Brewpot too small!

[Kaiborg12]

I have been brewing all grain for about 4 batches now and realized that my brew pot is too small for a long boil. Would it hurt my beer if i collected all the needed wort and then towards the end of my boil when a lot if it is evaporated put the rest of the wort in to bring it up to the correct volume. Would this work or will it affect the flavors in my beer. I am going to upgrade my kettle as soon as i can track down a keg to make a keggle out of!

 

[InLimbo]

I'm in the same position (and same county as you!). We do a smaller simultaneous boil of 2 3 gallons. I kind of like this for a couple reasons. "Better" hop utilization because the hops are in a lower gravity wort. Actually, that's the only reason I like it. It's a pain having to watch 2 boiling pots, then clean 2 pots. But we basically boil the two side by side until 20 minutes left in the boil. Then we smaller pot into the larger pot, and brew day continues as usual. I prefer to boil it instead of just have it sit there until needing to add it. Hope that makes sense. I can't wait to move up to a bigger kettle though. This works, but its kind of a pain.

 

[nbolmer]

I'm in the same position (and same county as you!). We do a smaller simultaneous boil of 2 3 gallons. I kind of like this for a couple reasons. "Better" hop utilization because the hops are in a lower gravity wort. Actually, that's the only reason I like it. It's a pain having to watch 2 boiling pots, then clean 2 pots. But we basically boil the two side by side until 20 minutes left in the boil. Then we smaller pot into the larger pot, and brew day continues as usual. I prefer to boil it instead of just have it sit there until needing to add it. Hope that makes sense. I can't wait to move up to a bigger kettle though. This works, but its kind of a pain.

I'm confused - how is it that you have a lower gravity wort by dividing the beer into two simultaneously boiling pots?

 

[Kaiborg12]

Well I can boil about 5.5 gallons and 2 separate boils is not an option for me since I'm using a banjo burner. Can I add the wort that has just been lautered at the end of my boil to increase the volume or will this produce unwanted flavors or mess with fermentation?

 

[Kaiborg12]

Ya and I dunno about dividing wort and getting a lower gravity all I see it doing is decreasing the volume.

 

[stevedasleeve]

I brew with 2 pots - 60 + all grain brew days to date. I collect 6.75 in my big pot in which all the hops go, and somewhere between 1 - 2 gallons in a supplemental pot. I put no hops in that one. At the end of the boil I combine usually collecting 6-6.75 gallons and put 5.5-6 gallons in my carboys.

I find this easy to do and much better than the alternatives (1. buy a bigger pot 2. Boil a higher gravity wort and dilute with water 3. Collect less wort to ferment at the end of the boil. )

Steve da sleeve

 

[H-ost]

What it will do is change your hop utilization, possible production of tannins unless you are mashing out, and the boil gets rid of DMS + SMM so those off flavors would probably be more prominent.

 

[BrewMU]

Yes, you can do that. Tannins shouldn't be an issue. Your wort may be a bit darker and you will have more Maillard reactions.

 

[nbolmer]

Well I can boil about 5.5 gallons and 2 separate boils is not an option for me since I'm using a banjo burner. Can I add the wort that has just been lautered at the end of my boil to increase the volume or will this produce unwanted flavors or mess with fermentation?

Welp, a few things. One, with the decreased surface area (this is the case whenever you use a smaller vessel) you will increase the caramelization of the wort - this may be advantageous or detrimental depending on the style you are brewing, but it's something to keep in mind. Your pH may be affected somewhat. You may also have difficulty hitting your correct original gravity, because you will be blending worts of different gravities in imprecise propotions. Another (better?) solution would be to break the batch into two properly boiled batches, and combine them after chilling. Or you could pitch them seperately, and ferment them in separate carboys, combine them for secondary fermentation into one batch.

I don't see any huge problems, but for every benefit of boiling wort for 60-90 minutes, that portion of your batch will not gain those benefits.

If you do break the batch into two full boils, hop them equally, at half the rate before combining.

 

[nbolmer]

What it will do is change your hop utilization, possible production of tannins unless you are mashing out, and the boil gets rid of DMS + SMM so those off flavors would probably be more prominent.

Hop utilization would usually be thrown off a small bit, but in this case, he is re-combining and continuing the boil; the hops will continue to isomerize during this second lesser boil. At the end of the day, utilization would be affected only a very small amount, because the full volume is eventually boiled with already-mostly isomerized hops.

 

[TravisT]

If i was in your shoes(and at one point i was) i would ask your self, am i going to do this hobbie for a while to come? If you think this IS something your going to do for a long time to come, i would be putting away some $$$ to buy a new pot. my .02 cents

 

[fifelee]

I'm no expert, but in addition to extraction of hop oils we also boil to drive off unwanted volatile compounds and to coagulate unwanted proteins. This wouldn't happen as much in the portion you added later. So the flavor would likely change a bit.

 

[Kaiborg12]

Thanks guys great information here. I think i am going to just take the plunge and buy a 10 gallon brewpot or a keggle off of craigslist. I have been trying to put it off as long as i can but it seems about time to do it. Between that and my new 2-3 keg keezer im setting up looks like time to drop another 400-500 dollars on the olʻ brew setup.

Cheers

 

[nbolmer]

Thanks guys great information here. I think i am going to just take the plunge and buy a 10 gallon brewpot or a keggle off of craigslist. I have been trying to put it off as long as i can but it seems about time to do it. Between that and my new 2-3 keg keezer im setting up looks like time to drop another 400-500 dollars on the olʻ brew setup.

Cheers

A very sensible solution I'd even sacrifice the fridge for the brewpot (if necessary due to budget) - you can still bottle until you save the ducats. Happy brewing!

 

[Kaiborg12]

Yessir i hear ya. Im going to do both though, i have seen many keggles for sale in the 110-150 price range around here on craigslist. If not im going to search out the scrapyards and grab a keg and just do it myself. I work 21 days on and then get 21 days of so i have lots of free time to run around and buy stuff and get my keezer going.