new AG setup: test or brew?

so i just put together an AG setup with some keggles. have 2 keggles fully built with sight glasses, ball valves and thermometers. is there any testing i should be doing (besides leak tests) before i brew my first all grain batch? there really isn't any way to test efficiency of an MLT without making wort, right? should i worry about what my boiloff rate is with my burner (never mattered with extract, can i just top off the carboy to 5 gallons if my boil off is larger than anticipated?)

should i just let 'er rip?

Let 'er rip man! But take lots and lots of notes regarding temps, volumes, times, etc. along the way as you brew so you can fine tune the process. I also suggest a nice brewing software program to help dial in your efficiency and other target numbers (like Beersmith).

Good luck and take some pictures of your first all grain day! Most important part...have fun!

Brew a cheap batch to test out the system.... Especially if its your first all grain. Write down everything also as badger said.

I would at least do a 60 minute boil with just water to get an estimate on your boil off. Cheap insurance.

My first AG batch was a test brew using old ingredients and tap water (I usually use bottled water - my well water sucks) just to walk through the process. It let me figure out my efficiency and boil-off rate, and didn't cost me anything but propane.

hammy71 said:

i would at least do a 60 minute boil with just water to get an estimate on your boil off. Cheap insurance.

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+1

i like the idea of a boil-off rate measurement. will it vary by volume of water or be a pretty steady ratio? i'm doing mostly 5 gallon batches at the moment, so should i boil 5 gallons? will 2 gallons or 15 gallons behave differently (relative, of course).

Your evaporation rate won't change with volume. How vigorous your boil is, the surface area of your pot/keggle, and the temperature where your brewing will effect the boil off rate. The last one is the variable that will rack your brain the most. I boil off more in the winter than the summer.

i'd let it rip, boil off varies a bit so don't worry too much about it. i use a fan to manipulate my boil off.

did a test boil. 1 hour boiling took 5 gallons down to 3.25. ready to rock on wednesday with Yooper's DogFish Head 60m all grain clone

slakwhere said:

did a test boil. 1 hour boiling took 5 gallons down to 3.25. ready to rock on wednesday with Yooper's DogFish Head 60m all grain clone

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Good luck with your first AG brother.

thanks pawn!