Using 2 pots for 5 gal batch?

[Germ]

I am brand new to brewing and plan on starting my first batch in the morning. My problem is that when I got the starter kit as a gift I did not get a 5 gallon pot with it. Can I use 2 different pots that would total 5 gallons? I have 2, 22qt pots that I could use. Idea's? Minus the obvious buy a bigger pot which I cant afford yet.

Thanks for the help and sorry for the dumb question.

 

[menerdari]

What kind of kit did you get? A lot of extract kits only do a partial boil, about 3 gallons and top up with water to 5 gallons in your fermentation vessel.

 

[Germ]

I have a true brew equipment kit. Would boil over still be an issue? I don't expect this batch to be amazing being as it is my first but want to give it my best go.

 

[ChessRockwell]

You have a 22qt pot? Isn't that a little over 5 gallons?

Like already mentioned, if it's an extract w/grains kit you probably aren't boiling much more than 3 gallons anyway.

 

[menerdari]

As far as boil over, I never had a problem with it on my stove because it never got hot enough. Once I started using a turkey fryer it became a problem but all you have to do is take it off the heat when it starts to foam up, or you can use an anti foam agent like Fermcap-s or similar product.
The kit question was did you buy an ingredient kit?

 

[Germ]

Sorry I miswrote. I have 2 pots totaling 22. 14 & 8.

 

[silentflow]

Yes I don't really know your finances but Walmart has aluminum pots - 4 gallon for 14.99. I've made three brews with mine and it works awesome. Might be worth a shot until you can afford a big pot with a thermometer and valve on it

 

[Germ]

I have the wheat beer by brewers best.

 

[ChessRockwell]

I have the wheat beer by brewers best.

Have you checked the instructions yet? How much water does it tell you to boil?

 

[csmurdock]

When using an aluminum pot you are supposed to take care to condition it by boiling water in it for awhile and not scrubbing the residue off.

 

[Kleggo]

I used 2 pots for a while (in the kitchen) before I moved to an outside setup. My pot sizes were also different, so I calculated hop amount ratios and made sure to keep different timers on each boil. It worked fine, though a bit of a hassle to watch 2 boiling pots.

 

[ChessRockwell]

I used 2 pots for a while (in the kitchen) before I moved to an outside setup.

Yeah if you have to, it certainly works. I just did tonight actually, my 2 smaller 12qt pots get a much better boil on my crappy stove than a single bigger one.

 

[iambeer]

I use a 2 quart pot for a 17 gallon batch. Alls I do is top off dem phat fermentors. Cheers!