Water way off

[Brewer #404298]

First brew with my new setup.

I did a LME brew today (I alternate back and forth between this and all grain). Nut Brown Ale. I entered everything into a recipe in BF (it was a kit from my LHB store). There was only 1 pound of grain in a bag. Water requirements said 6.66 gallons (to end up with 5.5 gallons in fermenter) which when I started seems like a lot, but I ended up with only 4.5 gallons going into the fermenter. I calculated about .5 gallons consumed by hoses, plate chiller and pump. I am using a Blichmann 10 gallon with a boil coil. There was maybe a pint or so of liquid in the bottom of the kettle.

I had Kettle Losses set to 1 quart, nothing for misc losses, boil evaporation rate is set to 5 quarts per hour. Sure seemed like I was watching the level drop like crazy during boil.

What do you recommend I adjust on my equipment settings to maybe get closer to final target of 5.5 gallons for future batches?

 

[Minbari]

What was your OG and what was the prediction SG?

 

[Brewer #404298]

BF said predicted SG is 1.043. I hit 1.044. Packaging said SG is 1.050-1.054.

 

[Minbari]

Then depending on which one you believe, you nailed it or you came in low. Always aim for the correct SG, NOT volume. This way the beer you made will be correct.

As far as why it is 1 gallon short? Hard to say. Maybe more extract needed?

 

[Craigerrr]

If you are brewing from a recipe from your LHB, I would suggest that you follow it rather than transpose it into software.
What was the grain in the bag, maybe it didn't convert.
It seems odd that with an extract recipe you were significantly under volume, and significantly under gravity.
Do a test with your system with water (without boiling) to calculate your actual kettle, hose, chiller losses.
Also do a test boil with water to see what your actual boil off is.

 

[Brewer #404298]

I add it to BF so I have a record of what I did mostly. It was 8 oz Caramel, 4 oz Chocolate and 4 oz Roasted Barley. I discarded the recipe yesterday, but from what I remember it was rather vague. I seem to remember the water requirement it had seemed low and then BF seemed high.

Good idea on the tests.

To confirm: for water test, fill up kettle to x gallons, connect everything and see that that all consumes? I did that previously (but will reconfirm), it is about .4 gallons.

Would you boil for an hour to calculate losses?

 

[Zambi]

Would you boil for an hour to calculate losses?

Yes

 

[Minbari]

I add it to BF so I have a record of what I did mostly. It was 8 oz Caramel, 4 oz Chocolate and 4 oz Roasted Barley. I discarded the recipe yesterday, but from what I remember it was rather vague. I seem to remember the water requirement it had seemed low and then BF seemed high.

Good idea on the tests.

To confirm: for water test, fill up kettle to x gallons, connect everything and see that that all consumes? I did that previously (but will reconfirm), it is about .4 gallons.

Would you boil for an hour to calculate losses?

Also, you can drain those items and throw it in the boil. 1/2 gallon loss in tubing, etc is allot when you are only making 5gal.

I use co2 to push all liquid back into the boil pot when done mashing

 

[Craigerrr]

I add it to BF so I have a record of what I did mostly. It was 8 oz Caramel, 4 oz Chocolate and 4 oz Roasted Barley. I discarded the recipe yesterday, but from what I remember it was rather vague. I seem to remember the water requirement it had seemed low and then BF seemed high.

Good idea on the tests.

To confirm: for water test, fill up kettle to x gallons, connect everything and see that that all consumes? I did that previously (but will reconfirm), it is about .4 gallons.

Would you boil for an hour to calculate losses?

you could boil for 30 minutes, and just double the boiled off volume
that pound of grain would probably would not have contributed any fermentable gravity points, would have just provided color and flavor.

 

[Donoroto]

I add it to BF so I have a record of what I did mostly. It was 8 oz Caramel, 4 oz Chocolate and 4 oz Roasted Barley. I discarded the recipe yesterday, but from what I remember it was rather vague. I seem to remember the water requirement it had seemed low and then BF seemed high.

Good idea on the tests.

To confirm: for water test, fill up kettle to x gallons, connect everything and see that that all consumes? I did that previously (but will reconfirm), it is about .4 gallons.

Would you boil for an hour to calculate losses?

Don't rely on the equipment markings. Add a known number of gallons and check the markings too.