Boiling water

[dandy]

This may sound like a really stupid question but I am pretty new to brewing and have been watching a lot of youtube videos to get up to speed with things. For a simple kit, a lot of the guys online seem to boil up their water in a pan on the hob. Is there any reason for this - why not just boil up three or four kettles full and add it in to the malt extract? Does it make any difference?

 

[kelper]

I use even less. One kettle full (1.7 litres) and this is to thin the gloopy extract and rinse out the pouch or tin. If you use more even topping up with cold, Highland tap water you will likely end up with a 'wort' that is too hot to pitch in the yeast. Just put the tins in a sink FULL of very hot tap water for 15 mins or more so you can empty most of the gloop. When you rinse out the cans with boiling water do use rubber or oven gloves to save a nasty burn.

There may some stupid answers on this forum, but there are never stupid questions. So fire away and you will really enjoy the hobby and save money!

 

[Gulpitdarn]

My answer might sound stupid, but I don't use our kettle because it is usually full (well not that much) of loose limescale. No one here bothers to clean it out. (Wonder if a 'Limescale' Stout is nice?)

 

[Gerryjo]

My answer might sound stupid, but I don't use our kettle because it is usually full (well not that much) of loose limescale. No one here bothers to clean it out. (Wonder if a 'Limescale' Stout is nice?)

Surely if it was loose it would pour out with the water...

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Surely if it was loose it would pour out with the water...

Not every drop is poured out.

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi dandy, welcome to the forum, by the way

... been watching a lot of youtube videos to get up to speed with things. For a simple kit, a lot of the guys online seem to boil up their water in a pan on the hob. Is there any reason for this - why not just boil up three or four kettles full and add it in to the malt extract?

... were those videos made in American kitchens by any chance? It's just that those living in countries without a tea drinking culture (some might say in less civilised countries ) don't always have kettles in their kitchens, and filter coffee makers/Nespresso machines just won't produce you enough hot water to brew with ... if you have a device for boiling water, and you want boiling/boiled water, well, you're going to use it aren't you

Cheers, PhilB

 

[Gerryjo]

Not every drop is poured out.

Why would you not just pour it out and clean it.Put a bit of oxyclean in it and boil,rinse and boil again.Simples.

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Why would you not just pour it out and clean it.Put a bit of oxyclean in it and boil,rinse and boil again.Simples.

Sounds like a plan, I'll suggest it to the missus.

 

[Victor Churchill]

If you can get hold of citric acid that works well for clearing out the scale. I tried using white vinegar once and that removes the scale but needs a lot of rinsing afterwards.
There are domestic descaler products too that do a decent job but I don't know what's in them.

 

[Jakeyboi]

Use the kettle, it’s much easier and you won’t add too much hot water and need up having to cool the wort down before pitching.

 

[Drunkula]

There are domestic descaler products too that do a decent job but I don't know what's in them.

Citric acid. Some say it on the label, some you can tell as soon as you taste it.

 

[Hoppyland]

This may sound like a really stupid question but I am pretty new to brewing and have been watching a lot of youtube videos to get up to speed with things. For a simple kit, a lot of the guys online seem to boil up their water in a pan on the hob. Is there any reason for this - why not just boil up three or four kettles full and add it in to the malt extract? Does it make any difference?

No reason at all. If you feel the need to kill off any common spoilage yeasts/bacteria that might be in your water, then boiling it in a kettle is as good a method as any. Personally, I wouldn't bother - I'd just dilute with tap water and take it from there. In my experience it's a theoretical rather than an actually practical risk.
However, if you haven't done many brews, then you are going to worry about things going wrong. So boil the water. It doesn't cost that much, and it will put your mind at rest about one avenue of potential problems. Go for the kettle!

 

[Gerryjo]

This may sound like a really stupid question but I am pretty new to brewing and have been watching a lot of youtube videos to get up to speed with things. For a simple kit, a lot of the guys online seem to boil up their water in a pan on the hob. Is there any reason for this - why not just boil up three or four kettles full and add it in to the malt extract? Does it make any difference?

As @kelper says a kettle is plenty and unless your tap water isn't safe to drink just use it.Alot get too anal and go OTT and as long as your cleaning and sanitising is up to scratch you shouldn't have any worries.
If I've used a kit or need to dilute my brew I use tap water cold and straight from the tap which has the added benefit of cooling.

 

[dandy]

Thanks for the replies.

Most of the videos I took a look at were brewmaster Ben on YouTube. Quite good for a bit of background for a newbie.

 

[dandy]

Another question lads, when bottling, is there anything wrong with spooning a bit of sugar into each bottle then siphoning directly into the bottle rather than via a second bucket?

 

[Gulpitdarn]

Another question lads, when bottling, is there anything wrong with spooning a bit of sugar into each bottle then siphoning directly into the bottle rather than via a second bucket?

Nothing wrong with that at all, I usually make a paper funnel to spoon sugar into bottle.

 

[Druncan]

Hi Dandy, depending on your finishing gravity the bottles may foam up. I used to make up a pre-boiled and cooled sugar solution and spoon that in with a pre-boil rinsed funnel. Less mess IMHO, Enjoy!

 

[DavidDetroit]

spooning a bit of sugar

A lot of people swear by that method. An alternative is to mix sugar and water, boil and add the cooled priming solution to the bottling bucket. The other is carbonation drops.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Hi Dandy, depending on your finishing gravity the bottles may foam up. I used to make up a pre-boiled and cooled sugar solution and spoon that in with a pre-boil rinsed funnel. Less mess IMHO, Enjoy!

I found golden syrup to carb up gets around foaming up - saved my last batch of wheat beers when other technique failed.