16 replies to this topic

[chadm75]

This topic has been discussed before. But at the time, I had questions about it and at this point, I think I've discovered a cure and I want see if the Board sees any issues with this method.To start, I have a 7-gallon kettle which I fill with 6.5 gallons of wort. Many times, I've complained about my evaporation rate being almost 1.5 gal/hour which leaves me with 5 gallons of wort. Then after I siphon into the fermenter, I have 4.5 gal. And after primary fermentation, I'm only left with a grand total of 4 gallons of beer.To compensate for this, I need to add water to the boil. So I've re-calculated all my recipes and pre-boil gravities for 6.5 gallons pre-boil volume and 5.5 gallons of post-boil volume, adding a 1/2 gallon of water to the boil. Anyone see any potential issues with this?

[MtnBrewer]

First of all, I think you're boiling too fast so I'd recommend cutting the flame back a bit to get the rate down to maybe 1.2 gal./hr. or less. High boiloff isn't a bad thing unless you don't have enough room in your kettle. Secondly, no there's nothing wrong with replacing that water. However, how about this for an option? Use more wort instead. When you sparge, use a half gallon to a gallon more sparge water. When you get enough for the kettle, start the boil but continue to sparge into a separate container. Then add that to the boil as soon as there's room. This would improve your efficiency a little.

[MolBasser]

First of all, I think you're boiling too fast so I'd recommend cutting the flame back a bit to get the rate down to maybe 1.2 gal./hr. or less. High boiloff isn't a bad thing unless you don't have enough room in your kettle. Secondly, no there's nothing wrong with replacing that water. However, how about this for an option? Use more wort instead. When you sparge, use a half gallon to a gallon more sparge water. When you get enough for the kettle, start the boil but continue to sparge into a separate container. Then add that to the boil as soon as there's room. This would improve your efficiency a little.

This is what I do. I make up volume with additional weak wort.BrewBasser

[Deerslyr]

First of all, I think you're boiling too fast so I'd recommend cutting the flame back a bit to get the rate down to maybe 1.2 gal./hr. or less. High boiloff isn't a bad thing unless you don't have enough room in your kettle. Secondly, no there's nothing wrong with replacing that water. However, how about this for an option? Use more wort instead. When you sparge, use a half gallon to a gallon more sparge water. When you get enough for the kettle, start the boil but continue to sparge into a separate container. Then add that to the boil as soon as there's room. This would improve your efficiency a little.

I see Basser agreed with this process... and I'll pitch in with the same response. I do this as well.

[Sidney Porter]

+1 on adding more wort+1 on dialing back the boil

[BrewerGeorge]

I'd tend to favor the water alone unless your efficiency is already running low. Wort added late in the boil doesn't get the benefit of a full boil to encourage break. Admittedly, any negative effect would be very minor, but if you've already met your efficiency goal without adding extra wort, why add additional complication.To answer the original question, there is absolutely no problem adding additional water at any time.

[MtnBrewer]

I'd tend to favor the water alone unless your efficiency is already running low. Wort added late in the boil doesn't get the benefit of a full boil to encourage break. Admittedly, any negative effect would be very minor, but if you've already met your efficiency goal without adding extra wort, why add additional complication.

I agree you shouldn't add it late in the boil. However I don't think there'd be much negative impact if you added it as soon as you made room in the kettle. If he's boiling off 1.5 gal./hr. he should have room for a half gallon after about 20 minutes.

[chadm75]

Had never thought adding additional "weak" wort...good idea! However, I agree with George and I wouldn't want to complicate things. So by adding a certain amount of water as soon as there is room in the kettle, it will keep my gravity calculations in tact.

[drewseslu]

I have done the weak wort additions in the past, as well.

[chadm75]

I have done the weak wort additions in the past, as well.

What, if any, kind of impact did it have on your gravity numbers?

[MtnBrewer]

What, if any, kind of impact did it have on your gravity numbers?

It shouldn't have any impact on your gravity but it will increase your efficiency.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

It shouldn't have any impact on your gravity but it will increase your efficiency.

bingo - do eeeettt

[weave]

Shouldn't you check gravity of that weak wort before deciding whether to use it? My concern would be extracting tannins and/or husk flavors when you start getting really weak wort, say 1.006 or so.A local pro brewer is is quite anal about this when he is doing small pilot batches with the local homebrewers on his 1bbl pilot system. He sparges until he gets his target gravity, and never sparges below 1.006 runnings. Volume is what it is.

[Stout_fan]

+1 on adding more wort+1 on dialing back the boil

+1....or does that make it +3 :blush:This weekend I'll be doing a 25 gal batch of JPA.Bad news: My BK only holds 13.5 gal after boil.Promash has a calculation section for this, and I brew a higher gravity wort.I boil 11.5 gal in the HLT. After the BK drains, I just connect the CFWC feed over to the BK and let it rip.No problems here.You will skate by, Trust me!

[MtnBrewer]

Shouldn't you check gravity of that weak wort before deciding whether to use it? My concern would be extracting tannins and/or husk flavors when you start getting really weak wort, say 1.006 or so.A local pro brewer is is quite anal about this when he is doing small pilot batches with the local homebrewers on his 1bbl pilot system. He sparges until he gets his target gravity, and never sparges below 1.006 runnings. Volume is what it is.

That's very true if you fly sparge. If you batch sparge it's a non-issue.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

That's very true if you fly sparge. If you batch sparge it's a non-issue.

correctamundo

[bigdaddyale]

+1 on adding more wort+1 on dialing back the boil

+1.