20
Tip: If you haven’t already adjusted the settings for this phase you
can do this now.
Note: The brew controller must reach 100°C before the
countdown of the boiling period will start. You may experience
that the controller temperature reading is 99°C for a long
time. It can sometime help to place the lid back on. Be VERY
careful if doing this, as the wort can boil over very quickly. You
can remove any foam (caused by proteins) that is forming,
to reduce the likelihood of the wort boiling over. When the
controller display indicates 100°C it will trigger an audible
signal, and start counting down the clock.
You will now normally add the first hop addition, bittering hops to
the boiling wort. The added hops can also result in the formation
of foam and subsequently an boil-over condition.
Tip: You can place a mixing paddle or something similar across the
top of the brew kettle as this can help break the tension of the foam
forming, hence reducing the likelihood of the wort boiling over.
The boil should be a “rolling boil”. You can adjust the brew
controller heating power setting for the boiling phase (III) to
achieve this. The default value is 80%. Increase to 90% or 100%
for a more vigorous boil, or reduce below 80% if he boil is still
too vigorous.
During the first 5-20 minutes of boiling a “hot break” will occur.
This is when the proteins in the wort will clump together and
sink to the bottom. After a “hot break” the amount of foam will
be less, and there is a smaller risk of experiencing a boil-over
condition.
Do NOT place the lid back on during the boiling phase. During
the boiling of the wort some sulfur compounds (DMS) are
formed, and they are supposed to boil o. If they do not boil o,
they can add unfavourable flavours and aroma in the beer such
as cabbage or corn.
It is normal to loose about 10 % of the wort volume during
boiling, depending on the boiling time, how vigorous the wort is
boiled and the air humidity.
Caution: Do not boil your wort indoor without proper
ventilation.
Add the rest of you hops and other ingredients to your boiling
wort, according to your recipe. Non-dissolvable ingredients,
such as lemon grass, orange peel or whole hop cones should be
placed in a hop bag or something similar. This is to prevent larger
objects to clog up the pump, pipes or tap.
With 15 minutes remaining of the boiling time, insert the
immersion chiller into the brew kettle. This will sanitize the
immersion chiller steel tubing. Start out by first connecting one
end of a garden hose style tubing to a cold water tap, and the
other end to the inlet of the immersion chiller. Then connect
another hose to the immersion chiller outlet. The open end of
the hose shall be placed in an open drain or in a sink.
With 5 minutes of the boiling time remaining, attach the
whirlpool pipe to the riser pipe. Open the riser pipe valve and
start the pump to sanitise the pump and pipes. Be aware of air
coming out of the whirlpool pipe as it can cause splashing of
boiling wort.
When the boiling process is complete, an audible signal will
sound and the brew controller will switch itself o.
Cooling:
With the immersion chiller already placed in the brew kettle,
open the cold water tap and allow cold water to flow through the
immersion chiller. The first water coming out of the chiller hose
will be hot, then gradually get colder as the wort gets colder.
The pump can continue to run, creating a whirpool movement in
the brew kettle. This movement of wort around the immersion
chiller pipe will contribute to even faster cooling. It is possible
to cool without the pump running, but the cooling time will
increase.
During cooling the clumped proteins and particles from the
hops will sink to the bottom. This process is called cold break,
and the mix is called trub. The trub can get into you pipe and
clog the pump preventing further circulation. If switching the
pump o and back on again does not solve the clogging problem,
switch o the pump and disconnect the whirlpool arm. Using the
hose from the lid, connect the hose to the riser pipe and blow
into the hose. This may move any stuck fragments or trub from
the pump and push it back into brew kettle. Be aware of any
splashing in the brew kettle caused by the air you blow into the
hose.
TIP: Please note that the temperature in the display will continue
to show the current temperature reading. With the sensor in the
bottom of the brew kettle covered by trub, the trub will function
as an insulator thus preventing the sensor from reading the actual
temperature in the wort. You may therefore use an external
thermometer to check the actual temperature of the wort.
Note: anything coming in contact with the wort when its
temperature is less than 70°C should first be sanitised.
Continue to cool down the wort until its temperature reaches
your yeast pitching temperature, normally 25°C (check the
recommendation for your yeast or recipe). You can now switch
o the pump. Open the tap ball valve to transfer the wort into
you fermenting vessel. Add the yeast to your wort. Close the
fermenting vessel and add an air-lock. Remember to add some
water to air-lock. Shake the fermenting vessel to mix oxygen into