CP Recipe

[dirtydingus]

I have an extract recipe from CP, that calls for boiling the DME in 1.5 gals water, 45mins. Then add to fermenter and top up to 5 gals. w/cold water. My ? is, could I or should I boil the entire 5 gals in my garage, as I am an all grain brewer and have equip. to do it?

 

[MaxM]

If you have the capacity to do full volume boils, I'd say do it. You get better hop utilization and less wort darkening with full volume extract boils which will give you a beer closer to what you intended to make.

 

[dirtydingus]

Thank you

 

[STMF]

I agree. If you can do a full boil, do that.
Also, it is quite commone these days to add just a portion of the extract (1/3-/1/2) at the beginning of the boil and the rest at (or close to) flameout. Reasons quoted is less darkening of the extract and less "extract twang".

John Palmer has a method in How To Brew where he adds half of the extract + half of the water at the beginning and the rest at flameout. Then you would have the same gravity as the full volume and hop extraction should be about the same as a full boil.

 

[NGD]

Theres a 100 ways to do even extract. MaxM and STMF are spot on. As an extract brewer I’ve gone to larger starting volumes (3.5-4gal) but shortened the boil down to 30-45 minutes. I don’t have room in the kettle for more and I like having ice cold water ready to help slam the temps down as I hit my volume mark. Makes for a much shorter brew day

 

[dirtydingus]

You never know, I might revert back to Extract brewing, and be an All-Grainer just once and a while????

 

[MaxM]

John Palmer has a method in How To Brew where he adds half of the extract + half of the water at the beginning and the rest at flameout. Then you would have the same gravity as the full volume and hop extraction should be about the same as a full boil.

Exactly the method I was alluding to - it's worked very well for me.