Beer Forum

Here's my dilemma:

Next weekend I'll be brewing my 3rd batch and I will have a kettle big enough for full volume boil but I don't have a chiller yet so I'd have to cool in the bathtub.

Should I stick to partial boil or go full volume, knowing that it will probably take an hour or more to get to 70 degrees, hopefully less. This is a double IPA so I'm leaning full volume and DMS be damned.

I think you can get away with it. Just use a shitload of ice and stir the water in the bathtub.

I used a large, plastic, 18 gal tub with cold water for a long time before I got my chiller. You can get these things when the weather warms up. They're sold as party tubs near the patio furniature in the grocery store for about $5. Just float the kettle in a slow, continuous flow of cold hose water.

you could also boil one gallon of water few days before and freeze it, then reduce the boil volume by that gallon. Then throw the ice in at the end of the boil to help cool it down and bring it up to the proper volume.

While it can be done, it is very sub-optimal.
Try to scrounge up a chiller sooner rather than later. You (and your beer) will thank yourself for doing so.

HTH-

Do like the Australians do and put the hot wort in sealable plastic jerry cans and let it naturally cool overnight. Then pitch at your convenience. They report no problems with DMS.

thanks for the advice guys

I'm definitely going to get a chiller before my next batch, but my yeast is already getting old and this beer has a ridiculous hop schedule so I think full volume will be more important.

It's the "Imperial Slavic Ale" from Northern Brewer. Check this out http://www.northernbrewer.com/promash/1861_.html

+ 1 on BDawg's response,
but if you must use an ice bath, do as Dr. Scott does for cooling his starters and that is to get water underneath the kettle as well, this will increase the surface area.
6 gallons will be pretty heavy so you will need something sturdy. Maybe try 3 hockey pucks or something like that.
Also stirring without splashing the wort every 5-10 minutes will help as well.
Good luck.
Fritz