Boil Volume Important?

[spie0092]

I found a recipe I would like to try, but the boil volume is 6 gal. I do not have a pot to boil 6 gal. and prefer not to, so is it a big deal if I do a 3 gal boil instead and add the needed extra water to the primary?

 

[zoebisch01]

It should be alright, but you'll get less bitterness out of your hops due to the higher gravity of the boil. So you would have to adjust the hop addition. I am guessing with a 6 gallon boil vs. a 3 gallon one would be significant. If you post the recipe someone can run the numbers. I can show you how to do it as well if you are interested.

 

[b-tone]

That's pretty typical for most extract brewing that I've run across. From my experience, the only problem with a reduced boil is a darkening of the final product, but not too much of an issue with the flavor.
But, altering the volume that much will likely mess with your hop utilization. I don't have a formula for figuring out how many more hops you may need to add, but I'm sure someone around here does.

 

[spie0092]

It should be alright, but you'll get less bitterness out of your hops due to the higher gravity of the boil. So you would have to adjust the hop addition. I am guessing with a 6 gallon boil vs. a 3 gallon one would be significant. If you post the recipe someone can run the numbers. I can show you how to do it as well if you are interested.

I would definitely like to know the conversion. Here are the hop additions:

1.75oz Mount Hood - 60 mins

1 0z Cascade - 10 mins

 

[cweston]

I would definitely like to know the conversion. Here are the hop additions:

1.75oz Mount Hood - 60 mins

1 0z Cascade - 10 mins

Type in your recipe here in the Beer Recipator spread sheet...

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator

Note the IBUs claculated (don't worry if it's not what your recipe says it should be--there are different ways of calculating IBUs)

Then change the boil volume from 6 gals to 3 gals, and see how much you need to adjust your bittering hops to hit the same IBU figure.

 

[spie0092]

Here is the recipe:

6lb Light LME 30 min boil
2.75lb Light DME 60 min boil
1lb Candy Sug.
.30 Belgian Aromatic 30min@150
.30 German Vienna 30min@150
1.75oz Mount Hood Hops 60min boil
1 oz Cascade hope 10min boil
1tsp Ground Coriander

 

[bandt9299]

How about putting in just the DME and Candi sugar bring to boil, and leave the hops the same, then do a late addition on the LME this should keep you close.

 

[Castle Meadow Brewery]

My calculations came back as 13.4 IBU's for 1.75 oz of Mt. Hood Hops for bittering boiled in 3 gal of water for 60 min. I don't know how many IBU's you're trying to hit, but this is where you'll end up if you don't change the hop bill. Here's a link for a calculator I use.
http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/

Hope it helps..

Alex

 

[david_42]

Looks like this is already has most of the extract in a late add. Hop utilization is non-linear in both time and wort gravity, but an extra 1/2 oz. of Mt. Hood would put you close.

 

[spie0092]

Thanks all, for the advice and links. I truly appreciate it.

I have to say I have learned a lot already on this forum. Everyone has been very nice and friendly.