determining and establishing a good rolling boil requires the careful consideration of various factors which I will briefly outline below...

( Just joking guys. I'm going to bed. (No fuel on board tonight!)

Hey Tipsy, you're in Perth! Look forward to having a beer with you at some stage.

All the best,
Pat

 

[Trent]

Yardy
I have no idea if the hops sticking to the side of the kettle affects the utilisation or not for sure, but I usually don some form of hand protection (like my snowboard gloves!) and use my paddle to wipe the hops on the side of the kettle back in. My thinking is, if it aint being boiled, it aint being utilised.
All the best
Trent

 

[yardy]

Yardy
I have no idea if the hops sticking to the side of the kettle affects the utilisation or not for sure, but I usually don some form of hand protection (like my snowboard gloves!) and use my paddle to wipe the hops on the side of the kettle back in. My thinking is, if it aint being boiled, it aint being utilised.
All the best
Trent

Thanks for the reply Trent,
I tried to get as much as I could back in the boil with the paddle but a lot of it was sitting in the recess of the 'ribs' of the kettle (keg), maybe a spray bottle with some pre-boiled water is the go.
Cheers
Yard

 

[warrenlw63]

I usually only stir as the boil approaches... Reasons being? Probably unfounded nonsense but I'm paranoid of the heavier first runnings sitting on the bottom of the kettle and scorching and I stir just to mix the whole wort up.

Once the boil starts the mechanical action is enough to agitate and take care of things on it's own. Then I only give a quick stir with every hop addition to stop them sitting on the sides of the kettle.

Rook: You'll know a rolling boil when you see it. It can sometimes lead to a boilover. :blink:

Can't see any reason why you can't stir when the need arises though. As others have said the risk of HSA does not factor. That being said as soon as you hear that dreaded acronym somebody will have words to the contrary. h34r:

Warren -

 

[KoNG]

Thanks for the reply Trent,
I tried to get as much as I could back in the boil with the paddle but a lot of it was sitting in the recess of the 'ribs' of the kettle (keg), maybe a spray bottle with some pre-boiled water is the go.
Cheers
Yard

I would think the fact these hops are not "in" the wort means they of course are not being utilised. I would also think that 99% of all homebrewers weigh their hops out to atleast the nearest gram or pellet, so taking that into account, you may aswell try and get that ring of hops back in the boil. Spray bottle is a great idea yardy, but no need to pre boil, just spray away with some tap water.... which also helps to control the boil if needed. B)

KoNG

 

[mikem108]

I usually only stir as the boil approaches... Reasons being? Probably unfounded nonsense but I'm paranoid of the heavier first runnings sitting on the bottom of the kettle and scorching and I stir just to mix the whole wort up.



Warren -

I concur with the heavier runnings sitting on the bottom of the kettle, took a reading from the top of the kettle with my newly aquired refractometer converted it and went "what the... I've just spent two hours making coloured water with a gravity reading of 1.022!!!" After a few minutes of rolling boil, took another reading and found it to be a more acceptable 1.054 phew