grilljockey
Member
In an effort to move up to all grain before I make all of the requisite investments in equipment, I was thinking about starting with half batches (2.5 gallons). Smaller batches will allow me to get a 'full' boil going on my stove and using a BIAB technique I figure I will get a better mash with the smaller grain volume. Also, I can use single batches of yeast rather than doubling. And finally, gives me more options to try different brews! I have a few 2.5g carboys already. I don't want to drop the money on the other equipment until I know I'm hooked.
First question might be an obvious answer, but just want to check to make sure. I can just halve the volume of all ingredients listed on a 5G batch, and keep the mash schedules, boil times and hop additions at the same intervals as I would on a larger batch, right?
Second question...how much of a quality loss is there likely to be if I do partial boil versus full boil? Reason I might consider a partial boil is because I don't have a wort chiller yet. Doing a smaller boil volume could allow me to freeze some previously boiled water in sanitized jars, and drop these large ice cubes into the concentrated wort to drop the temp faster. I know this changes the hop utilization, and that I would have to adjust accordingly. But otherwise, is there a really notable loss of quality in doing a partial versus full boil (on the half batch). The tradeoff is either a slower wort chill on a 'full' boil, or a faster wort chill on a partial boil.
Thoughts on either of these questions?
First question might be an obvious answer, but just want to check to make sure. I can just halve the volume of all ingredients listed on a 5G batch, and keep the mash schedules, boil times and hop additions at the same intervals as I would on a larger batch, right?
Second question...how much of a quality loss is there likely to be if I do partial boil versus full boil? Reason I might consider a partial boil is because I don't have a wort chiller yet. Doing a smaller boil volume could allow me to freeze some previously boiled water in sanitized jars, and drop these large ice cubes into the concentrated wort to drop the temp faster. I know this changes the hop utilization, and that I would have to adjust accordingly. But otherwise, is there a really notable loss of quality in doing a partial versus full boil (on the half batch). The tradeoff is either a slower wort chill on a 'full' boil, or a faster wort chill on a partial boil.
Thoughts on either of these questions?