To Cover or not to Cover?

[chanson16]

Is it better to boil uncovered or with lid slightly open or completely off? Or does it really matter??

 

[Yooper]

Lid off. Always.

You want volatiles, called SMMs (the precursors to DMS) to boil off. If you have a lid on, they will congregate in the condensate and drip back into the pot causing a cooked vegetable flavor in the finished beer.

 

[chanson16]

Ok. Thanks. I have always boiled with the pot partially covered but I am now in the pursuit of better beer. I thought I read somewhere it is better to boil lid off. Thanks again!

 

[jro238]

*should* you boil with lid off? Yeah. That being said I recently brewed a hefe and boiled the whole 60 min covered (brewing and drinking can have side effects after all). It came out great without any off flavors but who knows, maybe I just got lucky.

 

[RM-MN]

*should* you boil with lid off? Yeah. That being said I recently brewed a hefe and boiled the whole 60 min covered (brewing and drinking can have side effects after all). It came out great without any off flavors but who knows, maybe I just got lucky.

Try that again with Pilsner malt and see if you get the same results.

 

[AnOldUR]

You can leave the lid on to speed up reaching a boil, but once it gets there, lid off.





edit to say:
I have to watch very carefully. If the lid is still on when it starts to boil there will be a big mess to clean up!

 

[wobdee]

Well crap, I've been boiling with the lid partially on for a good dozen batches since I bought my electric induction plate and didn't think nothing of it. I have never had any vegetable or off flavors in any of my beers and I can't get a good rolling boil without the lid.

Now I'm a little worried and I suppose my beer will taste like rotten cabbage since this thread will be in the back of my mind. Lol

 

[zachattack]

If you're using extract, I believe DMS is much less of a concern. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[AnOldUR]

Well crap, I've been boiling with the lid partially on for a good dozen batches since I bought my electric induction plate and didn't think nothing of it.

I also induction boil, but insulating the pot made a huge difference. Have you tried that?


edit to add:
Induction is great because there no additional heat outside the pot to hurt the insulation. Anything that will handle 212 degrees will work fine.

 

[wobdee]

I also induction boil, but insulating the pot made a huge difference. Have you tried that?

edit to add:
Induction is great because there no additional heat outside the pot to hurt the insulation. Anything that will handle 212 degrees will work fine.

No I haven't tried insulating but I guess I will now. Maybe some of that aluminum faced bubble wrap?

 

[AnOldUR]

Maybe some of that aluminum faced bubble wrap?

That'll work fine. I use a neoprene Keg Koozy. How big's your pot?

 

[jro238]

Try that again with Pilsner malt and see if you get the same results.

Haha I was actually thinking 'I'm sure the fact that it was a hefe isn't hurting anything' right after I posted.

But +1 to heating water covered or even slightly covering boil if your heat source isn't strong enough to get a good boil otherwise (Have to do this sometimes with full boils on my electric stove).

...or I could just get a burner but whatever