Full boil or stick with part? Maybe 10+ gal batches?

[Lind13]

I am currently doing partial boils in a 4+ gallon pot. I am thinking about getting a propane based burner to use outside so i can do full boils and its soon to be summer so why not! I s it really worth is for me to buy a new pot and start on full boils? I am assuming that i will be moving to nearly full grain because of it. If i am going to step up to 5 gal batches is it smart to just go straight to 10? lol dunno if thats a dumb statement but im trying to just be cost effective. Any ideas on burners to buy or advise would be awesome!

Cheers

 

[smagee]

While I don't necessarily think that going full-boil means that you must go all-grain as well, it's certainly a step in that direction. That said, full-boil makes a huge difference in a variety of ways; most recipes are formulated such that the appropriate bitterness and hop-malt balance are all calculated based on a full boil. It can be a pain trying to adjust those figures with topoff amounts.

If I could do full-boil batches at the moment, I wouldn't hesitate at all. As for jumping up to 10 gallon batches, I think it's a good idea to remain open to the possibility; if you think you'd like to eventually go down that road, you should probably upgrade to a kettle that can handle it so that you're prepared in the future. Then get a few full-boil 5 gallon batches down and see where you want to go from there.

 

[Wakadaka]

I'm looking at getting a kettle for full boils myself, and I have been considering the same things. I live in an apartment, and likely will for the next several years, so I am limited to a stove. I have debated going with a 15 gallon pot (more like seeing if it would even fit on my stove) for the distant future when I will be able to brew outside.

If it were me I would just get a decent 15 gallon pot to be set for the rest of your brewing. They aren't that much more money, and if I bought a 10 or 7.5 gallon pot instead of a 15 and was outside, I would always be wondering what could have been.

 

[Rcbandl]

If you think you might go for 10 gallon batches, Id say go for it. If you are happy with 5 gallon, just get a 10 gallon pot and you can jump right into all grain with no additional equiptment by going BIAB. Then you could add additional equiptment if you wanted to go mashtun/sparge brewing.

 

[Saiko]

5 gal batches can be hard to do full boil on a stovetop! You can make good beer w/partial boil though. So boil 3 and add two gallons of cold water to chill. If your going to get a 10 or 15 gal kettle, you will have to go electric or find a place where you can use a gas burner.

 

[Beernik]

I did partial mashes and partial boils for a long time. Then I bought a 10 gallon pot that would span two burners on my stove and did full boils. Then I got a propane burner and moved outside to brew.

The best part of brewing outside is never worrying about spills. The second best part is not steaming up the house anymore.

Do you want to stick with 5 - 6 gallon batches for the next 5 years? If so, get a 10 gallon pot and build an MLT when you are ready to go to all grain. If you ever think that you'll want to brew 8 - 10 gallon batches in that time period, get a +15 gallon pot or keggle.

Another thing to consider is a 15 gallon pot or keggle would give you plenty of room for doing 5 gallon BIAB mashes. It would also be easy to convert into part of a RIMS or HERMS if you ever decide to go that direction.