Partial or Full Boil

[jwj]

Greetings,

I am very new to homebrewing and am getting ready to brew my first batch. Though I have read several books and dozens of articles I know I will have questions. Here is my first: Since full boiling of the wart (i.e., the entire 5 gallons) is suppose to be the best way, why then do many books highlight partial boil (i.e., boil only 2 or so gallons)?

Thanks

Jim

 

[tnlandsailor]

Boiling a full 5 gallons requires a REALLY big pot. Probably 8 gallons. Not everyone is set up for this and it's almost impossible to do on a kitchen stove. That means you need a huge pot and a stand alone high output burner or heat source. For the beginner, it's much easier to recommend something that will make the process easier and cheaper, hence the partial boil. This is how virtually every brewer starts the hobby. It's just a matter of cost and convenience.

Welcome to the fold!

Prosit!

 

[OBX]

Greetings,

I am very new to homebrewing and am getting ready to brew my first batch. Though I have read several books and dozens of articles I know I will have questions. Here is my first: Since full boiling of the wart (i.e., the entire 5 gallons) is suppose to be the best way, why then do many books highlight partial boil (i.e., boil only 2 or so gallons)?

Thanks

Jim

I have tried boiling 4 gal on my kitchen stove and it was not easy and took a long time to start boiling. Then I tried a couple 3 gal batches and it boils much easier. Stick to 3 gal or a little more and your stove can handle that much. It's also faster to cool down 3 gal than 5 gal of boiling wort.