Boiler not boiling... big deal?

[shearclass]

Hi

Sincerely apologies to mods/admins if it is bad etiquette to start two thread concurrently. If you want to just add the text from this thread to my other post, i am fine with that, and apologies for the hassle.

Well basically after months of promising i finally give my kit ago with my first attempt at extract. it wasn't proper extract, it was one of the Brupaks Brewers choice things, which apparently don't need boiling, as the spray malt somehow has isomerised hop oils in it already. I bought this reduced to clear without realising this. It consists of a pack of spray malt, some grains and some hops, and you need to buy extra malt extract or spray malt (or sugar) to go with it.

However, undeterred, i thought it would be good to use as a trial run for my extract set up, which I did over teh weekend.

I usedan old aluminium boiler (leaving aside health concerns of aluminium for now...) which I uncovered in my granda's greenhouse.

This took over an hour to get the wort boiling, but it eventually got a good boil going with the lid on. However, once it had come to the boil and i removed the lid to add hops, the boil died right away. It was just about bubbling, but i am nto convinced it was actually boiling. I know that you have to have the lid off whilst boiling to boil away DMS (i think that's what it is called)

The boiler (even the wort!) was giving my mild electric shocks, so something obviously isn't working properly. It's so old i don't know if it can be repaired, or whether it would be economical to repair, or if I should just buy a new boiler, not that i really fancy the outlay presently.

QUESTION - until boiler is repaired or replaced, what would teh side affects be if the wort didn't boil properly? Shortly after the boiler was switched off, i stuck a thermometer in and got a reading of 90 degrees. Is this hot enough to do the job, boil the hops etc what WOULDN'T happen that should at this temperature?

Thanks in advance for your insightful replies, and apologies for the length of this post.

Cheers

 

[shearclass]

I should confirm that future brews will be proper extract, with fresh Liquid ME being bought in bulk, along with hops and steeping grains.

 

[BreadMurderer]

Jumping in here just to say that my first extract brew didn't boil either which ultimately meant the hops didn't release the oils and it was a sweeter drinking beer. Perfectly drinkable though and I soon sorted it out by converting my brew pot with an element. Sounds like your boiler might be goosed.

 

[rpt]

I'd be more worried about the side effect of being electrocuted.

 

[Duxuk]

I've always boiled with the lid on. Beer tastes great : You don't make as much smell if you're brewing indoors and don't lose as much water to evaporation.

 

[fbsf]

Regardless of any other considerations, if your boiler is giving shocks, get it professionally repaired (and tested) or bin it if repair is uneconomic.

Liquids and electricity aren't things to be played with. I've had a few belts of dry 240v over the years and got away with it. I dread to think what would have happened if water was involved.

 

[PD]

I'm certainly no expert but my perceived knowledge is that with the modern grains, having to boil off the nasties is not as important as it use to be,. and leaving the lid on is not as detrimental to the beer as it once was. however I do a bit of both...Lid off for first 20 mins then lid on ( whilst keeping an eye on the volume of the beer to get to target volume )

More important is your statement.... " getting mild electical shocks ! " That alone would tempt me to throw the old boiler to the back of the Council tip, and go back to kit beer making, until a new boiler was acquired...... You cannot rely of electric shocks being " mild "

At least get it looked at by a competent electrician....and enjoy brewing into your old age.

 

[PD]

sorry fbsf beat me to it

 

[rpt]

My understanding is that if a malt is fully modified then you don't have to worry about boiling off DMS because the malt doesn't contain any of the precursors. This seems to apply to all British pale ale malts. So in this case a shorter boil with the lid on should be ok. But if you are using pilsner malt then these are not fully modified and you do need to boil off the DMS, unless it suits the style of the beer you are making.

 

[graysalchemy]

You do however need a rolling boil to secure the Hot break and fix the hops. :thumb:

 

[rpt]

You also need a boiler that won't electrocute you. I thought I'd just say that again.

 

[Hawks]

You also need a boiler that won't electrocute you. I thought I'd just say that again.

I think its probably the most important part of this thread :shock:

 

[JKaranka]

I find that keeping the lid 3/4 on the pot keeps a rolling boil on my gas stove :)

 

[bunkerbrewer]

Regardless of any other considerations, if your boiler is giving shocks, get it professionally repaired (and tested) or bin it if repair is uneconomic.

Liquids and electricity aren't things to be played with. I've had a few belts of dry 240v over the years and got away with it. I dread to think what would have happened if water was involved.

Yep, another solid agreement here. I've had a couple of 240v shocks, one was right across my chest. I was fit and in my 20s, so it didn't stop my ticker. Doubt I'd be so lucky now.

 

[shearclass]

ha!

I have just been manically laughing out loud in the office at this. I get your point, I'll try not to kill myself. It was fien if you picked up the lid or toucehd the boiler whilst using a dish cloth, I found. However this is probably not a satisfactory way to go about doingt things.

I will get it fixed, or hoy it out, that seems to be the best solution.

Defo don't want to make any more kits. On the other, whilst it is amusing to report that wort gives you an electric shock, it's far from ideal.