Help deciphering readings

[Phlyborn]

So this weekend I used some new equipment for my brew day. Pre-Boil Gravity was 13brix (1.053)post boil OG is 16brix (1.065). My issue is i used a 10" banjo compared to the small turkey fryer burner and boiled off 3gal. In one hour! Went from 8.5g preboil to 5.5g in keg kettle. Not sure how that happened. I was expecting a better mash eff. from a new false bottom rectangular cooler . Reading showed 75% mash eff. which is an improvement for me (68%-75%) however, the post boil OG doesn't add up. I used a refractometer which I've used before without issue. The second reading did have some trub in it. I let each sample sit a minute in a small Dixie cup before reading.

So what may be happening here? Any ideas or suggestions?
The boil off rate is terrible I'll have to turn it down some. It's making it hard to dial beer smith in with all these discrepancies.

It's beer either way sure but it could be 6% or 8%[emoji57].
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[Calypso]

Are you absolutely sure you boiled off 3 gallons? First of all, that's... a lot. Almost double what I would expect. Second, that doesn't match with your numbers. Your SG readings match up with a boiloff of 1.57 gallons.

 

[Gavin C]

How do you get such great images of your refractometer.

With the numbers you are giving something is not adding up. One or more measures of gravity or volume is wrong I think.

Edit: Volume losses to hop absorption, spills and or any deadspace in your chiller/noses need to be factored in. The CFC looks very clean. Is that also new?

 

[Phlyborn]

Yeah, the boil off was that much. I started with 8.5 and 5.25 went into the fermenter. Some loss was from the trub in the kettle. When it's finished I should be able to tell if the alcohol is higher. The boil off calculator has me at 1.085.
Guess I'll just have to brew another batch to compare.[emoji4]

Gavin: I used my iPhone and put it right up against the camera. It takes a little patience. The CFC is newly built, I've used it on a previous batch.

This if the first time the #'s haven't added up so I'm trying to cover everything.

 

[Gavin C]

Thanks for the info on the images. Never tried that. Much appreciated.

Sorry I am no help to you on your question

 

[acidrain]

You have other losses besides the boil-off. Your boil off was 1.57 as Calypso said. The numbers don't lie.
Your OP says you measured 1.065 going into the fermentor. It is what it is... If your refractometer was calibrated (it can change with temperature during the day), then your losses to trub, hops absorption, hoses, chiller, etc. was much greater than calculated.
Did you use leaf hops instead of pellets?
How are you measuring your volume?

 

[Smellyglove]

You mentioned that the second reading had some trub in it. This can and most likely will throw off your reading. And add to that, my experience with those kind of fracto's is that the higher the OG, the more the hop oils will throw off your reading.

If I have the same amount of hops, and two different OGs, lets say 1.065 and 1.075, the 1.075 refractometer reading will give me a higher reading than the 1065 comparing to the actual value.

Before anyone asks, the refractometer is calibrated, 1.000 in plain water, and also shows correct readings at 1.075 without hop oils comparing to my hydrometer from grauhall.

 

[Phlyborn]

Acidrain: my HLT, BK have sight glasses that I calibrated in .5gal increments and the fermenter was calibrated the same way, by pouring .5 gal at a time and marking the sides.
I used 3oz of pellet hops.

Smelly glove: I suspected my refract was thrown of somehow or I missed something along the way. I also set it with water first.

Since this incident I've decided to purchase an hydrometer even though a refractometer should be good enough and to pay even more attention to the details. I still have a drinkable beer and it may even turn out great but I would feel more comfortable knowing the specifics. It's the ocd kicking in.