5 Gallon Boil Benefits

I would like to ask what are the benefits for doing a full 5 gallon boil in an extract batch? I have just got a new 8 gallon brew kettle from Northern Brewers. I got this new kettle so I can get into all grain brewing. But I also will now be doing full 5 gallon boils when making extract recipes. Is there a benefit of boiling the full 5 gallons?

Thanks Roger

Two benefits:
1. When you boil your whole wort, it's all sanitized. As oppose to adding cold water. But for that you only need to boil for 15 min
2. Hop utilization is lower when the wort is more concentrated, eg. when you boil enough extract for 5 gallons of beer with only 2 gallons of water. Boiling the whole amount will help you utilize the hops better.

Plus... A big honking pot full of boiling beer is just cool...

It also helps to keep the color of your beer lighter, if you are making a lighter colored beer that is. Just remember you'll have to cool 5 gallons of wort instead of 3.

The only advantage (but it's a HUGE one!) is better beer. The extract will not darken like in a small boil, leaving a "cleaner" taste, more like a commercial beer.

There was a BYO article on this subject sometime back that you may want to look up. Full boil will make your beer better.

I only have a 5 gallon Kettle. If I can manage boil over well enough. Would going at 4 gallons be OK?

The closer to a full boil you get, the better the beer will be.

FYI. Don't steep in the full boil.
I just learned that.

hawkeyes said:

I only have a 5 gallon Kettle. If I can manage boil over well enough. Would going at 4 gallons be OK?

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That is what I do. I boil off 1 gallon in a 5 gallon pot. So, I collect/mix 4 gallons of wort, and boil it down to 3 gallons of beer that goes into the fermenter. This is the downside of stove top brewing.

dantheman13 said:

That is what I do. I boil off 1 gallon in a 5 gallon pot. So, I collect/mix 4 gallons of wort, and boil it down to 3 gallons of beer that goes into the fermenter. This is the downside of stove top brewing.

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I use stove top too. I think I will try 4 gallon next time. If you have to steep specialty grains. Do you start at 2, 3 or 4 gallons?

Srceenplay said:

FYI. Don't steep in the full boil.
I just learned that.

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What do you mean by this exactly? Do you mean use your steeping grains in only 2.5 gal of water, and then once completed and moving to your boil you then add enough to a full 5 gal and continue on?

I'm only asking because I am also about to move to doing full 5 gal boils and I don't want to learn the hard way!! Thanks

Don't know all the details my self. Maybe someone else can chime in. Just did my first batch the right way sat.

The way I understand it is treat the steep like you would mash. 1 1/2 qt of water per pound of grain. I steeped on the stove for 30 at 155 while five gallons was heating up on the propane outside. After the steep I just dumped it in the kettle outside and ten minutes later I was boiling.

Hope I did it right!!

Srceenplay said:

FYI. Don't steep in the full boil.
I just learned that.

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Huh? I'd like to hear the reasoning on that one.

tuskenraider said:

Huh? I'd like to hear the reasoning on that one.

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Because if you happen to have some grains that may be mashed, you can have a too-high pH if you "steep" (mash) in the full volume.

The best procedure is to steep (or mash) in no more than 2 quarts of water per pound of grain. If you are using 2 pounds of grain, for example, you can easily use 4 quarts of water. Then, when you're done steeping/mashing, you can pull up the grain bag and then just put it in a colander and rinse with 170 degree water, up to your boil volume, as needed.

Yooper said:

Then, when you're done steeping/mashing, you can pull up the grain bag and then just put it in a colander and rinse with 170 degree water, up to your boil volume, as needed.

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Well looks like I still didn't do it right. Let's just hope I didn't do it wrong.

Srceenplay said:

Well looks like I still didn't do it right. Let's just hope I didn't do it wrong.

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You don't have to do that, it's just one of those "nice to do if you want to sparge" things to do. No worries if you didn't!

If you can't do a full boil due to pot size, electric heat... you could always split the brew up into 2 batches and get it done. It really elongates the brew day but no boil over and works well with a 3gal pot. This is how I do it currently

Toy4Rick

Thanks Yoop, that makes it a lot more clear.

>>The only advantage (but it's a HUGE one!) is better beer. The extract will not darken like in a small boil, leaving a "cleaner" taste, more like a commercial beer.


Wait! Are you saying that if I brew extract in a larger boil it will taste better?
I thought there was some minimum size (like 3 gallons), but you are saying a 5 gallon boil will taste much better?

Go big and get a Blichman 15 gallon pot. Even with an extract brew you can do ten gallons at once and ferment in two carboys. Did my first double carboy this weekend and am excited to have the increased volume of beer from one brew session.

I drink this stuff too fast!

I just full boiled a pale ale over the weekend for the first time. Started with 5.5 gallons and it boiled down to just under five. I steeped the grains in the full 5.5gallons for 30 mins at about 160 degrees. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Srceenplay said:

FYI. Don't steep in the full boil.
I just learned that.

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I just learned this too. The last extract batch I did had some astringency issues so I started doing some research. What I found is the water to specialty grain ratio is too high and it leaches tannins. I would do my steeping in 1.5 gallons of water first and then add my first extract addition and then bring up to the full 6.5 gallons and start my boil and proceed as normal.