3 gallon brew pot?

[BPal75]

I'm new to brewing and just got my first 5 gallon extract kit yesterday. I'm thinking about starting this weekend, but the largest pot I have at the moment is 3 gallon. The LME is .5 gallons, so I was thinking I would boil 2 gallons of water bringing the total up to 2.5 gallons, and them top up in the fermentor to get my 5 gallons. My question is, am I crazy to do this? Am I begging for a boil over? With boil off will I basically burn the whole mess and be left with only like 1.5 gallons of wort in my pot? Could I start with less water to minimize boil over risk but would this just set me up for even more scorching?

I'd prefer not to have to buy a bigger pot at this point, at least until I know whether this hobby will "stick," but at the same time I don't want to do anything that's going to ruin my first batch. Sorry for the 20 questions but I'm the newest of the noobs and need all the help I can get!!

 

[idahobrew]

A full boil will give you a better brew, extract or partial mash. Check out the local thrift shops, sometimes you can get a great deal on a big brewpot.

 

[Trail]

And if that doesn't pan out - no pun intended - make sure you still boil your extra two gallons of water, preferably BEFORE doing your main boil. Boil your two gal for 20 minutes to sanitize + deoxygenate, cool it to 70 degrees to avoid temp shock damage to your carboy, then do your brew and pour it into the carboy as well.

 

[Gregscsu]

For an extract brewer a 3 gallon pot will be fine

Although you will soon find yourself upgrading to feed your home brewing addiction

 

[NWMOBrewer]

I brewed my first batch in a 3 gallon pot. The next day I bought a 22 qt pot from Walmart and brewed the next 5 batches in that.

Good Luck!!!!

 

[BPal75]

Thanks for the advice. To the last poster, can I ask what difficulties you had with your 3 gallon pot that caused you to want to upgrade for your second batch? Did you experience boil over?

 

[BPal75]

Another question - if I decide to just do the upgrade and buy a 10 gallon pot (to allow for future full extract boils or all grain options), could this realistically be done on a gas stovetop? Or would using a 10 gallon pot pretty much require me to move outside on a propane burner?

Thanks in advance!

 

[NWMOBrewer]

I did not have a boil over, but got really close. I was worried about it, so upgraded to have a little piece of mind.

 

[strambo]

I would think you could do a full volume 5 gal batch (6-6.5 gal boil) on a gas range. I am boiling 4.5 gals on an electric.

Another option, split the ingredients and make 2x 2.5 gal batches. 2 gal boil, top off with .5 gals water.

I have a 3gal pot, I use it for partial mashing, I mash up to 5.5lbs grain in 2 gals water and stick it in the oven to maintain temp.

 

[captianoats]

Yes, you can do a 2 gallon boil and top off no problem. However, you can hit up Wal Mart and pick up five gallon pots for under $20. Look for a canning pot or a stamped aluminum, both work.

As far as a full boil, you don't know until you try. If you have a high BTU burner you may be able to do a full boil on the cooktop. But when you combine the time it takes with the amount of steam created and the risk of boil over, you will likely be getting an outdoor burner down the road.