Full 5gal boil vs. recipe's 3gal

I have a recipe for for an extract brew today. It calls for boiling two gallons of water then DME added. Later the LME is added. At final 60 mins after cooling I'm to add to 1.5 gal cool water. Then top off to get to 5 gal.

I understand if they are doing this if you don't have a pot large enough.

My question is, How much will change in the final outcome by going with a full 5gal boil?

Thanks.

You'll get a little bit better hop utilization, i.e., extract a little bit more bitterness from the hops. You can use brewing software to check what the difference will be and either use less bittering hops or move them later in the boil if you want, but unless it's a very hoppy beer to begin with, the difference will most likely be very near or below the threshold of human perception (about 5 IBU). You'll also get less caramelization of your extract so your beer will be closer to the expected color.

Cool thanks for the education. Great to know as this beer calls for only a slight bittering so I will adjust accordingly. Always learning. Only my third brew.

Appreciate the input.

Actually, since the recipe called for late extract additions, and since IBUs are actually independent of wort gravity, no adjustment at all is needed.

A better beer comes from full boils, so as long as you can boil and cool 5 gallons, it's a great way to make extract batches.

A lot easier to cool 3 gals... Depending on what your working with.

I started doing it with 3 gal boils and adding h20.. when i moved to boiling the full 5 gals it made no real noticeable difference.

Thanks all. Brew day went well. Wind here in Lehigh Valley, PA proved challenging on the flame but all is well. We'll know in a couple months the end result. I'll let you all know. Thanks again. Great resource we have here!

Think it "caramelized a little more than I'd have liked for a lighter beer, but now I can just say it's more on the Yuengling side of a lager! Cheers.

If you dont have a gas burner, 3 gallons takes a lot less time to bring to boil than 5 gallons too. I'd say if it isn't a very hoppy beer, just do the 3.5 gallon boil. I've done it both ways with the same recipes and I've only noticed more bitterness on the finish. I'm not a fan of IPAs either so as you can see I'm a little biased towards malty flavors.

dannylerch said:

If you dont have a gas burner, 3 gallons takes a lot less time to bring to boil than 5 gallons too. I'd say if it isn't a very hoppy beer, just do the 3.5 gallon boil. I've done it both ways with the same recipes and I've only noticed more bitterness on the finish. I'm not a fan of IPAs either so as you can see I'm a little biased towards malty flavors.

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Yeah looking back on that Brew day I would have been better off going with the 3gals. Always learning for sure. She's bubbling away in the Basement right now though!!!

Good to see a fellow enthusiast in my neck of the woods (near ABE airport). I just fired up a Fat Tire clone the other night. I'm glad I did befor this colder weather hit. If you do want to go with a larger boil get a chiller. The introduction of a propane burner followed closely by a chiller have made my small hobby become an obsession.

If you're using bottled water, a small bonus to boiling just the 3 gallons and adding the remainder in the end is you get to quickly cool your wort with the H2O addition.

SledgeH said:

Good to see a fellow enthusiast in my neck of the woods (near ABE airport). I just fired up a Fat Tire clone the other night. I'm glad I did befor this colder weather hit. If you do want to go with a larger boil get a chiller. The introduction of a propane burner followed closely by a chiller have made my small hobby become an obsession.

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Yeah my neighbors turned me on to brewing. There are three of us now and we all try to brew on same day.
Was just up in Bethlehem at Keystone HBS picking up the Amer. Lager kit I just brewed.
Fat Tire is good stuff. Hope the clone turns out great.

Yeah if I'm using a kit, I usually do a 2.5 gal boil. Then I have the other bottled spring water in the fridge. So while I'm chilling with my wort chiller I add the chilly bottled water and you'll see the temps drop in a matter of 10 mins or so. Just make sure you mix the wort really well with the bottled water before you pitch the yeast.

Good luck on your next batch.

Yooper said:

Actually, since the recipe called for late extract additions, and since IBUs are actually independent of wort gravity, no adjustment at all is needed.

A better beer comes from full boils, so as long as you can boil and cool 5 gallons, it's a great way to make extract batches.

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Wasn't there an article a couple months ago in brew your own that said late extract addition increases hop utilization?