Skip to content

SOP — Boil and Whirlpool Additions

FUERST WIACEK Version 1.3 | Brewhouse — brew day | Frequency: per brew

Purpose

This SOP covers the preparation and addition of boil and whirlpool (WP) additions — hops, adjuncts, and other materials added during the boil. The whirlpool additions are also dosed into the kettle at our brewery.

PPE Required

  • Ear protection (during brewhouse alarm)
  • Gloves when handling hot vessels

Risks

Hazard Risk
Hot dosing vessel Burns if the vessel or surrounding area is hot
Mixing liquids and dry products Can cause splashing or reaction — keep separate

Equipment

  • Printed recipe
  • Containers or hop bags for additions
  • Hop box or similar container for staging all additions
  • Dosing vessel on kettle/whirlpool

Timing

Prepare all additions before the boil starts. If additions are for the following day, store them in the fridge. Label everything clearly — e.g. "10 min", "WP" — on the bags or lids.

Process

1. Prep Additions

  1. Prepare all boil and WP additions as specified in the recipe. Leave hops in their bags or put loose additions in containers.
  2. Do not mix liquids and dry products in the same container.
  3. Place the complete set of additions for the brew into a box — hop boxes work well for this.
  4. Write the lot numbers for all hops on the printed recipe.
  5. Label each addition clearly with its timing — e.g. "60 min", "10 min", "WP".

2. Log and Sign Off

Mark the prep as done on the printed recipe and todo list.

3. Making Additions During the Boil

The brewhouse alarm sounds when an addition is due — e.g. the alarm for 10-minute additions fires 10 minutes into the boil.

Kettle dosing vessel — open, addition being made

  1. When the alarm sounds, mute it — but do not mark the addition as done in Botec yet.
  2. Go to the dosing vessel on the kettle or whirlpool.
  3. Open the bottom drop valve (the valve at the base of the dosing vessel that opens into the kettle).
  4. Open the dosing vessel lid.
  5. Add the addition.
  6. Close the lid.
  7. Open the water valve and rinse the dosing vessel thoroughly. If in doubt, open the lid again to check everything has been rinsed down.
  8. Close the bottom drop valve.
  9. Return to Botec and mark the addition as done.

Warning

Mark the addition as done in Botec only after rinsing the dosing vessel. Marking it as done deactivates the water pump — if you mark it before rinsing, you will not have enough water pressure to flush the vessel.

4. Large Additions via Manway (Dextrose, Liquid Sugars, Sinamar, etc.)

For large additions such as dextrose, liquid sugars, Sinamar, or similar, do not use the dosing device. These go in directly via the kettle manway.

Warning

The liquid in the kettle is very hot. Be careful of splashing when adding products. Do not lean over the open manway.

  1. When the alarm sounds, mute the alarm horn.
  2. Go to the Botec computer and press Stop to pause the boil process.
  3. Go up to the brew deck and open the kettle manway.

Note

Opening the manway triggers an alarm — this is expected and why you mute the horn first.

  1. Before adding anything, clear the area around the opening of anything that could fall in:

    • Paper bags of dextrose or similar often have a loose plastic inner bag that can drop into the kettle — remove it or hold it securely.
    • Sinamar and similar liquid containers may have plastic parts from the seal — remove them before pouring.
    • If you cannot remove a potential drop hazard, hold it securely throughout the addition.

    Warning

    Small parts — caps, seals, safety rings from containers — can fall in unnoticed and get trapped in the kettle strainer. Check your containers before pouring. If something drops in, stop and retrieve it before continuing.

    Safety ring from a sugar container fell into the boil and was caught by the kettle strainer

    1. Add the product carefully. Avoid splashing.
    2. When done, close the manway securely.
    3. Return to the Botec computer. Clear any errors, then press Play to resume the boil.
    4. Unmute the alarm horn.

5. Whirlpool Hop Additions

When adding hops for the whirlpool, add them gradually rather than dropping the whole charge at once. This helps them mix well and prevents a single compressed block dropping straight to the bottom of the kettle.

Checklist

  • [ ] All additions prepped per recipe — not mixed liquid and dry
  • [ ] Additions staged in box, clearly labelled with timing
  • [ ] Lot numbers for hops written on printed recipe
  • [ ] Prep marked as done on printed recipe and todo list

Per addition during boil:

  • [ ] Alarm muted — not marked done in Botec yet
  • [ ] Bottom drop valve opened
  • [ ] Addition added to dosing vessel
  • [ ] Dosing vessel lid closed
  • [ ] Water valve opened and vessel rinsed thoroughly
  • [ ] Lid checked — all rinsed through
  • [ ] Bottom drop valve closed
  • [ ] Addition marked as done in Botec