Full boil and hops...

[boneshb]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but...
I recently got a 9 gallon brew pot trying to build my equipment up to get into AG. Now, however, I am confused as to the amount of hops to add. Most recipes are for partial boils, some with and others without late extract additions. Is there a formula or something to use to figure out how much to use?
Also, is it ok to steep specialty grains in the full amount (about 6.5 gallons for a 5 gallon batch)?
I got beersmith and am still figuring it out, hopefully I dont have to ask these types of questions in the future!
Thanks!

 

[likwidbliss]

My boils are full boils (5 gal) in a 7.5 gallon pot. I add the hops recommended for the recipe. I did not really notice a big difference, however I am sure someone will talk about utilization.

I use the same amount of steeping grains that is called for. I like my beer and so do the people I give it to.

 

[boneshb]

Thanks for the quick response. Do you boil the extract for the full 60mins or add it late?

 

[Yooper]

Hops utilization does change when the composition of the wort changes, sometimes markedly! As an example, I made my Dead Guy clone as a partial boil many times. I finally was able to do it as a full boil, and didn't change the recipe. When it was finished, my reaction was, "Wow- it's about TWICE as bitter!" After I put it into Beersmith, I found out I was right! The recipe changed from approximately 15 IBUs to nearly 30!

In most cases, the changes may not be that dramatic, but they can be very noticeable. I'd suggest using different settings in Beersmith, to see the differences. A full boil is pretty similar in results to a late extract addition in a partial boil, for comparison purposes.

 

[Espi]

I recently started doing full boils as well... I have not had any since I started this process.... I kinda figure that I won't make bad beer, it just may not taste like the recipe had planned... I have done both full hop additions and cut back so I am curious at to what I end up with.

I also steeped my grains with the full boil amount but steeped them longer...

dunno, i kinda have the mind set that there really isn't such a thing as bad beer, some are just better than others....

 

[boneshb]

espi- I agree about no bad beer, but I do like good beer. I guess playing around would be too bad, just want to have some good beer to help get the not so good ones down

 

[Yooper]

If you have Beersmith, and you have a basic understanding of brewing, you can adapt any recipe to be to the correct amount of bitterness and balance. You definitely have the ability, and the tools, to make only good beer.

I have a friend who brews fairly willy-nilly. She makes some good beers, but she makes a few not so good beers. She's happy with experimenting, though. In contrast, I plan out my recipes, thinking about each ingredient and what it brings and what my goal is.

I mean, to my mind it's just as easy to make a great beer as it is a bad beer. It also costs the same! I think looking at the IBU/SG ratio in Beersmith is the very least one can do to see how bitter/malty the end result will be.

You can brew to fit your personality- us Type A personalities probably need to brew with more rigidity. The laid back types can probably be happy with adding a bit more freely, and taking a wait and see approach. It's definitely not rocket science, but it is a science and an art. One of my goals is to be able to dependably repeat a brew, and dependably brew a batch. Beersmith helps me a lot with that goal!

 

[likwidbliss]

Bone

I boil the extract for the full 60 minutes. As Yooper said there are those that like to experiment, I am one that does. I have 2 recipes that are quite good I brew fairly consistently and that was with experimentation. I want to see how adding hops to a full boil changes the beer or using a handful of homegrown hops changes the aroma. I haven't dumped a brew yet, friends seem to like it. I guess if I was trying to make a clone spot on then I would get a little more rigid adding to proper amount of hops, later additions, etc... I make mostly ales and stouts.

I do like to make beer just like they did hundreds of years ago. I might get Beersmith, but for now I enjoy the "Brew of my labor".