90 minute boil necessary?

tigertim · May 28, 2022

Hi there,

When I first got back to all-grain brewing 6 months ago, I got a couple of kits from BrewUK to get me started. But after I'd brewed the first one, I got rather overexcited on seeing some tasty-looking recipes which then took priority and ended up geting brewed first. So now I've cleared the backlog, I still have the one remaining kit left over - the Craftybrews St Austell Proper Job clone. I want to get it brewed because it's been sitting around for a while and everything is still (just) in date.

However, I note in the instructions it calls for a 90 minute boil and I was wondering (with rising energy costs) whether it's really necessary. I have read that many brewers using modern grains are now actually opting for a 30 minute boil, so I was wondering if I could at least cut this kit down from a 90 minute to a 60 minute?

Cheers!

An Ankoù · May 28, 2022

I think we had a thread on this quite recently. Strictly speaking, no. the 90 minutes is to get the most bitterness out of the hops. Some say 30 minutes is enough and others go less. I wouldn't boil for less than 60 minutes. Historically, fuel has been cheap and so long boils were common. Things have changed since those heady days.

tigertim · May 28, 2022

Brill, thanks for the reply. I guess the extra 30 minutes probably wouldn’t break the bank (a 2kW element for 30 minutes being 1kWh, so about 27p) but good to know for future reference. Sorry to duplicate post, too - I’ll seek out the other thread

Agentgonzo · May 28, 2022

Cost of the boil. is the previous ~~argument~~ thread about it. General concensus (if there is anything) is that 60 minutes is average/normal. I'm not going to stick my head above the parapet and comment on whether 30 would be acceptable or not. I suggest you read the thread (if you have time/patience!) and draw your own conclusions

Chippy_Tea · May 28, 2022

Agentgonzo said:
Cost of the boil. is the previous ~~argument~~ thread about it.

It wasnt the "cost of boil" thread it was this one where WW3 nearly started -

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/cut-short-30min-boil.98891/post-1139478

Sandimas · May 28, 2022

Irrespective of whether you choose 30, 60 or 90min for the boil, the main problem is that's it's a kit with a fixed amount of hops. If you reduce the boil time you need more hops to hit the same bitterness, and you won't have them in the kit. You need to plug the figures into some recipe software like Brewers Friend and work out how much extra you need, you'll likely only need more of the main bittering hop.

Or you could just stick with what you have and end up with a beer of reduced bitterness. But Proper Job is quite bitter so it won't taste the same. BTW, the Crafty Brews Proper Job is spot-on, I did an A/B comparison when we were staying next to a St Austell pub many years ago - great kit.

Pennine · May 28, 2022

I thought we agreed 71 minutes and 23 seconds was the appropriate boil time?

pilgrimhudd · May 28, 2022

90 minutes is definitely the optimum time for the boil.

pilgrimhudd · May 28, 2022

60 or 30 minutes is all you need.

The Baron · May 28, 2022

45 Minutes - nuff said!!!
:laugh8:

Chippy_Tea · May 28, 2022

the baron said:
45 Minutes - nuff said!!!

Straight down the middle :laugh8:

tigertim · May 28, 2022

Thanks again for all the input! I think I’ll just do a 90 minute boil in case the wort objects to an earlier flameout and turns into a chest-bursting alien. I’ll be doing this one at my partners house anyway, so the energy cost is largely irrelevant

I’m sure she’ll have the odd pint!

The Baron · May 28, 2022

A foot in both camps Chippy athumb..

Agentgonzo · May 28, 2022

tigertim said:
Thanks again for all the input! I think I’ll just do a 90 minute boil in case the wort objects to an earlier flameout and turns into a chest-bursting alien. I’ll be doing this one at my partners house anyway, so the energy cost is largely irrelevant I’m sure she’ll have the odd pint!

The extra cost, spread over roughly five gallons end up as a penny (maybe two!) per pint. I'm hoping your partner won't mind too much!

Davegase · May 29, 2022

I would say that the boil should be at least 62.5 minutes maybe even as much as 63.25 minutes

Brianbrewed · May 29, 2022

With a 90 minute boil you will get some wort caramelisation.
Good for some styles of beer.

chthon · May 29, 2022

Brianbrewed said:
With a 90 minute boil you will get some wort caramelisation.
Good for some styles of beer.

No you won't. Caramelisation occurs for fructose at 110° C, and for other sugars at 160° C. What you might have more is formation of Maillard components. However, if your wort pH is good (acidy, 5.0-5.3) even that will be minimal, because Maillard components form much better at high pH (> 7.0).

Unless you boil your kettle dry, the temperature at the bottom of the vessel will always be around 100°C, maybe a bit more because of the sugars, but certainly not 10° higher.

MrRook · May 29, 2022

According to the IBU program I use, it doesn't take a huge increase in hops.

I go by TINSETH.

gavp1979 · May 29, 2022

As well as hops I would think that you would also have to consider how much less boil off you will have with a shorter boil and the affect that will have on the final abv

Brianbrewed · May 29, 2022

chthon said:
No you won't. Caramelisation occurs for fructose at 110° C, and for other sugars at 160° C. What you might have more is formation of Maillard components.

That's what I meant, Maillard, damn auto correct

90 minute boil necessary?

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