Getting an expensive kit in the mail today (linked below) and the instructions are for a partial boil.
I have a large enough kettle and burner to quickly heat 5 gallons, but no immersian chiller (ice bath takes a while).
1)Should I follow the instructions or boil 5+ gallons? If I do a full boil, what volume should I use?
I’m asking because if it wouldn’t impact the flavor, I’d rather partial boil (faster cool, lighter weight kettle).
I’d go with the kit instructions. I just don’t think you are going to buy yourself anything with the full boil here. The ONLY thing I can think of is that the hops might not be quite as bright after dilution but I have no actual experience to corroborate that.
If the instructions call for a partial boil then I would just do the partial boil. Doing a full boil on the hops will give you a lot more bitterness and not a whole lot else. If you want to brew a very bitter version of the recipe then do a full boil. If you want it to taste like what the kit intended then just do the partial boil.
What’s gon on fellas. So I am doing another batch today and super stoked about it as always. I have been talking with a few different people about the correct steeping method. My question is…is it better to bring water to a boil and then steep or is it bester that I steep while the water is heating up? And with that how long should I steep for? The batch I am doing is a spin on a pumpkin beer. Since the season is over I am still craving that deliciousness. Thanks guys!
Have not steeped grains in years, but when I did I steeped at 150 for 30 minutes. Beers with lots of roast might benefit from a steep that starts at a cooler temp.
Thanks Steve. So it be best to steep my grains and pumpkin at 150 for 30 mins. Then sparge then bring to boil got ya. Do you happen to know anything about using pumpkin puree? Like when I steep it is that enough to cook it or should I heat it up prior to steep it since it’s not really cooked?
Never used it, sorry. Do you have a recipe your working if of? Check around and see what others have done.
If you aren’t mashing, I’d skip the pumpkin. Most of the “pumpkin” flavor in a pumpkin beer is from the spices anyway, and you’ll avoid the issues with having excess proteins and starches in the finished beer.
I’ve read some recipes that call for spreading the puree out in a thin layer and baking it in an attempt to caramelize the starches, but I haven’t tried it myself. I’d imagine that would force out a lot of the water and make a mess though.
Out of curiosity, why not start a new thread?