boil then topoff?

[kevy_kev]

What, if anything, needs to change for my 5 gallon recipe if I only plan on boiling 2-3 gallons and then topping off to the 5 gallons.

I plan to use this recipe:
Steep:
1/4 LB Melanoiden
1/3 LB 40L Crystal
6 LBs Muntons Extra Lite DME
3/4 oz Hersbrucker Hops
Boil 1 hour
last 5minutes 1 oz hersbrucker hops

yeast: safale 56

in secondary: adding strawberry puree

note: this recipe was thrown together at the LHBS to be a semi-clone of a Pete Strawberry Blonde. Does it look ok?

 

[david_42]

You should double the bittering hops, since your extraction efficiency will be reduced by 40-50% due to the higher gravity of the boil. You don't need to change the aroma hops.

 

[kevy_kev]

got a quick question for anybody still reading this thread.

Anybody used this yeast. It says just sprinkle on. Do I need a starter?

 

[mbeattie]

got a quick question for anybody still reading this thread.

Anybody used this yeast. It says just sprinkle on. Do I need a starter?

The yeast should be fine just sprinkling it. I almost always make a starter just for the heck of it, especially with dry yeast. Definitly make a starter if the yeast is expired or something though.

 

[sheephrdr]

ive never made starters using dry yeast but I always re-hydrate the yeast. my last batch started bubbling after 6 hours

 

[kevy_kev]

well, this beer is very active in the primary.

I ended up using 2 gallons of water
steeping the grains to 170 and removed
put in the DME and 1.25 OZ hops,
boil for 55 minutes
put in 3/4 oz hops
boil 5 minutes
chill
add to carboy, top off to 5 gallons
pitched yeast without a starter.

it took about 24 hours to get 1 bubble every 3 seconds but for the last 2 days now it has been bubbling at least once a second. Smells great

cant wait to put strawberry puree in secondary and rack on top of them. I might only make 4 gallons of the strawberry and take a gallon out to another secondary so there is room incase of a second krausen.

thanks for everyones help....