half boil?

Hi Ive been looking around for a while but I am yet to find an answer.

I want to start making beer Ive done a few wines a a couple of larges batches of Cider.

My problem is the quantities and the cost of equipment to meet those quantities.

Most of the kit's I see are 5 Gal and need a 3 gallon boil ... thing is my pot will only boil 2 Gal (9 litre, UK gallons) and my stove will probably only just manage to boil that when full.

Could I split the ingredients in half a do two 1/2 size boils and mix them in the primary. I don't really want to be making investments in large pot's and burner's without knowing I'm going to like the product and enjoy the process first.

Secondly because Ive only been making "small" batches of wine so far I only have 1 Gal (4.5 litre) carboys ...... could I split the brew between these or do I really need a larger ( expensive ) carboy?

Or better yet Could I just make myself 1/2 a batch up and save the ingredients for later saving me money on bottles as well ?

Many thanks for the help and I hope I haven't asked questions which have been asked loads before.

You can split batches. Divide everything in half except the yeast. Pitch a full packet of yeast.

No need for an expensive carboy, get some food safe 5 gallon buckets from home depot or a bakery. Drill a 1/2 inch hole in the lid and get a $0.49 grommet and a $1.99 airlock and you have a primary fermenter. Because of how beer ferments, you can't really get enough in a gallon jug to make it worthwhile because you would need to leave several inches of head room.

Nurmey said:

You can split batches. Divide everything in half except the yeast. Pitch a full packet of yeast.

No need for an expensive carboy, get some food safe 5 gallon buckets from home depot or a bakery. Drill a 1/2 inch hole in the lid and get a $0.49 grommet and a $1.99 airlock and you have a primary fermenter. Because of how beer ferments, you can't really get enough in a gallon jug to make it worthwhile because you would need to leave several inches of head room.

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Thanks that's a relief.

So I can just leave it in the primary? will it need to be racked at some point before bottling (ie will I need more then 1 primary?).

Well you'll want to have a bottling bucket, which can be as easy as another 5 gallon bucket from home depot and a spigot (or you can even siphon out of a bottling bucket) You'll want to get a bottle filler wand if you don't have one already.

Also leave your beer in the primary for at least a couple weeks since you won't be racking to another bucket/carboy (not doing a secondary)

Look's like I'm off to choose a kit soon then

I can just about stretch to another bucket and a bottling wand.

Check out bakeries for their icing buckets. Some will give them away while others charge $1. The lids don't have a strong seal but no worries about that.

what happens if I kit I buy has Liquid extract?

Will that stuff keep or will I need to go down the two boils and mix then together route?

Fish-man said:

what happens if I kit I buy has Liquid extract?

Will that stuff keep or will I need to go down the two boils and mix then together route?

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Just boil half of the kit following the instructions using the liquid yeast that came with the kit and then when you make the second half of the kit, purchase another vial of yeast. You can also buy a packet of dry yeast which will keep longer. You could also make a yeast starter using the liquid yeast from your kit and then save some of that yeast in the vial and make another yeast starter when you make the second half of the batch. By doing it that way, you know both beer batches will taste the same beause the beer will be made from the same yeast strain.

trainfever said:

Just boil half of the kit following the instructions using the liquid yeast that came with the kit and then when you make the second half of the kit, purchase another vial of yeast. You can also buy a packet of dry yeast which will keep longer. You could also make a yeast starter using the liquid yeast from your kit and then save some of that yeast in the vial and make another yeast starter when you make the second half of the batch. By doing it that way, you know both beer batches will taste the same beause the beer will be made from the same yeast strain.

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But what if it comes with liquid malt extract ?

Ive been looking on ebay and the kit's which actually have the ingreedient's listed all seem to have LME.

Once Ive opened the tin will it keep until I can make the next batch .. or will I have to make them both in the same day ?

Fish-man said:

But what if it comes with liquid malt extract ?

Ive been looking on ebay and the kit's which actually have the ingreedient's listed all seem to have LME.

Once Ive opened the tin will it keep until I can make the next batch .. or will I have to make them both in the same day ?

Click to expand...

Sorry about that. I thought you had asked about liquid yeast. Anyway, I just made a 1/2 batch of beer that was half LME and half DME. I asked the owner of the LHBS if he could substitute DME for the LME. He did it with no problem. My suggestion to you is to contact whatever supplier you use beforehand, and ask if they could substitute DME for the LME if it is included. I dont think there would be a problem. Then just reseal the bags of DME after using them.

The LME will keep for a while. It might get some mold on the top but thats not an issue. Just scrape it off and use it for the second batch. You could put some plastic wrap on the surface. That would lessen the mold chance. Store it in the fridge.