5 gallon vs 7.5 gallon stock pot?

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rdkirk86

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So I purchased a 7.5 gallon stock pot from a local brew supply store, but all the beer extract kits instructions always say to boil anywhere from 2.5 to 3 gallons of water, then add the water to the carboy after. Had I known what I know now I would have picked a 5 gallon, especially because I'm brewing on an electric stove. Is there any benefit in a 7.5 gallon pot, or was I just conned into spending an extra 35 dollars for an extra gallon and a half?
 
rdkirk86 said:
So I purchased a 7.5 gallon stock pot from a local brew supply store, but all the beer extract kits instructions always say to boil anywhere from 2.5 to 3 gallons of water, then add the water to the carboy after. Had I known what I know now I would have picked a 5 gallon, especially because I'm brewing on an electric stove. Is there any benefit in a 7.5 gallon pot, or was I just conned into spending an extra 35 dollars for an extra gallon and a half?
Click to expand...

How much can you boil on your electric stove? Many people can't boil 5.5 gallons but some can. I'd suggest trying it with water, to see how much you can boil and how long it takes to get to a boil. If you can boil a whole volume of 6 gallons (down to 5 gallons after an hour), then you can do a full boil volume for your extract batches.
 
The 7.5 was the smart buy, it will allow you to move beyond the LME/DME + top off water brews. I have a 7.5 gallon pot that I make 5 gallon AG batches with and it is barely big enough to do a average sized brew (1.050). I am waiting for free time to cut up my keg (soon to be keggle).
 
If your stove can handle it, full volume boils give better hop efficiency and you are certain the wort is sanitized. Just remember to aerate well as the boil will drive off the O2 from the wort.
 
I can boil an entire 5.5 gallons. It takes way too long. Is there any benefit to being able to boil 5 gallons off water at a time instead of 3?
 
Yooper said:
How much can you boil on your electric stove? Many people can't boil 5.5 gallons but some can. I'd suggest trying it with water, to see how much you can boil and how long it takes to get to a boil. If you can boil a whole volume of 6 gallons (down to 5 gallons after an hour), then you can do a full boil volume for your extract batches.
Click to expand...
I can boil an entire 5.5 gallons. It takes way too long. Is there any benefit to being able to boil 5 gallons off water at a time instead of 3?
 
rdkirk86 said:
I can boil an entire 5.5 gallons. It takes way too long. Is there any benefit to being able to boil 5 gallons off water at a time instead of 3?
Click to expand...

Yes, in the final quality of the beer. I'd say boil as much as you possibly can, and the beer will be better for it. Even if you boil 4.5 gallons, that will make the beer less "cooked" tasting due to less maillard reactions.
 
Eventually you will get off of the stove and buy a burner. I did, talk about speeding up the process, no more putting the pot over 2 electric burners to get a good boil. You have a pot that can handle 5.5 to 6 gallon full boils and didn't waste money on the small pot.
 

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