What's the difference between kits method and full boil?

I have done several kit brews and they tell you to boil 2 gallons then top up with water in the primary. Is a full boil the same as doing a kit, just boiling the entire 5 gallons at one time? Or do you use the recommended amount in BeerSmith for the boil and then top up? I'm confused about which direction to go and what would be best. My gas stove is capable of full 5 gallon boils and if that's the best method for extract, I will proceed that way.

Thanks for any help.

Salute!

If yo have a pot large enough, and a stove capable of boiling the full 5 gallons, then go ahead and do it. The difference IMO is very significant. Your beer will be better for it. If you do not have a chiller, I would recommend boiling 5 gallons, and making up for the boil off with an addition of clean ice to top up and chill the wort (personally, I still call that a full boil). I cannot stress enough though the difference between a partial boil and a full boil.

Oh yes, sorry, to answer more specifically on the difference.... I found I had a better, more representative body of a commercial beer. The head, retention and lacing was better. Colour was still on the dark side as is usual for LME (in my case) For me, at least, the full boil eliminated that "extract twang" or whatever that indefinable thing is that I was getting with partial boils.

bmckee56 said:

I have done several kit brews and they tell you to boil 2 gallons then top up with water in the primary. Is a full boil the same as doing a kit, just boiling the entire 5 gallons at one time? Or do you use the recommended amount in BeerSmith for the boil and then top up? I'm confused about which direction to go and what would be best. My gas stove is capable of full 5 gallon boils and if that's the best method for extract, I will proceed that way.

Thanks for any help.

Salute!

Click to expand...

If I were to boil it down to a single reason (pun intentional!), it would be better hop utilization. Alpha acids are best isomerized at a gravity around 1.040; if you add all your extract at the beginning in a lower volume, the density of the wort inhibits isomerization so you compensate by using more hops to achieve the same level of bitterness.

Jason

I have been following Gnome's advice (from this thread) even on the boil 2 gallon kits.

Because only 1 of the 2 brews I've done it like this are ready, and the ready one was brewed with DME I can't comment on lack of twang but I'll update when the 2nd is complete in two or three weeks.

I don't have an IC so when I first start the brewing I throw a gallon jug (spring) water in the freezer. After steeping I top up to 5 gal. When it's done I ice bath and eventually add the near/partial frozen jug. It might be slightly over 5 gal but it's close and it gets the temp down to 80F no problem.

flyangler18 said:

If I were to boil it down to a single reason (pun intentional!), it would be better hop utilization. Alpha acids are best isomerized at a gravity around 1.040; if you add all your extract at the beginning in a lower volume, the density of the wort inhibits isomerization so you compensate by using more hops to achieve the same level of bitterness.

Jason

Click to expand...

So then - are late extract additions the key to success if you can't do a 5 gallon boil due to pot size or stovetop BTU's? Other than the better isomerization (spelling bee word for sure) what other advantage would a full boil bring for extract brewers?

Taking bmckee56's question a little further...
If doing a full or near full boil when also doing late additions in a kit that says boil 2 gallons, has anyone brewed a beer that seemed too hoppy for the recipe or the style?
I've only done this once and it was with a Kolsch, but the first Kolsch I had was the one I brewed, so I have no comparison.
For me I know hop utilization its mitigated a little by using a nylong bag for hops.

Hoppiness & bittering are two different things. Going to a full boil will increase the bitterness (IBU), but will not change the hop flavor or aroma.

So it seems that doing a full boil w/ late additions with a recipe written for 2 gallon boil, it will come out more bitter than the recipe creators intended.
Duly noted.
In the future I will reduce the amount hops that are in there for the full boil by a small amount to compensate.

ombre42 said:

Duly noted.
In the future I will reduce the amount hops that are in there for the full boil by a small amount to compensate.

Click to expand...

Is there a way to calculate or foresee the amount of reduction needed when doing a full boil? How about changing the Hop used to compensate for the increased bitterness?

Salute!

bmckee56 said:

Is there a way to calculate or foresee the amount of reduction needed when doing a full boil? How about changing the Hop used to compensate for the increased bitterness?

Click to expand...

Beersmith will tell you. I think there is also an online tool that has that capability but can't think just where right now.