- Joined
- May 12, 2018
- Messages
- 814
- Reaction score
- 825
- Points
- 93
I have been chasing my tail on this. It seems I'm constantly boiling longer or topping off to hit my fermenter volume. The other day I did an experiment to try to determine my boil evaporation rate. I boiled 7.5 gallons of tap water starting the clock at the time the water reached 112. The result was 6 gallons left in the kettle. Now I realize that isn't the story. I think wort coming out of the mash tun is around 170 (maybe) and it takes some time to reach boil. All the while there is boil off. I adjusted my boil evaporation rate to 1.5 gal/hr but I fear I'll be adding water next time. last time I had to boil longer (90 minutes versus 60)
What are the points I need to measure to get a better number?
Here is the quick water requirements for one of my recipes (A Pale Ale). everything is in quarts.
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 1.5 qt/lb = 18.7
Remaining sparge water volume = 16.2
Grain absorption losses = -6.2
Amount going into kettle = 28.6
Boil off losses = -4
Kettle dead space = -2
Hops absorption losses = -0.6
Amount going into fermenter = 5 22
Total: 34.8
Now thinking through the brew day first I heat ten gallons of water to my strike water temp. Now I mash. This one is a single step so now I drain to the kettle. Meanwhile I have been heating the water that is left to my sparge temp (170). I sparge twice using half of the remaining sparge water volume each time. now I boil. I think it takes about 40 minutes to get the wort to boil.
I consistently over or under shoot.
Is there a way to get this right on my next brew day? where do I measure to dial it in?
~Scott
What are the points I need to measure to get a better number?
Here is the quick water requirements for one of my recipes (A Pale Ale). everything is in quarts.
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 1.5 qt/lb = 18.7
Remaining sparge water volume = 16.2
Grain absorption losses = -6.2
Amount going into kettle = 28.6
Boil off losses = -4
Kettle dead space = -2
Hops absorption losses = -0.6
Amount going into fermenter = 5 22
Total: 34.8
Now thinking through the brew day first I heat ten gallons of water to my strike water temp. Now I mash. This one is a single step so now I drain to the kettle. Meanwhile I have been heating the water that is left to my sparge temp (170). I sparge twice using half of the remaining sparge water volume each time. now I boil. I think it takes about 40 minutes to get the wort to boil.
I consistently over or under shoot.
Is there a way to get this right on my next brew day? where do I measure to dial it in?
~Scott