Weak boil

I have brewed several smaller batches (working with about 3.5 gallons of water) on my stove, and I am also used to these weak boils. Not sure why, maybe just the larger quantity doesn't get rolling as well. It hasn't seemed to adversely affect any aspect of the finished product. Still get expected gravity readings, etc.

 

I bring my boils down closer to simmers during the cooking process without any problems (so far!); can't imagine it would have any major effect because water doesn't - not counting for other chemicals and pressure - get above 212 degrees F anyway, so once you've reached boiling you have maxed out on that water's temp threshold.

 

“Will this have a bad effect or is a boil a boil and doesnt matter?”

Well, it is preferable to have a strong rolling boil. A strong boil has two benefits:

·It helps isomerize the bittering hops (achieve ‘good’ hop utilization)

·It helps in creating a clear beer

It would appear that the Bayou Classic SQ14 burner does not have enough BTUs to get your volume (6.5 gallons) boiling properly.

Cheers!

 

Many people use the SQ14 for 10+ gallon batches.

 

The OP posted: “I was using at 10.5 gallon kettle on a Bayou Classic SQ14. It took around 45-60 minutes to get it to boil. Once I did get a boil it seemed weak.”

Perhaps you can advise him on how he could get his SQ14 to achieve a rolling boil?

Cheers!

 

No. I can't, because I don't own that model. But I do know enough people who use it to know that advising him that it doesn't have enough BTUs (over 50K IIRC) for a 5 gallon batch is silly.

 

Hmm, that's an odd one.. Is it possible your tank was low, and you were not getting enough pressure to really get the thing rippin?

 

It is very presumable this beer will have chill haze, so i would advise you to add a bit of silica gel at secondary to reduce stale flavoring.

 

Weird...I have SQ-14's, and I have to watch my boils like a hawk once I hit my break, even for a 5-gallon batch. I can boil over really easily unless I stir and spray with starsan, and I dial it back a fair amount and still maintain a good rolling boil after it comes up.

Was this your first time using the burner? Was it windy? New propane tank or regulator? Could something be up with your regulator/hoses? Maybe try hooking it all up and spraying everything down with soapy water or starsan to check for leaks.

As others have said, a good rolling boil is desirable to help proteins precipitate and drop out during fermentation to get a clearer beer.

 

I have an SQ-14 and can get 6.5 gallons to a boil in 15 min. Did you have an orange flame and get a lot of soot on the bottom of your kettle? If so then your air intake is closed and thats your problem. Open the air intake on the burner until you have a pure blue flame.

 

Holy Crap. Welcome back!

 

Yes, how was your hiatus?

 

true, water boils at 212. but the vigor of the boil is important. not end of the world crucial, but important. a good brew will be virtually jumping out of the pot. this mixes the hop isomers very well, contributes to hot break and also creates some maillard reactions. i like to think of my kettle as a cauldron.

i would also question the accuracy of the thermometer. if the OP saw boiling but read 210, something is off and i suspect the thermometer is not accurate by a few points.
Cheers.

 

Hey,,, welcome back!

 

About fookin'time.

 

Remember that 212 is boiling for pure water at sea level... I have no clue what the altitude of his location is, but higher elevations can drop the temp a bit. http://whatscookingamerica.net/boilpoint.htm

 

Time-to-boil can be reduced by heating a partial wort volume before the full pre-boil volume has been collected.

Other ways to encourage your wort to a reach a rolling boil...
- Cover the pot with a lid until ramming speed is breached.
- Cover the boil kettle with a fry-pan 'splatter screen' which reducies heat loss while allowing steam to escape.
- Cover the kettle with lid and fry-pan 'splatter screen'...then tip the lid periodically to drain off the condensate.

 

This only applies to extract brewing, but you can leave the lid on partially during the boil to keep some heat in. The risk of DMS is virtually non-existent as it as already been driven off during the manufacturing process.

 

Cool story bro.