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[http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/331.html Raw ale], also referred to as "no-boil", is a method of wort production that involves not boiling the wort, or perhaps by some definitions, very short boils <ref name="larsblog">[http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/331.html Raw ale. Lars Marius Garshol. Larsblog. 06/05/2016. Retrieved 03/02/2016.]</ref>. Although mainly a historical method of brewing, this style of brewing has recently become popular in the production of [[Berliner Weissbier]] and other styles of beer using [[Sour_Worting|sour worting or kettle souring]] methods. Many recipes for these styles of beer call for pilsner malts to be used, which can contain higher amounts of SMM precursor. An often asked question about no-boil/raw ales and wort boiled for 15 minutes or less is: are there concerns about DMS production?
Anecdotal reports of no issues with DMS in these types of beers seems seem to far out-weight the reports of DMS problems <ref>[http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/08/update-lab-data-on-pils-malt-boil-length-exbeeriment/ "Update: Lab Data on Pils Malt Boil Length Exbeeriment" on Brulosophy. Retrieved 03/08/2016.]</ref><ref>[http://beerandwinejournal.com/30-min-boil/ "All Grain Pale Ale 30-Minute Boil Experiments" by James Spencer on Beer & Wine Journal. 06/24/2015. Retrieved 03/08/2016.]</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1243791188982426/ Discussion on MTF regarding DMS in raw ale/no boil/short boils. 03/01/2016.]</ref><ref name="larsblog"></ref>. The specific nature of DMS (or lack of) formation in no-boil/raw ale has not been widely explored by science. When boiling smaller volumes of wort, for example on the homebrew scale versus a large commercial scale, there is a larger surface area to volume ratio. This larger surface area to volume ratio allows for more evaporation and volatilization of DMS to occur <ref name="beersmith">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDBKUCkg8cM Boiling Home Brewed Beer with Dr Charlie Bamforth - BeerSmith Podcast #121.]</ref> (~30 minutes in). Smaller fermenters would also benefit from a larger surface area to volume ratio since fermentation helps to volatilize DMS. This may account for the general lack of DMS reported in homebrewed and small-scale farmhouse beer.
In sour beer, there might be other compounds that make the detection of DMS more difficult. For example, 2-phenylethanol and phenethyl acetate mask the perception of DMS in beer <ref name="bamforth"></ref>. Additionally, some tasters might be able to perceive the flavor of DMS more accurately than others in general.