Two Pot Boil

[AnOldUR]

Even with the power boil burner on my stove boiling more then 4 gallons is difficult. What I have been doing is upping the grain bill to make a thicker wort and topping off with water (not very efficient) or doing partial mashes.

Could I do a normal all grain mash, and instead of using the extract and top off water, boil a second pot of wort. I could hop the main boil just as I would for a partial mash and used the second boil as top off. The second boil could be a little shorter so that I could have it chilled before the main boil is complete.

There are probably brewers already doing this, but I couldn’t find it in a search. What do you think?

 

[FlyGuy]

I had similar problems boiling a full batch on my stove, too. What worked for me was to collect the first runnings in one pot, start it boiling, then batch sparge and collect the second runnings in a second pot. That got boiled separately. I simply divided my hop additions equally (since I typically do one batch sparge that equals the first runnings). Worked fine, but was a PITA.

Recently, I discovered how to do a full 6.5 gal boil on my stove by just modifying my equipment. The post is here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53683

 

[boo boo]

Good read, Flyguy. I must have missed that thread somehow.

Something for me to add to my aresenal for brewing inside when
the weather isn't nice. Not that it gets as cold as you guys are
getting right now.... shivers just thinking about it.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I've done multiple boils of the same batch to expedite the process successfully. Break up the hop additions as you propose and you will be fine. If possible, get yourself a propane burner and move outside. You will won't regret it.

 

[malkore]

when I split my AG boil (once), i collected the runnings in my bottling bucket, then put that into each pot, to get an even gravity, so hop utilization would be consistent.