First brew tomorrow...last minute decision

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atimmerman88

atimmerman88

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Well at last tomm is my 1st brew - brew day! I'm super excited! I've been waiting to get a brew going now for about two months.

I was making volume marks on my carboy, and decided to measure the pot I borrowed to use for boil in, low and behold its an 8+ gal pot. Held my 5.5 gallon from the carboy and had 5" left from the top.

So, from what I've read, I think I would benefit from a doing a full boil.

Thoughts on this? Recipe calls for 5 1/4 Gal in the carboy after boil.

Boiling over turkey fryer so I think I've got the BTU's to handle a full boil.

Thanks in advance!
 
If you do not have a chiller, do a partial boil and add cooled water. The distilled or spring water in 1 gallon jugs is normally fine although I would sanitize the jugs. You may cool them and then pour them in. You can have them quite chilled in you freezer but not frozen. We did this when we first started with great success. We now do 17 gallon batches all grain, but started with extracts and partial boils. Good Luck.
 
The benefits of full boil outweigh the costs of ice bath chilling, IMO. I've been doing 5 gallon AG batches for 4+ months without an immersion chiller. They're nice, but not 100% necessary.

To end with 5.25 gallons, you're probably starting with something just shy of 7 gallons. If it's an 8 gallon pot, you're absolutely gonna need fermcap. If it's bigger, you might be able to get by keeping a close eye on it with a spraybottle in hand.
 
It all depends, if its your first, I would do a partial boil and top it off. You will get a feel for what the wort does when you add hops or its up to high and things get a little crazy with foam. You will not leave yourself much room in the kettle if its 8 gallons, I still have a stain on my garage floor from my first boil over. I saved up and bought a bigger kettle after that.

of course all that is dependent on if you are doing AG or extract
 
I still boil 6-7, end up with 4-5 and top with ice cold spring water. I've done about 20 batches like this and it makes great beer. Just got an IC......

A long chill time coupled with subpar sanitation (it's your first brew, and the process you are still working out) is the best way to get an infected batch.
 
First I will say I have an immersion chiller...

Second I measured 5.5 Gal into the Carboy then dumped it into the pot...

5" free space. 14" diameter pot.....I calculated little over 3 gal free space.
 
Recipe....

1lb crystal 75L
7lb Extra Pale Extract
1lb Extra Light DME

1oz Summit @ 60 left
1oz Columbus @ 15 left

SafAle US-05 Dry Yeast

1oz Cascade for dry hopping - planning on adding to primary for 1 week.... [??]

OG = 1.059
FG = 1.014

Kit AHB Anniversary IPA (14B)
 
atimmerman88 said:
First I will say I have an immersion chiller...

Second I measured 5.5 Gal into the Carboy then dumped it into the pot...

5" free space. 14" diameter pot.....I calculated little over 3 gal free space.
Click to expand...

A full volume boil requires more than 5.5 gallons. You would start with about 7 gallons to end up with 5.5 gal of wort at the end of your 60' boil. Evaporation can vary widely- its all about knowing your system.

How full does your pot look with 7 gallons in it?
 
With 7gal I e got about 3" from the top. Ive also gotta add 8lbs Lbs of malt so that is volume itself.

I may not be able to do a full boil, but I can certainly do a Beale full boil. Say start with around 5 gal to be safe an top off the additional gallon.

And since I'm new I'd rather error on the side of adding vs ending up with 6gal of wort
 
atimmerman88 said:
First I will say I have an immersion chiller...

Second I measured 5.5 Gal into the Carboy then dumped it into the pot...

5" free space. 14" diameter pot.....I calculated little over 3 gal free space.
Click to expand...

you will have to boil at least 7 gallons for a full boil. That will leave you with just under two inches of room for boiling. That's very close to the edge. I would do a partial boil...boil 5 gallons then fill.

not that you can't do it, but its not fun having to adjust the heat, spray the foam down and all the other panic that goes on with your first batch.

Boil 5 for an hour and top it off. Once you see how the process works and everything else, do a full boil.
 
I thank you for the advice and I think that'll be my plan tomm. Im a bit nervous as well.

I'll shoot for a 5gal boil. Won't be as flood as 7 but way better than 3 :)

I think I'm going to deviate from the recipe and steep the grains in 2qts vs the 2.5gal is calls for. Seems from the threads that this fits the boil big steep small mantra
 
atimmerman88 said:
Recipe....

1lb crystal 75L
7lb Extra Pale Extract
1lb Extra Light DME

1oz Summit @ 60 left
1oz Columbus @ 15 left

SafAle US-05 Dry Yeast

1oz Cascade for dry hopping - planning on adding to primary for 1 week.... [??]

OG = 1.059
FG = 1.014

Kit AHB Anniversary IPA (14B)
Click to expand...

Good recipe! But don't add the dryhops until about a week before packaging your beer. Since I'm a hophead, I'd probably add those cascades at 5 minutes left, AND dryhop with some cascades! Cascades make a nice flavor/aroma with columbus for bittering.


atimmerman88 said:
I thank you for the advice and I think that'll be my plan tomm. Im a bit nervous as well.

I'll shoot for a 5gal boil. Won't be as flood as 7 but way better than 3 :)

I think I'm going to deviate from the recipe and steep the grains in 2qts vs the 2.5gal is calls for. Seems from the threads that this fits the boil big steep small mantra
Click to expand...

Boil as much as you can, but don't sweat it too much. If you have to top up with water at the end to hit 5 gallons, that's better than ending with too much! I would start with 6 gallons at the most, just in case you don't boil off a full gallon.

For steeping, you can steep in a smaller volume while you're bringing the rest of the water up to a boil if you want. But for crystal malt, it really doesn't matter. You can do a smaller steep, or a larger steep, with the same results.

That beer looks really good! I think it'll be a good one.
 
Glad to get some feedback and encouragement from some of you experienced folks :)

Any expectations from this recipe on a ball park time line?

Something around the 2-2-2 rule seem reasonable?

My basement is approx 67 this time of year in the chicago area, I'm thinking I will set the carboy in a rubber maid w/ a frozen two liter hopefully dropping the temp near 60 or so.

Good idea, bad idea, or indifferent ?
 
60 is at the lower end, shoot for 65 for the ipa.

2 Weeks primary, rack to secondary and dry hop for a couple more then bottle. You can cold crash it for a couple days to help clear the hops out then rack to bottling bucket.
 
atimmerman88 said:
With 68 being alright or worth trying to lower
Click to expand...

Just sit the carboy in a Rubbermaid filled with water. No need for ice likely. This will keep the carboy from heating up more than a degree or two during active fermenting.

Enjoy your first brew day!!!
 
atimmerman88 said:
With 68 being alright or worth trying to lower
Click to expand...

Fermentation will kick off some heat so 68 ambient could mean mid 70's or so beer temp which is too hot. You may want to go ahead with the swamp cooler you were talking about.

oh, and I second Yooper's suggestion on the additional cascades near flameout!
 
I unfortunately I don't have the chance to get any more hops before I brew :(

So.... Add them at flame out or.....add a week before bottling ?
 
chickypad said:
Fermentation will kick off some heat so 68 ambient could mean mid 70's or so beer temp which is too hot. You may want to go ahead with the swamp cooler you were talking about.

oh, and I second Yooper's suggestion on the additional cascades near flameout!
Click to expand...

I'll keep an eye on it, I might be able to snag the thermal imaging camera from work and rely get a good indication on it :)
 
atimmerman88 said:
Glad to get some feedback and encouragement from some of you experienced folks :)

Any expectations from this recipe on a ball park time line?

Something around the 2-2-2 rule seem reasonable?

My basement is approx 67 this time of year in the chicago area, I'm thinking I will set the carboy in a rubber maid w/ a frozen two liter hopefully dropping the temp near 60 or so.

Good idea, bad idea, or indifferent ?
Click to expand...

Not that I am an authority, but yes swamp coolers do the job. My chilliest room stays at 68d (+-). Adding a couple frozen 2 liters twice a day kept the swamp at 58-62d. Using the 5-10d rule of thumb for temperature during fermentation, my goodies stayed at 63-72d at the extremes.

I have a lot more confidence at the outcome of my second batch (using my limited controlling of temp) to my first batch's, uncontrolled let it do it's thing lack of effort.

Though chilling a taste of the first batch last weekend was entirely pleasing...
 
If you are using an aluminum pot you need to boil water for thirty minutes before you use it to brew. That will build up a passive oxide layer. Good luck and have fun.
 
BrewerBear said:
If you are using an aluminum pot you need to boil water for thirty minutes before you use it to brew. That will build up a passive oxide layer. Good luck and have fun.
Click to expand...

I do have an aluminum pot-

You'd recommend boiling for 30 then discarding that water
 
image-798599881.jpg

This also came with my kit -

Use it or not
 
atimmerman88 said:
<img src="https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=56952"/>

This also came with my kit -

Use it or not
Click to expand...

its not necessary, the wort will have all the nutrients the yeast needs. You can if you want, won't hurt it.
 
Your very welcome. good luck! Follow the directions, its pretty easy.

I'm bottling an American wheat today, then brewing an AG American lager. Yeast starter almost foamed over this morning!
 
I noticed you have some grain. It might be a little easier if you do those with less water in the big pot.

Start with two gallons, heat it up to 150 place the bag in. let it sit for the time the directions say.
Then when they are done fill to boll volume and follow the directions
 
bob1006 said:
I say that because you can turn the heat on to maintain temp easier with that water volume.
Click to expand...

Alight the directions call fr 2.5 gallon for both steeping and the boil. I'll top off from the 2.5 gall after the 25 min steep
 
There you go.

There will be some residue from the crystal, don't worry about it, it will settle during fermentation.

Good luck and enjoy.
 

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