How much do you boil?

[Bender]

A few weeks ago I made an IPA and for the first time I did a full 5 gallon boil. It took forever to get all of that liquid up to a rolling boil. In the past I've boiled about 2.5 gal and added water to bring it up to 5 gal.

I'm very pleased with the results of this batch, but I'm wondering if it was really worth the trouble of boiling all 5 gallons.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Once you invest in a burner of some kind (most guys start with a turkey fryer) 5 gallon boils will seem like nothing. I usually do ten gallon batches. I start with around 13 gallons in the keggle, and boil it down to around 11 1/2 or so.

 

[Loup]

how long did it take and what are you using for a burner? I'm using a turkey fryer and it doesn't seem to take too long.

 

[Bender]

how long did it take and what are you using for a burner? I'm using a turkey fryer and it doesn't seem to take too long.

I think I see the problem. I'm on a kitchen stove. I was able to make the pot straddle two burners, but it was a struggle.

Also, I'm using a large enameled seafood and it's very thin. I had to be careful to not let the DME burn to the bottom. With a turkey fryer I think I'd have instant scorched DME on the bottom. I suspect it's time to go back to the smaller stainless steel pot.

 

[Bigsnake]

I think I see the problem. I'm on a kitchen stove. I was able to make the pot straddle two burners, but it was a struggle.

Also, I'm using a large enameled seafood and it's very thin. I had to be careful to not let the DME burn to the bottom. With a turkey fryer I think I'd have instant scorched DME on the bottom. I suspect it's time to go back to the smaller stainless steel pot.

Make sure when you're mixing in extract you're turning the burner (well, in your case burners) off. Mix it well, then get back into heating it up. It'll reduce the amount of scorching you get on the bottom.

And if you want to do full boils, then I'd invest in an outdoor propane burner.

 

[Duckfoot]

Doing full 5-6 gallon boils.... Using a turkey fryer and a keggle.... Want to upgrade to a better burner / three tier system soon....

 

[Bender]

A keggle or turkey fryer may be in the future if I decide to go all grain, but for the partial mash I'm doing now I think I need to stay on the stove top. SWMBO is pretty tolerant of my hobbies, but there are limits.

In the end I think the answer to my question is really that I don't have enough BTUs on the stove top to boil 5 gals.

Thanks for the help.

 

[The Pol]

I leave my burner on LOW while I am sparging, so that the wort, at the end of the sparge, is like 180F... then it takes little time to reach a rolling boil. I have a 55K BTU burner and I boil 7.4 gallons down to 5.3 gallons over 90 minutes. 5.0 gallons of that makes it into the fermentor after I leave behind some gunk in the kettle. Yes, it is that precise after plenty of brewing in my system.
If I plan on dry hopping, I brew a 5.6 gallon batch so that I can send 5.3 gallons to the fermentor to make up for the hops and gunk in the fermentor (.3) gallons.

 

[malkore]

I suspect it's time to go back to the smaller stainless steel pot.

Naw, its time to get a turkey fryer and 8gallon pot. You can literally run into sales on these combos left and right because thanksgiving is the time when fat Americans gather to deep fry their holiday turkeys.

Serious. You should be able to get a burner and aluminum pot for like $30 right now at places like Sears, Wal Mart, Sam's Club, ACE, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards...the list is damn near endless.

$20 for a 20lb propane cylinder, and yer in business!

**disclaimer: I assume you have a place outdoors/garage where you can run a propane cooker **

 

[Brew-boy]

Yes always do a full wort boil your beer will thank you for it. Get your self a big ass propane burner and never look back.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i generally do about a 4 gallon boil with my partial mash batches on the stove top. i can get 6 gallons going if i want to do a full boil.

i boil anywhere from 7-9 gallons when i use my burner and keggle (or large pot)

 

[Pete08]

Yes always do a full wort boil your beer will thank you for it. Get your self a big ass propane burner and never look back.

Bayou Classic SP10!!

 

[TeleTwanger]

bayou q14 (I think) 7-8 gallons boiling in about 15 minutes.

 

[truckerzero]

a 1500 watt electric stove top burner (8 inch)is about 5,000 btu
a natural or propain gas stove burner is about 10,000 btu
a turkey fryer burner is like 49,000 btu huge difference
all the hardware/wholsale cubs have them right now 59 to 99 bucks is what i seen
for a 30 to36 qt pot
fyi

 

[BrianP]

Your SWMBO won't be tolerant of your hobby when you have a boil over on her nice stove. +1 on bringing the boil outside with a nice turkey fryer. It's a pretty inexpensive way to get into full boils, which is just baby steps away from going all-grain.

 

[Bigsnake]

Bayou Classic SP10!!

+1 on this burner. It's amazing. I was coming from a turkey fryer that's probably 50k BTUs and this blows it away.

 

[truckerzero]

i did all grain on my stove top with my beer bucket and a sparge bag (7 gallon size for the bucket

 

[homebrewer_99]

1.5 - 2 gals for the past 14+ years...

 

[ScubaSteve]

+1 on this burner. It's amazing. I was coming from a turkey fryer that's probably 50k BTUs and this blows it away.

Look into the SQ14. I think it'll give you a bit more control and efficieny, with just as much power. It's kind of like a mini banjo burner. I used to have 2 kab5's, and I gotta say, I'm pretty happy with the SQ14. I can accomplish a pretty rapid boil, while using much less propane.

 

[menschmaschine]

I use an SQ-14 and keggle and usually start the boil at 14.5 gallons which gets down to about 12 gallons on a 90 minute boil, which ends up being 11 or so gallons split between 2 Better Bottles. Yeah, I have to stand there with the hose (drinking water safe) and sprayer attachment to keep boil-overs down for the first 20 minutes or so, but it makes the boil more exciting!:cross:

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I boil 7.5g down to 6 for 5.5 into primary or 14.5 down to 12 for 5.5 into 2 primaries.

Those 14.5 gallon boils are always interesting.