Extract brews coming out too dark.

And when the foam subsides, is there a significant amount of coagulated proteins, i.e. the "egg drop soup" or flakey chunks? If not, you got foaming, but not a hot break. Picture please.

 

I have no scientific knowledge of what was going on during my extract batches. I probably stated hot break because of what I read in Palmers book when I started brewing. At the time I also did partial boils and that could have helped with the amount of foaming for me. Anything I post on this site is practical knowledge that works well for me. Take care.

 

There was always extra material in my pot when I was done boiling. I have always used hop bags. Take care.

 

Palmer never says that the foam is the hot break, merely that they happen at the same time. I've always been under the impression that the foam and the break material were two separate things, but I could be wrong.

 

But John Palmer is saying that extract wort does have a "hot break".

Cheers!

 

Ah, missed that you pulled that quote from that section

 

From the book Homebrewing Vol. 1 by Al Korzonas (which covers extract brewing):

“After about ten minutes into the boil, the proteins that cause the boilover have coagulated into globs and the risk of boilover is considerably lower (but it can still occur, so don’t leave the kettle unattended). As the hot break forms, it will create a brown film on top of the wort…”

Cheers!

 

I take it you have no intention of providing the picture you promised, showing proteinaceous break material after the foam subsides. Instead you'll continue to quote old home brewing books. Is that about right?

 

I didn't realize that books that were published a few years ago makes the information in them false.

Cheers!

 

Typical evasion. Please post the picture or stop making the claim.

 

Warning: the below information is from an “old book”.

From The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian:

“Called the “hot break,” this reaction can be seen taking place in the brewpot. After a short period of boiling, your wort begins to exhibit a cloudiness and has flakes of coagulated protein floating in it. This coagulation and precipitation can be dramatically demonstrated by removing a small amount of the wort into a preheated glass. You will observe the pea-sized flakes of protein settle to the bottom.”

The above is for an extract wort.

Cheers!

 

Warning: the below information is from a “new post”.

So, you are saying that in your extract batches, you are getting significant "flakes of coagulated protein" that remain after the foam subsides? All you have to do is post the picture you promised. Failure to do so would be intellectually dishonest.

 

To continue the query, do any of you extract or all-grain brewers ever make attempts to filter out these flakes of protein? Much is made of reducing the amount of trub that passes to the fermenter. My normal practice is allowing 20-30 minutes after cooling for the hot break/proteins to settle to the bottom of the kettle. I'm wondering if filtering during boil would prove prudent.

 

Al Korzonas in his book recommends that you skim the hot break when it first forms:

“I use a stainless steel sieve but a slotted spoon can be used”.

Cheers!

 

Last time I brewed, I tried to grab a chunk with a spoon out of curiosity, to no avail. But wouldn't removing it prevent it from, you know, becoming - or contributing to - beer?

Per the hilarious back-and-forth still in progress between Jack and @VikeMan, I'd like to address this question to Jack: Does the example given by Palmer examine the boiling of a dry extract, or a liquid extract? I have brewed twice, and with LME both times. There was obviously a hot break (complete with the coagulated proteins). Jack, I know you brew with Dry extract. Do you personally see a lot of the 'egg drop soup' business happening after your foaming stage?

I ask because it occurs to me that there may be a miscommunication happening.

 

IMO, no.

I have witnessed hot break occurring when I have used liquid malt extract and when I have used dried malt extract.

Cheers!

Edit: I previously posted in this thread: "A loooong time ago I made a Saison using Briess Pilsen DME where I decided to add half of the DME for the last 15 minutes of the boil. Those last 15 minutes were a BIG pain in the butt; I was constantly watching and adjusting the heat to ‘manage’ the boiling wort since it was constantly trying to boil over."

 

I ferment in plastic buckets and use a nylon paint strainer over it then pass the wort through. This strains most all material. Take care.

 

Smart! Can you reuse the strainer? Do you find that your individual bottles have less sediment?