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NWMOBrewer · 10-03-2010, 11:43 PM

I am going to be doing 2 full boils with half a 5 gallon ingredient kit in each

, and then fermenting apart, but combine when I keg

.

Will I experience any problems with this

:? I am using the same kit, and using a scale to split it in half so I don't expect any problems and I understand I'll have more to sanitize

.

I am wondering if anyone has done this and what your experiences are

?
My other option is to do a partial boil and split when I ferment.

I don't as of yet have a 5 gallon fermenting bucket and want to get started home brewing sooner than waiting till my next paycheck to get a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm hoping to have some finished before Halloween weekend for tailgating for the Nebraska Missouri football game

.

Any tips you all can offer me can help!!!! I appreciate you all on here as you have helped me more than any book can.

P.S.

GBR

Bob · 10-03-2010, 11:49 PM

There's also fermenting a strong beer and diluting at packaging time. This is called high-gravity brewing, and it's how a lot of large breweries brew. All you do move a step in the brewing process.

Usually with a brew like yours, you brew then top up the fermenter to five gallons. In high-gravity brewing, you brew and ferment the boil volume (say, 3 gallons), then top up to five gallons (using pre-boiled, sanitary water) at packaging time. It sounds crazy, but it works. It's how Coors used to ship beer to the Eastern US - they'd brew it in Golden, CO - but the beer would be something like 1.075 OG. Then they'd truck the fermented "beer concentrate" to Virginia where it would be diluted to regular-strength Coors and packaged. Cheaper to transport, just as easy to brew. Happy shareholders.

It's a thought.

Cheers!

Bob

**homebeerbrewer** · 10-03-2010, 11:53 PM

If I'm not mistaken, you're planning on doing two 2.5 gallon batches. That should be fine if the kit is designed for a full 5 gallon boil. The only difference could possibly be the hop utilization, but I'm no expert on how to calculate that. I'd say go for it. Even if it doesn't turn out like the recipe intended, you'll still make beer.

djinn88 · 10-04-2010, 12:08 AM

I wonder what a Coors "concentrate" would taste like... more taste, more filling.

**Airborneguy** · 10-04-2010, 12:59 AM

Wait, you have the capacity to keg but can't afford a 5-gallon fermentor? That doesn't sound right...

What you are saying is doable, if you really have to do it, but what are you fermenting in that is not 5 gallons?

I'm a little confused by your OP and why this split is necessary.

Also, you will definitely have a difference in hop flavor/aroma by doing this. The bitterness shouldn't be as affected.

NWMOBrewer · 10-04-2010, 03:48 AM

I can get a 5 gallon fermenter, I just don't have it budgeted on this paycheck. My SWMBO wants me to carb up some water for her to make soda using flavored syrups so we decided to get kegs and force carb then. I plan on getting picnic taps and just leaving it all in my fridge. I know a dedicated kegerator is better but decided upon this and using some of our main fridge for now. We have a huge fridge for just the two of us. I have some 3 gallon buckets but if necessary I can wait for a 5 gallon. I might use the idea of beer concentrate. Has anyone done that where you ferment just 2.5 or 3 gallons?

Bob · 10-04-2010, 11:56 AM

Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't have mentioned it.

Justibone · 10-04-2010, 01:53 PM

Hop utilization *will* be different by splitting a batch in half. It will be much stronger aroma, and a bit more bitter.

I don't know anything about brewing concentrate, but brewing a "big" beer -- high sugar or high ABV% -- will require more time to be tasty. Considering your timeline, I don't recommend doing it that way for this brew.

Good luck to you!

NWMOBrewer · 10-04-2010, 02:35 PM

I may do that, I stopped by HyVee in my small town and asked if they had icing buckets and they were out at the time.

kunstler · 10-04-2010, 03:56 PM

If you have a bunch of 3 gallon batches why not split fermentAtion rather than reduce?

Brew recipe as normal 5 gallon batch with exactly 3 gallons of wort as you would normally do wig an extract kit and then poor 1.5 gallons of your wort into bucket #1 and 1.5 gallons in bucket number 2 fermen both separately and then combine in secondary or keg... Much easier than high gravity brewing....I do thus fir 10 gallon batches all the time and you can get interesting effects by purposefully fermenting one batch at a higher or lower temp to slight pull out certain yeast characteristics that will the. Get blended out and not be as forcefull