how to prevent vapor

Brewing processes and methods. How to brew using extract, partial or all-grain. Tips and tricks.

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Lars
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2002 1:36 am

how to prevent vapor

Post by Lars »

strange question, i know, but does anybody have an idea how to prevent to much vapor when cooking ? my problem is, that i brew in a rented cave where i shouldn't cause to much humidity...

thank you very much
Fraoch
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 215
Joined: Fri May 18, 2001 5:36 am

fans

Post by Fraoch »

try opening a window and switching on a fan that sits on the other side of the kettle. If you circulate the air it shouldnt cause too much humidity, it kind of works in the summer here when it gets stinking, at the height of it though its rather like switching on a humidity hair drier!!
andytv
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 206
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2001 8:55 pm

Only way is to vent

Post by andytv »

"Cave Brewing" sounds cool, but I can appreciate your problem. I'm afraid that "vapor" is a common problem among beer lovers, It's difficult to overcome but not impossible with some dietary changes and a little restraint. But seriously; When you convert water into steam, it has to go somewhere, and usually collects on nearby cool surfaces (for me, all of the windows on my first floor). The only way to alleviate the collection of moisture is to blow it of the room. I'm not sure how you would vent a cave, but you'd need to either power-vent the vapors away from the source (brewpot), or perhaps create a positive presuure in the room and allow the vapor to escape into another area that it won't affect. Either way, ventilation is the key. In the winter, I simply open a few windows, and all the moisture rushes out (carried by all of my house's heat). In the summer, I use fans to direct the vapor towards the window. You probably can't do this in a cave though. What you don't want to do is cover the brewpot with any sort of lid or device that will affect the boil, the release of gas from the wort, or cause vapor to condense back into the wort. Do this and you can expect DMS and diacetyl off-flavors.
Wow...a cave. Please tell us more.

Andy
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