Getting ready for my first full boil.

[Mx750ktm]

Here recently I purchased a propane burner and a full sized Keggle to use for my brewing. The last batch I followed my instructions and it had me use roughly 2 gallons to steep my grains with which wasn't enough water to completely cover the grain. So I've realized now I could just do a full boil!!!

My question is I've heard people roughly boil off a gallon an hour? So to start would I just want to start with 6 gallons of water and see where I end up?

What if I'm short a half gallon for a 5 gallon batch? Would I just top off like I have been doing with the kits?

Also I'm assuming it wouldn't be any different but would I still steep my grains for the 45 minutes as most instructions in the kits state to do and still follow all the same procedures for the boiling portion of the process.

Is there any advantages of the full boil over using 2 gallons for steeping then add a gallon,then bring the wort to a boil add hops then top off to 5 gallons?

Thanks Jake

 

[vraftsman]

I assume you're doing extract kits and steeping a small portion of specialty grains. That said, follow all the other instructions the same. If you end up with too much water in the brew kettle you will have to boil longer to reach the desired OG and that will affect your hop addition times. If you have too little you can still top-off the same as before, (seems easier to me.)

The advantage to the full boil is better hop utilization. A less concentrated wort will more efficiently use the hops yielding higher IBUs.

 

[max384]

Calculate your boil-off rate with water before your actual brew day, this way you won't be left having to top off with water or boil longer to lower the volume.