Full boil?

[guitar510]

I'm preparing for my first brew and most of the discussion/videos I've read instruct to boil 2.5 gal and then add 2.5 gal in the fermenter. I purchased an 8 gal aluminum kettle so I have the ability to do a full boil...I'm assuming I would start with about 6.5 gal. I tested my stove and it takes about 60 min to get 6.5 gal boiling.

If I do the full boil, do I need to change anything with the instructions?

My first brew will be Northern Brewer Three Hearted Ale. This one has specialty grains and dry hops in the secondary fermenter...hope I'm not taking too much on.

 

[android]

your hop utilization will be different i think... but a full boil will result in a better beer IMHO. what are the hop additions as is? we can help you figure out how to change it if need be. you're not taking too much on, it'll turn out great. what better way to start than to have a dry hopped beer?

 

[Want2Brew]

I agree. Do the full boil if you can, adjust hops accordingly. May require a wort chiller though.

 

[MurderMittenBrewing]

A wort chiller is a must when doing full boils. You might also want to look into a propane burner (turkey fryer) down the line. They're much hotter than regular stoves.

If you're brewing an IPA it probably won't hurt to just keep the hop schedule how it is. The flavor will be different, but it'll still be good. More hoppy, that's all.

 

[guitar510]

This is an American IPA. The current hop schedule is...

1 oz Centennial (60 min)
1 oz Centennial (25 min)
2 oz Centennial (5 min)
1 oz Centennial (Dry Hop)

Are the hops added directly in the wort or do I use a bag? I've seen both.

 

[sp1365]

What are the AA% of the hops? Partial Boil to full boil especially for heavy hopped beers utilization can change dramatically.

As for bag or no bag, it is personal preference. I don't use one, but I am lazy.

 

[guitar510]

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
0.75 oz. Centennial Whole 10.50 32.2 60 min
1.00 oz. Centennial Whole 10.50 14.4 20 min
2.00 oz. Centennial Whole 10.50 14.3 5 min
1.00 oz. Centennial Whole 10.50 0.0 Dry Hop

Does that help?

 

[yeoldebrewer]

The full boil can make better beer. But if this is your first ever brew, I would recommend a partial boil. Cooling 5+ gallons of boiling hot wort is tough without some kind of chiller. And it can be dangerous to move around while hot.

Not saying it can't be done. Just that you may want to try the partial first.

Doing a late extract addition for partials is easy and should improve quality. Just add about half of the extract at the start of the boil and the other half for the last 15 minutes.

 

[aksea102]

I brewed the same NB kit a few months ago. I did a partial boil and just chucked the hops in the boiling wort. No bag. Racked to secondary after a week(ish) and then dry hopped for a week. No bag. It turned out AWESOME!! Because of "no bag" you may want to tie a muslin bag or paint strainer bag around the bottom end of your racking cane/auto-siphon when you transfer the beer to the bottling bucket. I did not (newer brewer) and my bottle filler kept clogging up. Regardless, that kit is AWESOME!!

 

[artguy]

If I do the full boil, do I need to change anything with the instructions?

Depends on the instructions. Folks have mentioned hop utilization, which does change depending on the OG of the wort. If your instructions use the "late extract" method of adding half of the extract late in the boil, then you can achieve the same OG for a full boil by adding all the extract in the beginning instead, and keep the hop additions the same. If your instructions call for adding all the extract in the beginning of the boil, then you would need to alter the full boil hop schedule to come up with the same IBUs as the recipe...my guesstimate would be to use .5 oz @ 60 minutes and move the extra .5 oz. to the 20 minute addition (truly just approximate though!).

 

[guitar510]

OK, I just received the NB kit. The hops are all 8.8% AA. Advice on adjustments needed for the full boil? I just can't see any reason to go with the partial.

Also, did a test run of an ice bath tonight. In only about 20 min I got to 80 deg F...I think I'm going to hold off on the wort chiller for now. Directions say add yeast at 78 F...that sound good?

Tomorrow the NB Deluxe Beer Starter Kit arrives

 

[guitar510]

Just to clarify this recipe calls for adding all the extract at the beginning of the boil.

 

[user 29674]

You want to pitch as close to fermentation temp as you can, but in general <80 is ok, so yes on the 78. I do AG full boils without a chiller (water bath) and have good results, it just takes longer.

With regards to using your stove - you may need to be prepared to split some of the wort out into a smaller pot; sugar laden wort is harder to boil than plain water. When I first tried to do a full boil I tested with water first and was able to boil it, but couldn't get wort up to a boil. Luckily I had made a heatstick so I was able to continue as planned.

Weather or not you reduce the hops is a preference thing most of the time. I never do because I don't have a scale and when you do the reduction you end up with funky measurements like .81oz that need to be weighed. You won't brew the beer you set out to brew, but that's not always a bad thing. Especially in an IPA you probably won't notice a lot of a difference because its high in hops already. Something lighter on the hop aroma/bitterness like a blonde you'd notice it for sure. I think the general rule is to reduce by 10% or so, but I'm not positive on that.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Blender]

I wouldn't start at 6.5 gallons because you don't know how much you will boil off. The kits are made for 5 gallons and if you are over then the beer will less strong. I would start with 5 to 5.5 and add water to reach 5 gallons if needed. Pitching the yeast at 78 won't hurt to much but why not wait and let it reach 70. Keep your fermentation temps in check as that will make a huge difference in the beer.

 

[MurderMittenBrewing]

I think I'm going to hold off on the wort chiller for now. Directions say add yeast at 78 F...that sound good?

What kind of yeast are you using? 78 seems really high. I pitch most ale yeasts in the low 60s.

Keep in mind that the beer isn't going to cool down after you pitch, unless your ambient temp is really cold. Fermentation is an exothermic reaction (it gives off heat) so the temp will increase if anything. Higher fermentation temps can change the flavor of your finished product.

 

[guitar510]

Thanks for all the input. The yeast is Safale US-05 Ale Yeast. The recipe actually says 78 F or lower...so it sounds like most of you are suggesting lower. I'm not really worried anymore since the ice bath worked faster than anticipated. I'll wait until at least 70.

I have a granite canning kettle that could be used in a pinch as a back-up if the boil lags. Does it need to be a rolling boil?

I proposed using 6 - 6.5 gal based on what I've read from others. My understanding is that after the 1 hr boil, if you start with 6 - 6.5 gal, 5 gal will be left.

I shouldn't have a problem maintaining a good fermentation temp. Southern CA climate and my house is well insulated.

 

[Keith_Mahoney]

I have the same kit at home and have already loaded the recipe in beer smith. The hops that came with my kit are 8.0% so your IBU's will be slightly higher than mine.

I use a turkey fryer and start off with 6.5 gal which will boil off to just under 5 (but I doubt your stove will) it doesn't take much time at all to reach rolling boil.

Here is what I came up with in beersmith
1 oz 60 min 26 ibu
1 oz 20 min 15.7 ibu
2 oz 05 min 10.4 ibu

total 52.1 ibu which puts it in center of the style for an American IPA

 

[Keith_Mahoney]

Running the same ingredients through Beersmith with a late extract addition gives and IBU of 78.1

That is probably how I will do this recipe. I like it strong.

 

[guitar510]

Too much math coming....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/full-boil-vs-partial-boil-hops-utilization-88417/

I just read this thread and now I'm a little worried. I'll try and reason out my concern. If I assume Northern Brewer made this recipe based on a partial boil (which they did according to the instructions), the IBUs of the 2.5 gal boil are aimed to be twice as much as the final wort when combined with 2.5 gal of plain water...say them aimed for 100 max to achieve 50 in the final wort/water mixture. BTW if this math is correct and if 100 IBU is max achievable this would mean 50 IBU is the most you could get with a partial boil.

If I now take the same hop schedule...or even slightly reduced, it would seem to me I would way overshoot the target 50 IBU with the full boil. Does the suggested 10% or so reduction in hops take the above into consideration?

 

[artguy]

I think you're confusing yourself a bit, and the NB directions may be partly to blame. If you do a partial boil with all extract added at the start as they say and this hop schedule, you would only get about 32 IBUs, which is way too low for a high gravity IPA. The only way the IBUs come out right is if you do a partial boil with half the extract added late in the boil, or a full boil with all the extract in the beginning. Both of these methods land you around 56-58 IBUs, which sounds about right (I assumed either a 3- gallon boil down to 2.5, or a 6-gallon boil down to 5); this is because both ways give you the same pre-boil wort gravity, which is what determines the hop utilization (I.e. IBUs). So, either is fine and then you don't need to mess with the hop additions. My 2 cents...