7 replies to this topic

[DubbelEntendre]

I check my gravity readings pre-boil so I can adjust with more wort, or add DME to hit my anticipated gravity. Whenever I add DME to a batch I get crazy hot break/foam. To put this in perspective, with half of a keggle full of wort, I added 1 lb DME and the break/foam shot up to within an inch of the opening. I do not get this type of action with an all-grain wort though. It got me thinking, what is going on here? Why is the break so pronounced with DME?

[MtnBrewer]

I've seen a lot of hot break in the DME I use for my starters too. It's like egg drop soup with 3-4 inch long filaments of hot break. As for foam, I can't say because I use foam control. All I can suggest is that when you added the DME, maybe the crystals acted as nucleation sites on which water vapor bubbles can form and this caused the foaming. Did you have the flame on when you added the DME?

[phloop]

I agree with Mtnbrewer with the nucleation idea. When I would add DME to boiling wort it would foam like crazy but if I added it prior to boiling it would not foam.

[DubbelEntendre]

I've seen a lot of hot break in the DME I use for my starters too. It's like egg drop soup with 3-4 inch long filaments of hot break. As for foam, I can't say because I use foam control. All I can suggest is that when you added the DME, maybe the crystals acted as nucleation sites on which water vapor bubbles can form and this caused the foaming. Did you have the flame on when you added the DME?

Yeah, the flame was on and I was almost at full boil.

[MtnBrewer]

Yeah, the flame was on and I was almost at full boil.

To prevent clumping and scorching, I'd recommend turning off the flame, adding the DME and stirring until it's well-dissolved and then cut the flame back on. Otherwise, the DME can clump up, sink to the bottom and scorch.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

To prevent clumping and scorching, I'd recommend turning off the flame, adding the DME and stirring until it's well-dissolved and then cut the flame back on.

This is what I do when I make starters - works pretty well.

[RommelMagic]

One thing I'm wondering, are you classifying the rising foam as hot break, or saying that there is more hot break and foam? As far as the foam, yes, I tend to believe that it has to do with nucleation as well as a quick addition of solvents/fermentables into the boil. Kinda like when hops are added or if you add yeast nutrients to the boil.

[DubbelEntendre]

One thing I'm wondering, are you classifying the rising foam as hot break, or saying that there is more hot break and foam? As far as the foam, yes, I tend to believe that it has to do with nucleation as well as a quick addition of solvents/fermentables into the boil. Kinda like when hops are added or if you add yeast nutrients to the boil.

I wasn't sure if there was a difference. I thought that the foam might be an element of the hot break that I wasn't seeing with an All Grain wort for some reason. It appears as though this thinking is incorrect.