partial or split boil

[brkoerner]

I was wondering which would be easier and better to start out with partial or split boiling? Also which would be easier to upgrade later on without having to buy much more equipment or better yet still be useable once I upgrade

 

[VTBrewer]

Well, if you have a 5 gallon pot now for partial boils, you probably won't use it that much after upgrading to say a 10 gallon one. If you buy a second 5 gallon pot for split boils, you'll have two that you won't use very much after upgrading.....

 

[brkoerner]

I don't have any equipment yet. I haven't started brewing yet I'm trying to figure somethings out before I start

 

[VTBrewer]

Cool. In that case I'd just do partial boils. If money isn't a huge object up front, and you check around on ebay and craigs list...the cheapest option in the long run is to go straight to full boils.

 

[zacster]

Get a large enough kettle to do a full 5 gallon batch, 32 quart/8g is big enough. If you only want to do partial boil you can in the large pot, but you can't do a full boil in the small pot. I have yet to do a full boil myself, usually using the 2 largest pots I have and just splitting it up, adding water at the end.

I was just looking at homebrewstuff.com for the 8g kettles.

 

[brkoerner]

Ok thanks for the help. Would an 8 gal pot be easily used on the stove because as of now I'm living in an apartment but hopefully after this coming semester I'll be able to move into a house and boil outside but for now I'm stuck inside

 

[VTBrewer]

Depends. I have a 9G one and on my burner it can get it to not QUITE where it needs to be. ie: not a rolling boil. If i put in across the front and back burner 6.5 gallons does better. I ended up getting a heat stick and that solved my indoor problems.