Boiling

[chrismccull]

When boiling, do you typically just stop after the 60/90 min. mark, or, do you stop after hitting the expected post boil volume?

Once in a while, I miss my OG and wonder if I shouldn't boil down a bit more in an effort to hit the expected post boil volume to better my chances of hitting the correct OG.

[Richard]

It's a constant trade-off that becomes part of your house signature. Some of the best beers I've made were boiled for more than 120 minutes, and the very best beer I ever took part in making spent something like four hours on a propane burner to reach volume (Knock on Wood IIIPA).

Personally, I always shoot for volume rather than timing, but it should be recipe-specific (it's an unfortunate side-effect of stovetop brewing that high-gravity, short-boil, and a good mash efficiency are a "pick two" scenario).

[chrismccull]

Yeah, I am seeing that now, my stove's output is sketchy at times.

Today, I lost a rolling boil and had to switch burners.

[Chris Craig]

I've ended up with too much wort at the beginning of the boil before.  In that case, I boil until I hit my pre-boil volume target before I add the bittering addition and start the timer.

[Richard]

On a stovetop I'll usually add a bittering addition before I try to hit volume - I figure all I'm going to do is increase the utilisation.

[Ian Grant]

I just get what I get, don't really pay much attention to it.

[pliny]

I just get what I get, don't really pay much attention to it.

+1