Boil time

[Robert65]

BTW to address the actual question of the OP, for most of my beers all of my hops go in as FWH, and always at least a large portion of them. First sign of boil, 60 minute countdown starts. No boilovers, even when I don't use Fermcap.

 

[RPh_Guy]

For what it's worth, I have heard that too, but I don't know the mechanism (or know if it's really true).

MTF to the rescue
http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Dimethyl_Sulfide

 

[FloppyKnockers]

My timer starts right when I hit the start button.

 

[Brooothru]

This is why I don't wait until it's boiling (I'll add em a few defrees shy, like 208-210F near sea level). If the hops are already dispersed and saturated they're not gonna nucleate like they would actually at boil. Hot break does not factor into my timing at all. Hell, if I start the boil without hops, I'm MORE likely to get a boilover. This has been my experience when trying to do hop bursted/whirlpool only type beers.

Great points. One more update to incorporate in my processes and procedures.

Brooo Brother

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I also add hops just *before* boil. As it starts churning the hops break surface tension and keep the foaming and boilover risk down. As soon as boil starts, timer starts.

Same here. I probably should be more consistent about when I add my bittering hops...but I kinda figure that 60 min vs 70 min will not make much difference. Adding the hops before the boil starts helps to keep down the boil over risks (vs risking boil over when boil starts, then again when adding hops...though I have quite a bit of headspace in my kettles anyway).

 

[Qhrumphf]

Same here. I probably should be more consistent about when I add my bittering hops...but I kinda figure that 60 min vs 70 min will not make much difference. Adding the hops before the boil starts helps to keep down the boil over risks (vs risking boil over when boil starts, then again when adding hops...though I have quite a bit of headspace in my kettles anyway).

So many factors into bitterness that I don't pay mind to IBU calcs apart from getting to the ballpark for a first go at a recipe. Will it be more bitter than waiting and hopping later immediately starting timer? Sure, a little, but no calculator is gonna get the number right under either process. But if you're aware of it, then it doesn't matter either way. As long as that particular recipe is done the same way every time, that's all that matters. Adjust hopping relative to itself, and absolutely nothing else.

 

[balrog]

I figure there is more variation in hop bittering potential due to lots, storage & age than with any time variations of starting timers a few minutes here or there.