robanna

Recipes 

I have a 5 gallon pot and a 3 gallon pot and need to brew on an electric stove that I don't think could handle a 6 gallon boil. I'm going to do an extract kit and was wondering:

Would it be better to do a 4 gallon and 2 gallon split boil and mix it in the fermenter OR do a 4 gallon boil with late extracts and top off?

I guess I'm wondering if the extra work of the split boil would be noticable over a that large of a boil/top off.
After reading this post I have to think that it would be worth the effort:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/if-full-boil-possible-do-89826/

Thanks-
robanna

bobeer

Recipes 

I think it's worth the effort. I also boil on a stove for the time being and I usually do 5 gal batches. My last beer I pretty much did a split.

I put 1 gal in my main kettle, to steep my grains in, then boiled another gal on the side in a separate kettle. Once the second kettle reached the temp I wanted I added it to the main kettle. I then added another 2.5 gals (room temp water) and brought it up to my temp; which took about 10-15 minutes. I then added about 3/4 gal, during the ice bath, to bring the overall volume to 5 gals (forgot to account for boil off). I then put it all in my fermenter. Kind of a funky process but it worked for me and it was pretty much a full volume boil by the end of it.

Doing full volume boils is the way to go. Late extract additions also help your beer too. It will help head retention, hop utilization and clarity.

Now I want a beer!

robanna

Recipes 

So, I just listened to this podcast mentioned on another post about the Texas Two Step:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr08-17-06.mp3

I think I'm going to reserve a split boil (Texas Two Step) for when I really need the hop utilization like an IPA and just do as large as I can for when the bitterness is not needed (Hefeweizen for example). I'll use the extract late method for all extracts.

robanna

Recipes 

I think I'm going to use both option. A split boil when I'm looking for a relally hoppy brew or hop utilization is important (IPA) and a single large-as-I-can boil when the bitterness is not really important.

bobeer

Recipes 

Trial and error is the best way to decide what works best for you. As long as you like the taste of your beer then you can call it a victory. I'm still saving up for bits and pieces of my setup; sometimes you just gotta use what you got and go for it. Good luck!

robanna

Recipes 

Ya, a friend of mine who is an AG brew told me, "Well, you need a bigger pot." Of course I do. and a banjo burner and cooling coil and a....on and on of what I NEED. But I'm working with what I have.

bobeer

Recipes 

We still borrow our pot from my friend's restaurant. Lol. We are going to have to breakdown and buy one at some point but for now I'm content on spending all my hobby money on brew ingredients.