Full vs. Partial Boil --clarity on my process

[alby44]

I am questioning the limitation of my boil process since I relegated to a stovetop and two pots (5 and 3 gallon). So until now, I've done steeping/extract brews using partial boil/top offs with pretty good success. I boil 2.5-3 gallons of water and proceed from there.....boil, hop schedule, etc..

So, this week, I'm planning on brewing a Belgian Strong with the same tools using 9lbs DME and Candi Sugar, hops, etc... Should I stick with my current process, which has worked out well so far....OR, can I do a 'Full Boil' split between my two pots (5 and 3 gallon).

Long winded way of asking the group if there is a taste/quality distinction between full vs. partial, is it really worth it, and if it is, should I 'half' my recipe between two pots and combine into fermenter from there.

Thanks!

 

[gregfreemyer]

I think it depends on what you are trying to do. Per <https://byo.com/extract-brewing/item/10-10-steps-to-better-extract-brewing>

==
The biggest improvement most extract brewers can make to their process is to boil their wort in a larger volume. Early homebrewing books instructed brewers to boil the malt extract for a 5-gallon (19-L) batch in as little as 1.5 gallons (5.7 L) of water. Although this is convenient, this convenience comes at a price. Boiling a thick wort is guaranteed to darken it unacceptably and severely limit the amount of hop bitterness. No matter what volume a recipe calls for, always boil your wort at the largest volume you can manage.
==

So if you are doing IPAs it probably makes a big difference in trying to get all the hops bitterness. I like well balanced Wits and I haven't noticed them being too dark.

 

[ballsy]

I am set on partial mash/partial boils, due to different reasons from you. I love the beers I have been making with my technique. From what I have gathered, the largest difference b/w partial and full boil deals with sugar concentration in wort and how it changes the hop utilization. But I have read the difference in taste is minimal from some that have experimented (I haven't, so can't say from experience). However, if you do AE or PM then you can "adjust" the concentration of fermentables by adding small amount at beg of boil and do the rest at flameout. A lot on here follow the simple 1lb Extract/1 Gal in the boil so for you, you would be adding ~3 lbs extract for boil, then the rest at flameout. There are more exact equations out there you can search, but again my opinion is your splitting hairs at that point. Just my 2 cents.

 

[alby44]

Thanks for the feedback....I've been adding everything upfront following boil. Perhaps I'll split the DME weight and add half towards the end.

 

[ncbrewer]

I am set on partial mash/partial boils, due to different reasons from you. I love the beers I have been making with my technique. From what I have gathered, the largest difference b/w partial and full boil deals with sugar concentration in wort and how it changes the hop utilization. But I have read the difference in taste is minimal from some that have experimented (I haven't, so can't say from experience). However, if you do AE or PM then you can "adjust" the concentration of fermentables by adding small amount at beg of boil and do the rest at flameout. A lot on here follow the simple 1lb Extract/1 Gal in the boil so for you, you would be adding ~3 lbs extract for boil, then the rest at flameout. There are more exact equations out there you can search, but again my opinion is your splitting hairs at that point. Just my 2 cents.

+1 -- I've brewed lots of batches the same way. I feel that it accomplishes pretty much the same thing as a full boil. Many people do the late extract addition 10 minutes before the end of the boil, but then you have to wait for re-boil.

The possible problem with partial boil is if you're going for a really bitter beer. As I remember, the solubility limit is about 100 IBU. So if you're doing a half boil with top-off water, the final wort can't have over 50 IBU.

 

[ballsy]

+1 -- I've brewed lots of batches the same way. I feel that it accomplishes pretty much the same thing as a full boil. Many people do the late extract addition 10 minutes before the end of the boil, but then you have to wait for re-boil.

The possible problem with partial boil is if you're going for a really bitter beer. As I remember, the solubility limit is about 100 IBU. So if you're doing a half boil with top-off water, the final wort can't have over 50 IBU.

Adding extract at flameout is easiest, no worry of bringing back to boil and adjusting any 10, 5 or 0 minute hop additions.

 

[ncbrewer]

Adding extract at flameout is easiest, no worry of bringing back to boil and adjusting any 10, 5 or 0 minute hop additions.

I might not have made it clear, but I agree 100%. I started to add a similar comment about hop additions, but thought it might confuse the issue, but I agree with that thought also. I also use a hop stand sometimes, and flameout addition facilitates that, too. it gets the temperature down to around 180 - a good range for the hop stand.

 

[bernardsmith]

I ask the following question out of ignorance and not because I think I know the answer, but if the problem of a partial boil is the ability to obtain complete isomerization of the hops because of the concentration of sugar in a relatively small quantity of water why not boil the hops separately in a gallon or two of water with no wort and then add this hop tea (with 60 minute, 15 , 0 minute isomerization ) to the two or three gallons of wort? and then top up with the remainder of the water. Is there a problem with isomerization if there is no sugar or proteins in the water? I have made hopped mead in this way (I don't want to heat the honey and so add the hopped water to the honey to dilute it before I pitch the yeast) and have not had a problem with the hops but I also have no idea whether boiling the hops in water reduces or increases the bitterness significantly - hence my question

 

[ncbrewer]

I ask the following question out of ignorance and not because I think I know the answer, but if the problem of a partial boil is the ability to obtain complete isomerization of the hops because of the concentration of sugar in a relatively small quantity of water why not boil the hops separately in a gallon or two of water with no wort and then add this hop tea (with 60 minute, 15 , 0 minute isomerization ) to the two or three gallons of wort?

This BYO article http://byo.com/stories/wizard/artic...d/1582-upping-ibus-stopping-enzymes-mr-wizard discusses your question. Mr. Wizzard's answer (in part) is "On the surface this may seem like an easy question. Since hop utilization decreases as wort gravity increases it seems logical that one solution to the dilemma faced by extract brewers who boil concentrated wort is to boil the hops separately. This may sound attractive but one downside to this is that the quality of the bitterness and the extraction of plant substances from the hops are reportedly different when hops are boiled in water compared to boiling in wort, and the differences are not for the better." Based on this and other similar information, I haven't tried it.

 

[ballsy]

I might not have made it clear, but I agree 100%. I started to add a similar comment about hop additions, but thought it might confuse the issue, but I agree with that thought also. I also use a hop stand sometimes, and flameout addition facilitates that, too. it gets the temperature down to around 180 - a good range for the hop stand.

I gotcha, was really trying to clarify/steer OP clear of the adding extract with 10min left in boil. I know a lot of people do it this way, but I am confused why just like you b/c of the reasons you mentioned (having to return to boil, etc..). If one can completely rid themselves of any risk of maillard reaction by adding majority of extract at flameout why would someone not do it like that?
Cool article link btw!