Not getting 5 or 5.5 gal into fermenter

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I started a thread on it tonight... since I did some research that basically said that from 1.25qts/lb you can get a 5-10% increase in efficiency going to a 2qt/lb mash. I am trying it in my new brewing vid that is coming out in a week or so!
 
Bob869007 said:
I just found the thread. Thanks.
Click to expand...

NP Bob... hoping to have some soild results. I have my current efficiency nailed... so any variation will not be a fluke, I am planning for a 5% increase, we will see what actually happens! Hopefully I have good news!
 
The Pol said:
BP your boil off is much higher than 9%. I calculate my boil off at about 1.5 gallons/hour... that is almost 19% on a 5 gallon batch. I think you need to adjust your boil off numbers!
Click to expand...
Well, I lose more than 19% between the start of the boil, and ending up in the fermenter, but it's not all evaporation.
The loss is caused by a combination of:
Evaporation
Hop absorption
Shrinkage caused by cooling
Wort trapped in the CFC
Dead space in the kettle.
For Beersmith to function correctly, it should be able to calculate the hop absorption and cooling, but you have to tell it the amount trapped in the CFC and kettle dead space as well as some means of estimating the evaporation.

If you put it all down to evaporation, it will interfere with the algorithms used by Beersmith to predict the final volume, and produce inconsistent results for different beers.

-a.
 
ajf said:
Well, I lose more than 19% between the start of the boil, and ending up in the fermenter, but it's not all evaporation.
The loss is caused by a combination of:
Evaporation
Hop absorption
Shrinkage caused by cooling
Wort trapped in the CFC
Dead space in the kettle.
For Beersmith to function correctly, it should be able to calculate the hop absorption and cooling, but you have to tell it the amount trapped in the CFC and kettle dead space as well as some means of estimating the evaporation.

If you put it all down to evaporation, it will interfere with the algorithms used by Beersmith to predict the final volume, and produce inconsistent results for different beers.

-a.
Click to expand...
I guess i better start figuring out what my hop absorption, shrinkage by cooling are... :confused:
 
ajf said:
Well, I lose more than 19% between the start of the boil, and ending up in the fermenter, but it's not all evaporation.
The loss is caused by a combination of:
Evaporation
Hop absorption
Shrinkage caused by cooling
Wort trapped in the CFC
Dead space in the kettle.
For Beersmith to function correctly, it should be able to calculate the hop absorption and cooling, but you have to tell it the amount trapped in the CFC and kettle dead space as well as some means of estimating the evaporation.

If you put it all down to evaporation, it will interfere with the algorithms used by Beersmith to predict the final volume, and produce inconsistent results for different beers.

-a.
Click to expand...

True, but as the OP stated... he uses ALL of his HLT water, drains the MLT completely (leaving 1 pint in the dead space), and dumps his entire BK into the fermentor. Seems he IS taking some losses into consideration, and does not have the losses that some have in say a HERMS coil, CFC etc... His own situation is much simpler, as he has stated previously.

BP, I think you are on the right track. Bottom line is it takes a few brews and good notes on quantities to nail down your fluid losses and needs. Also, your boil off was a huge culprit, being calculated at about half of what it probably is.
 
The Pol said:
Oh, I am referring to fly sparging... where your last runnings are very dilute.

I dont understand how collecting an extra gallon will reduce to .5 gallons when boiled, if boil off is a constant as we have discussed.

If I collect 6 gallons and boil off 1.5 gallons, I have 4.5 left
If I collect 7 gallons and boil off 1.5 gallons, I have 5.5 left

I dont have 5.0 left if I collect an extra gallon... do I? How can 4.5 + 1.0 = 5.0???
Click to expand...

You're right. Total brain fart.
 
I'm also about to order a 40qt pot because I get boilovers with that crappy 30qt pot that came with my turkey fryer. If im gonna be running off more i will also need more pot space
 
did anyone mention expansion of hot wort? i mean, if you're taking measurements, you might want to consider that as part of your calculation.

(just trying to confuse things further :D)
 
How much expansion do you figure for "Hot Wort" I'm trying to narrow down my boil and amount to fermenter also. Have consistently came up short for various reasons.
 
I just did the "test" like described earlier in the thread. I bought a new 40qt stock pot and measured out 7 gallons, making marks on a spoon in increments of 1gal. I started with 7gal and my end volume was about 5.5-5.75. So i am still at about 18% boil off.
 

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