Multiple batches, one fermenter

Let's say I have a 10 gallon fermenter but only the capacity to cokk 5 gallons. I know....go get a bigger pot. Well I like mu electric turkey fryer pot. Do I cook two similar batches w/hops additions & mix them together? Is there any compensatory things I need to do. Will this affect the taste versus cooking it altogether?

Independence Brewery here in Austin does just that on a much larger scale. They brew the first batch with the all of specialty malt and a portion of the base malt, then the next day they top it off with wort made of only base malt. I think that they only hop the second batch, but I am not sure how they formulate their recipes and hopping schedules. It seems like you could make an educated guess on the hops, and refine the technique on subsequent batches.

What electric turkey fryer do you have? How long does it take to get water to boil?

I have an older masterbuilt turkey fryer. Never timed it on how long to boil but I get the first runnings going while I wait for my 2nd runnings (batch sparge) for 10 min. So I would say the first 3 gallons is boiling by the time. I add the 2nd runnings. Probably 10 or 15 more min for the full pot to get to boil. I love it. I installed a valve for draining.

Thanks for the advice on multiple batches w/one fermenter.

Brew two batches of the same ingredients and add the second batch to the batch already in the fermenter. Lots of breweries do this and add second batch as much as 3 days after the first is already in the fermenter. I have heard stories of further out but I do not know for certain how far is too far, but a day or two betweeen the batches should not hurt anything.

I'd hop both batches as if they were individual batches. Utilization will stop when you chill each batch prior to transferring to fermenter, so the bitter/flavor/aroma ratios should stay constant to each batch rather than doubling.

Many microbreweries do just this. 15 bbl brewhouse and 30 bbl fermentors. They usually do double batches in a day to fill, but will sometimes do it on consecutive days. Just brew 2 of the same and mix.

One convenient thing about this is that you can correct for efficiency issues encountered with the first half.