Boiling Temperature

Im here in CO at around 8000’ and the coffee pour over kettle has a thermometer on it. I noticed the water boils here at 190°. Would that affect the boiling hops additions. I imagine it would be minimal but does anyone know ?

No brewer at a brewery willing to tell you? :sunglasses:
You’d have to think you can’t change the laws of gravity… Steeping is steeping and boiling is boiling… Think of the savings if you use propane… boil starts quicker…
Hey, my probe on my electric brewery sez 209 when I start boiling… I’m about 2000’ ASL…
Sneezles61

I thought that as well but 10 or 15° makes a difference in mashing. Just wondering since thats a 22° difference in boiling than sea level 212°. And if your boiling at 190 what temperature would you whirlpool. I could do an internet search or ask a brewer which is what i thought i was doing. Just giving you people some mental exercise

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Need our chemists/physicists to chime in. Is volatility affected by altitude? I think yes since lower atmospheric pressure. I think my 600’ recipes would need to be adjusted for higher altitudes.

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I would suspect the mash temp won’t change… after all … isn’t 150F still 150F…?
I believe the pressure on the weight of the water is what causes the boiling action… or is it a lack of pressure?
Squeegee usually has these complex problems…
Sneezles61

I know the mash temps will be equal im just wondering about the hop utilization it seems you may need a bit more or a longer boiling

I can’t remember where I read it but I do recall that hop utilization is affected, thus you’ll need to use more for bittering. I think it was about brewing in Colorado and at elevation.

Found this article about hops at elevation.
Edited to add:
I also remember reading something in regards to carbonation being affected. Quick search returned This article. You have to use a much higher psi to get the same level of carbonation at elevation.

I would have never given it a thought and figured boiling is boiling. I’m pretty safe here at 3’ ASL.

So what would happen other than a boil over at high altitude if you just raised the temp to 212° even though boiling had started at 205? Would lose some volume is my first thought.

If its like making maple syrup you couldn’t get it that high until it boiled down to wort extract. So you need to almost double your bittering hops. I knew the carbonation thing. Often the tap beer seems flat or goes flat fast.

Now you made me afraid to leave home… I don’t like changes… :no_mouth:
Sneezles61

Ask the Experts: Brewing at High Altitude | Craft Beer & Brewing this might answer the question

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Mental exercises yes. Temp difference is 13 degrees not 22. And I agree that boiling is boiling no matter what the temp difference is. IMHO I don’t think we homebrewers need to worry too much about it.

According Beersmith Brads chart… I’m at about 76% under achieving hop utilization…!! :scream:
I’ll need to add more hops on my next IPA!
Sneezles61

According to beersmith if i were to brew at this elevation i would need to increase my hops about 45%. That doesn’t sound negligible to me.

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By the way 212-190=22

Sorry. Early off the cuff reply before coffee. Apparently I was math challenged this morning.

You are correct about the hop utilization. I recall when setting up the profile for my Anvil Foundry in a couple of different softwares that I mistakenly entered a boiling temperature in the low 190s on one of them. I could not figure out why it software was telling me to use so many hops. I later discovered that it indeed was that boiling temperature.

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