Thanks everyone. This helped us calculate the amount of lees and how much tasting, umm, I mean testing we could do and still get 48 12oz bottles.
If anyone cares to know it works out as follows:
5gal = 640fl oz
48 12oz bottles = 576fl oz, about 64fl oz leeway
1" of lees left on the bottom is 62fl oz
3/4" of lees is 47fl oz
priming sugar and water at bottling time is about 3 cups or 24fl oz
Total allowable tasting is:
1" is 64 - 62 + 24 = 26
3/4" is 64 - 47 + 24 = 44
so 26-44floz should be okay for tasting when measuring gravity between secondary or during primary. This is assuming your recipe works out to exactly 5gal, chances are your wort + water + yeast + malt + juice (for a graff) or more water will have you over 5gal. Anything in excess of 5gal is more to drink on bottling day! or more bottles.