Insufficient boiling time

[BobM]

Just brewed a lager and discovered that the boiler had cut out at some time during the 1.5 hours boil.
Is it worth bottling the stuff or will it be a waste of time as the hops may not have been boiled long enough to extract the oils?
Any advice welcome!

[dave-o]

Does the wort look clear?

I wouldn't worry about the hops. It may be a little less bitter that you intended, but certainly not undrinkable!

[Bribie]

Hops can be fixed later, by adding hop tea, extracts, dry hopping etc. However the boil time could be a problem if you didn't go long enough to get a hot break - there's still possibly some proteins, etc in there that could cause hazes, being a lager. If the wort looks pretty clear (as per previous poster) then go with it but maybe look at some isinglass when you put it into cold conditioning / lagering to help settle out any unwanted haze producing material.

[jat147]

...I bet it was a Swann tea urn - kettle

mine is driving me mad
worst waste of money ever!

[BobM]

Thanks for the guidance chaps. The boiler is an Electrim and there is a small sticker on it warning me that unless the element was kept clean the boiler might cut out as a safety precaution. Looks like this was my fault though I hadn't realized 2 brews would make it so mucky. I'm not very impressed by it, I thought it had a thermostat but if it has it won't cut out when 160 degrees is reached, last one was steadily heading towards boiling point when I noticed. Now I hover over it with a thermometer and switch it off when the right temperature is reached.

[dave-o]

Clean element/s thoroughly before every boil (and between stages if you use the boiler to heat mash/sparge water). Cutouts are very annoying.

[Bribie]

Yes cleaning the element is a chore but a lifesaver. To make it easier a good cleaner is anything containing Sodium Percarbonate (e.g. nappy san or UK equivalent, unscented of course)... soak in a strong solution for a couple of hours then scrub with one of those green kitchen scourers but not metal ones. It eats organic crud (including babypoo which is the idea )
To remove scale or chalking a good solution of citric acid from the grocery section will bring element up like new and cheaper than kettle descaler .

[Rookie]

Do you have any idea on just how long it did boil?
I boil most of mine for only 45 minute and get good rsults.