Do you scrape off the pre-boil foam?

[crowcrow]

I never bothered to before, but sure I saw it in a video, that people remove the pre-boil foam for 'reasons'.

Do any of you do that? What benefits does it provide?

I've tried it this time, and took loads off - no idea if my beer will be better or worse but keen to know the theory behind it.

Cheers!

 

[chopps]

It’s coagulated protein and I leave it to do its thing. You can remove it as foam or once it’s precipitated out with kettle finings after chilling. Either way, doesn’t seem to make any difference to the finished beer IMHO.

See The Impact Of Removing Hot Break During The Boil | exBEERiment Results!

http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/boiling-and-cooling/7-2-the-hot-break

 

[St00]

I leave mine, but I've seen people in videos skim there's. Removing it seems like extra work for no discernible benefit.

 

[Clint]

No.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I skim off the stuff that starts to appear as a sort of thick/creamy layer when you get into the mid 90s.... For no other reason than Foxbat said he does it and hes my clear beer guru. In general I have problems with the amount of trub going to the FV, and previous brews seen some of this fiand its way to bottles. I suspect my general technique surrounding bottling is just more robust now, but this was one of the things I started doing. Will probably keep doing so, it costs zero extra time

 

[Cwrw666]

I don't normally skim but I do if I'm making a low hops beer as otherwise the hot break crap blocks the filter and it's a pain to get the beer out of my boiler when that happens.
It doesn't affect the flavour at all. Best time to skim is just before it starts boiling as you get a nice easily removable crust without too much foam.

 

[DocAnna]

I didn't used to but I had an interesting experience with a high protein brew with lots of 'Insoluble denatured friggin hot side break proteins '
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/annas-brewdays.89471/post-1023255

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I always skim off the crud. I figure this means less in the bottom of my boiler so I can get more wort into the fermenter.

I’m happy to accept I may be wasting my time but we all have our little rituals!

 

[A fool's paradise]

I do, read somewhere it can add to bitterness and astringency which I certainly don't want. Maybe a waste of time but it doesn't take much time or effort so i'll continue.

 

[RichK]

I don't. I filter going into the fermenter.

 

[TonyT]

I do, just to minimise the amount of trub.

 

[Little Rock Brewing]

I haven't, but I will from now on.
I like to fiddle!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I always skim it off, because I can't resist fiddling!

 

[moto748]

I haven't, but I will from now on.
I like to fiddle!

Ha, me too!

 

[Worf]

I have not, but since coming to the desert I've had more issues with that foam boiling over as extract is added. (Causes issues with my gas cooker.)

What do folks use to skim it off? Just your stir-paddle?

 

[Slid]

I put in the bittering hops at First wort and stir everything back into the wort thereafter.
At first, I used to skim the "stuff" off, but stopped when I saw a David Heath video advising that it was all part of the process, or some such.

 

[The Baron]

I skim it off - the reason if it is removed it is less to make the beer cloudy. I know it should drop out when chilling but strange things happen with beer and it may not drop out all of time so I remove the chance

 

[Cwrw666]

What do folks use to skim it off? Just your stir-paddle?

I just use a table spoon. You never get it all off but I usually get a small bowlful. The trick is not to get any wort as well.

 

[TonyT]

I have not, but since coming to the desert I've had more issues with that foam boiling over as extract is added. (Causes issues with my gas cooker.)

What do folks use to skim it off? Just your stir-paddle?

I use a small nylon sieve.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

What do folks use to skim it off? Just your stir-paddle?

Flat perforated spoon - slide it under and lift up: the wort runs through :-)