So this may be a repeat post, and if it is, I apologize. I have been messing around with some recipes and I realized that I wasn’t really sure on how to calculate how much water I need to use for the boil/wort. The kits that I have brewed from NB have generally called for 2.5 gallons for a 5 gallon recipe. Is this a good number to use for 5 gallon extract brews, or does it vary? Thanks in advance guys.
You can use as much water as your setup allows to achieve a good steady boil without boiling over. If you have a 5 gal. kettle using a stove, you’ll get away with about 3 gallons with no problem. If you have a 8 to 10 gal. with a gas burner, start with approx. 7 gal. to end up with 5+ in the fermenter. You’ll have better color & hop utilization with full volume boil extracts. Again, it all depends on your equipment. :cheers:
perfect! thanks buddy, I appreciate the response.
I was using a 4 gallon kettle with 2.5 - 3 gallons of water to start plus extract - without constant attention I was boiling over more than I can to mention. (stove will never be the same) Made the move to a 10 gallon kettle and propane burner - life (and wife) is much happier. You will still be able to make good beer with the smaller kettle and 2.5 gallons is a good place to start; it just needs to be watched closely! Don’t forget to put a couple of gallons of water in the frig ahead of time to add after boiling to help cool the batch down to pitching temp.
