Increased boil time for a better beer?

I've only recently gotten into the whole home brewing thing, and have been looking around at random bits of info on the net to get a better perspective of whats going on with each phase of the brewing process.

I found a little write up on http://bavarianbrewerytech.com/news/boilhops.htm which I found interesting in that it seems that their boil conventions may be out what what would be considered the norm.

I posted the link for anyone who is interested in the short read. Maybe five min or so.

The biggest part that interested me what the length of the boil time they use and their explanation of why. Basically they recommend an approx. 90 minute boil time. Not hop boil, but a 30 minute boil to adjust the wart appropriately and then to begin hop additions. Also that the total boil time should not exceed two hours, which I think I understand completely.

What I'm interested to know is how does this information stand with the rest of the brewing community?

It seemed logical and quite convincing to boil my wart for a half hour before I start hop additions, but maybe there is better more up to date info out there now as the write up they did was over 10 years ago.

I boil my lagers 90 min., allegedly it reduces DMS, which is more apparent in a very clean beer. There are also reports you get slightly higher isomeriztion of your hop oils.

Or, it is just awesome watching and smelling boiling wort, which is an equally valid point.

^^^^

What he said. The percentage decrease from 60 to 90 minutes is great so a lot of folk do that with lagers, which are usually considered harder to brew.

I always say "why boil for 60 minutes when 90 minutes is longer?"

Bwa ha ha. I like that. So far I'm getting 90 min is great for lagers to help clean up the beer eh. What about the ales which I'm more likely to be brewing? I'm kind of guessing that the same should hold true.

I have several recipes (all ales) that are 90 min boils. There is more isomerization with a 90 min boil (and removes DMS, especially if uncovered), so I almost always boil my IPAs and IIPAs for 90 mins.

There is also the added efficiency due to the increase in preboil volume to consider, I boil for 60 for my average ales, 90 for lagers if using pilsner malt and even 2hrs or more for really big beers allowing for an increase in Maillard reaction and preboil volume.

Yup, my preboil volume is usually 7.5 gals for a 5.25-5.5 gal batch. Normally averaging 5-6 oz of hops... I need to research this malliard reaction... new term! Can you sum it up quickly, or should I google that one?

Komocabo said:

I need to research this malliard reaction... new term! Can you sum it up quickly, or should I google that one?

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Protein + sugar + heat -> browning

Think crusty Italian or sourdough bread and how tasty it is.

I boil for 90-120min because that's how long it takes me to smoke my cigar and LP is cheaper than DME or candy sugar, so longer boil it is...

ioo said:

Protein + sugar + heat -> browning

Think crusty Italian or sourdough bread and how tasty it is.

Click to expand...

I like to think of steak cooked on a red hot skillet for mine but same thing

The article actually states not to add hops until well after the hot break is completed, after about a 30 minute violent boil. It doesn't mention FWH hopping schemes at all, which may contradict the premise.

So a 90 minute IPA has a total boil time of 120 minutes, of which the last 90 is with hops. And the first 30 without.

IslandLizard said:

The article actually states not to add hops until well after the hot break is completed, after about a 30 minute violent boil. It doesn't mention FWH hopping schemes at all, which may contradict the premise.

So a 90 minute IPA has a total boil time of 120 minutes, of which the last 90 is with hops. And the first 30 without.

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Yep. That is exactly what I thought the article says which I thought was a bit out of the norm. I thought I had expressed that in my first post, which is more or less why I had created this thread. Maybe I didn't get my intended question out correctly.

I dont know what it would really help/hurt for waiting that extra half hour. I do boil for 10 mins before adding hops to my Düsseldorfer, but that's about the only one. I.moght give it a try on saturday

I wait for the hot break before adding hops
But I can't see how boiling longer could be good.
Seems like the sugars wouldn't like it. But who knows..