Boil timings

[PaulStat]

I'm curious why sometimes you boil 90 mins and others boil 60 mins.

This next brew will be the first time I've boiled 60 mins, but I don't know why I'm boiling for the shorter time, i'm just following what was laid out in someone's brew day

[Whorst]

I've found that 60 minutes is adequate for most styles.

[agentgonzo]

A longer boil can give you a better hot-break and lead to clearer beer. It depends on your water chemistry, mash and any copper finings you use. It may help, it may not.

Sometimes a longer boil is used to reduce the water content to make a bigger (higher %) beer.

[Buzz]

I do 60mins for porters and stouts where clarity is not such an issue but do a minimum of 90mins on bitters and pale ales for the reasons outlined above.

[jubby]

Some of the recipe's in Mark Ollosson's 'Real Ales For The Home Brewer' recommend a 120 minute boil. Apparently it improves the keeping qualities of the finished beer. Mine never lasts that long, so it's not an issue for me.

Some breweries boil for one hour, but they have a very vigorous boil. I spoke with a head brewer who recommended 90 minutes because i probably would not be able to achieve this vigorous boil.

I know it doesn't answer your question PS, but it's a bit more info.

PS, How's the Leffe? I see you have it in one of your kegs. I will try one of these soon.

[PaulStat]

PS, How's the Leffe? I see you have it in one of your kegs. I will try one of these soon.

Heh, I should probably change that to conditioning, I'll let you know in a couple of weeks

[hoppingMad]

A 90 min boil is the "generally accepted" sufficient boil time, whatever that means... Many do a 60 min boil and get the results they are happy with, and it saves time.
With All Grain brewing, the time factor over the whole session becomes more important for some than for others. It's difficult to save a whole heap of time just in one single area, so many people shave off a few minutes at several stages throughout the day, saving a few minutes here and a few there which all add up to a considerably faster brew day.
Time saving, as I've already alluded to, is not the only reason for a 60 min boil.

[mysterio]

I personally go for the 90 minute boil whenever I can. Thirty minutes of boiling before the hops go in.

[RabMaxwell]

I am doing a scottish ale in the morning it will be getting 150 min boil plus some off the first runnings will be boiled in a separate boiler & added back.Other beers styles nomally get 90 mins though.

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Anyone know a rough idea how much a 90min boil would cost on a 2.4kw element per hour?
With the electricity prices as they are I've gone down to a 60min boil.

John

[edit1now]

2.4kW element switched on for 90 minutes = 1.5*2.4 = 3.6kWh @ E.ON primary rate of 32.55p/kWh = £1.17 including VAT. If it came out of the secondary rate (after you've used the first 225kWh) then it would be 3.6kWh * 15.12p/kWh = 54.4p including VAT.

Other providers have different rates

These calculations don't include the time taken for the wort to reach the boil from run-off temperature and any subsequent cooling.

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Thanks,
Looking at the cost involved I might try a 10 min simmer!!

John

[edit1now]

I might try a 10 min simmer!

Making a Berliner Weisse then?