[wellifiwasme]

so, recently I have started boiling a while before my first addition as opposed to putting in my first hop addition as soon as I reach boil point, this does require you to add a little bit more water but my thoughts behind it are that when I first hit boil I often still have a bit of foam being produced by my wort and I like to think of the sugars that create that foam being fully broken down before I put anything else into the mix. I know there is still an hour to 90 min (on average) of brewing after but it still seems like longer boils dont really hurt anything and you should want all of your reactions to be done before you add something else, just curious if anyone has thoughts on this or more hopefully that someone who has a better handle on the Chemistry than my unschooled self has will weight in.

[Rattlesnake44]

For no other reason than its just the way I was taught and the way I've always done it, I boil for about 5-10 min before starting any additions or my timer. This lets my 1st and subsequent runnings thoroughly mix, I can then take a sample and get a pretty good idea of my preboil gravity.

[santoch]

I have been doing it that way for a long time.  I like to bring my beer all the way up to hot break before starting my hop clock.  For light colored beers with more pilsner malt, I let it go even longer.  Then I add my bittering addition and start the clock.

[HoosierBrew]

Same here. I add my first hop addition after coming up to hot break. 


EDIT -  Obviously, except for beers I FWH.

[braufessor]

Same here. I add my first hop addition after coming up to hot break.

Yep - same here..... a short boil and hot break.... then I start the timer on the "60 minute boil."

[JT]

Opposite here.  I add first hops before boil and they seem to help control foaming.

[troybinso]

I do both. First wort hops, then boil for a few minutes. Take a gravity reading then add bittering hops.

[reverseapachemaster]

Hot break is formed from coagulating proteins not from a sugar reaction. I'm not sure how adding hops has any effect on protein coagulation.

If your process works for you then maybe there is no reason to change.

[hopfenundmalz]

Sometimes I use FWH,and add the hops as I run off from the mash into the kettle.
Sometimes for a 90 minute boil I go 30 minutes before the hops go into the kettle.
Sometimes all of the hops go into a whirlpool, none in the boil.
Sometimes I boil for a couple hours before 60 minute hops go in so that I can get a really high OG for a Barleywine.

Don't get hung up on any one technique. Think about the resulting beer you are trying to brew and how to get there.

[inbituinthebrew]

Sometimes I use FWH,and add the hops as I run off from the mash into the kettle.
Sometimes for a 90 minute boil I go 30 minutes before the hops go into the kettle.
Sometimes all of the hops go into a whirlpool, none in the boil.
Sometimes I boil for a couple hours before 60 minute hops go in so that I can get a really high OG for a Barleywine.

Don't get hung up on any one technique. Think about the resulting beer you are trying to brew and how to get there.

I do a lot of the second one especially when I'm working with Pilsner malt. Has anyone noticed any change in SRM or taste due to the longer boil? Or is there little change if only for a slightly extended boil time?

[HoosierBrew]

Sometimes I use FWH,and add the hops as I run off from the mash into the kettle.
Sometimes for a 90 minute boil I go 30 minutes before the hops go into the kettle.
Sometimes all of the hops go into a whirlpool, none in the boil.
Sometimes I boil for a couple hours before 60 minute hops go in so that I can get a really high OG for a Barleywine.

Don't get hung up on any one technique. Think about the resulting beer you are trying to brew and how to get there.

Good points, Jeff.  Though I add 60 minute hops after hot break on a lot of beers, I do all of these things at one point or another. The right tool for the right job.

[hopfenundmalz]

Sometimes I use FWH,and add the hops as I run off from the mash into the kettle.
Sometimes for a 90 minute boil I go 30 minutes before the hops go into the kettle.
Sometimes all of the hops go into a whirlpool, none in the boil.
Sometimes I boil for a couple hours before 60 minute hops go in so that I can get a really high OG for a Barleywine.

Don't get hung up on any one technique. Think about the resulting beer you are trying to brew and how to get there.

I do a lot of the second one especially when I'm working with Pilsner malt. Has anyone noticed any change in SRM or taste due to the longer boil? Or is there little change if only for a slightly extended boil time?

The color only darkens a little. If you are only using Pilsner malt, can you tell it you are not looking?

[JT]

Hot break is formed from coagulating proteins not from a sugar reaction. I'm not sure how adding hops has any effect on protein coagulation.

If your process works for you then maybe there is no reason to change.

I took the idea from Mitch Steele.  "Skipping early hop additions can result in excessive foaming of the wort.... Hops, once added and suspended in the wort, act as a very effective foam inhibitor."
He was specifically speaking about brewers that skip early hop additions altogether (Zymurgy volume 36 number 6) but I figured it would likely apply to early boil overs.  I decided to begin adding a small addition prior to the boil to eliminate the massive boil overs caused when adding post boil.  It isn't a substitute for watching the pot and controlling heat, but may help.  Give it a whirl, or don't, it's all good!