Boil Volume

[[email protected]]

Just wondering, if you have the means to do it, would it be better to boil the full batch(23L) using two cans of LME, hop additions and steeped grain? Then transfer to fermenter, cool and pitch?
Confused,
Rob

 

[warra48]

A full boil is usually preferable, as it improves hop utilisation, and makes it much easier to calculate with the various brewing software available.

YMMV.

 

[argon]

Just wondering, if you have the means to do it, would it be better to boil the full batch(23L) using two cans of LME, hop additions and steeped grain? Then transfer to fermenter, cool and pitch?
Confused,
Rob

one thing to watch out for though is your transfer to the fermenter while the wort is still hot. You'll most likely aerate it if not syphoning carefully. I used to rack straight to fermenter before cooling but got too paranoid about infections taking hold before getting to pitching temps. Do a search for "No Chill" and you'll find your answer ( and what I do now)

 

[JaffaMan]

Just wondering, if you have the means to do it, would it be better to boil the full batch(23L) using two cans of LME, hop additions and steeped grain? Then transfer to fermenter, cool and pitch?
Confused,
Rob

You got a big pot?

 

[Pennywise]

Honestly, for kit and extract brews, the boil volume is not that important. What is important is boil gravity, 1040 is the general concensus. What I do with my extract brews is do a 10L boil, and add the the rest of the extract (whatever is left over after I reach a boil gravity of said 1040) in the last 10-15 mins. This means you'll still get all you'r bittering as intended and the whole lot of the extract gets a bit of a boil to get it sanitised. Note that if any portion of the extract is liquid, and it's coming from an un-opened can, I don't boil it, it just gets added at flameout because it doesn't need to be sanitised as it's already been pasturised and sealed in a suitable container. In the end, with kits & extract, volume means sweet FA. All IMO and my 2c of course.

 

[bum]

I do basically the same thing as HB79 above. You don't need to do a full volume boil but if you do have the means and don't care about the extra difficulty/process in cooling the wort then agron's point is certainly valid - there are benefits to doing a full volume boil.