Apartment all grain?

[CoalCracker]

Pretty sure that's what most people use around here. If you preheat the tun you should be ok. You could always buys some 1" Dow board and wrap it in tin foil to kill some of the headspace if it's a concern.

 

[MacBruver]

It doesn't make much of a difference. I do 5 gallon batches in my 10 gallon igloo drink cooler, and it only loses a couple of degrees... and that is with opening it to stir it every 20 minutes or so. Pre-heating it does help quite a bit.

 

[Picobrew]

It doesn't make much of a difference. I do 5 gallon batches in my 10 gallon igloo drink cooler, and it only loses a couple of degrees... and that is with opening it to stir it every 20 minutes or so. Pre-heating it does help quite a bit.

I preheat and don't stir and don't really lose any temp in my 10G. It also makes it easy to do a big sparge.

 

[Drunken Monk]

Well I currently live in a 2nd floor apartment and would love to do all grain. I do have a small balcony I can brew on, however it is wood and don't really trust it. My second option would be to brew on the front sidewalk. However I would then have to carry hot wort up two flights of stairs. Now I'm no weakling by any means so I'm not worried about the weight. Just more the risk of the burning myself. I could do a split boil I have a 6 gallon pot and a 5 gallon pot. Then there is the hassle of cooling two pots...

I read DeathBrewer's write up on stove top brewing. However then there is top off water added. I am a bit worried that my efficiency will then suffer too much.

So I basically have three options. What would you apartment brewers do?

Get a turkey fryer or a big pot and burner so you can do full boils. Invest in a fire extinguisher if you're worried about burning down your deck or pay a friend in homebrew to brew with you and help you carry that hot wort up all those steps!