Brewing Oktoberfest ale tomorrow - Have a few questions.

[itsme_timd]

I've added some new equipment recently and tomorrow will be my second brew on the new equipment. I missed number big time on the first brew so I ran some tests for boil-off and MLT deadspace and adjusted my profile in Beersmith.

My MLT is a 48 qt cooler and I have a 15 gallon kettle, my boil-off rate is 1.875 gal/hr. I do a 90 minute boil so I'll lose 2.81 gallons in that time. I'm doing a 5 gallon batch and in my equipment profile it's showing a post-boil volume of 5.98 gallons with another .25 gallons lost during cooling. So I should have ~ 5.75 gallons into the fermenter.

However, my recipe is showing mashing with 14.36 qts (10.69 lbs of grain) and fly-sparging with 18.92 qts. Estimating 1.28 gallons for grain absorption and .25 MLT deadspace and I've got 6.79 gallons going into the boil. This would give me a post-boil and chill volume of only 3.73 gallons.

I could just have my math off here but something doesn't sound right. My recipe and equipment profile are below.

What am I missing?

OKTOBERFEST ALE

Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3 lbs 13.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 35.6 %
2 lbs 6.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 22.2 %
1 lbs 14.0 oz Munich 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 17.5 %
14.0 oz Aromatic Malt (19.0 SRM) Grain 4 8.2 %
14.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 5 8.2 %
7.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 4.1 %
7.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 7 4.1 %
14.00 g Tettnang [4.40 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 7.5 IBUs
14.00 g Tettnang [4.40 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 9 6.9 IBUs
14.00 g Tettnang [4.40 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 5.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) [23.66 ml] Yeast 11 -
10.00 ml ClarityFerm (Primary 0.0 mins) Fining 12 -

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.046 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.7 %
Bitterness: 20.1 IBUs Calories: 151.6 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 11.0 SRM
Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs 11.0 oz
Sparge Water: 4.73 gal Grain Temperature: 76.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Mash In Add 14.36 qt of water at 163.2 F 150.0 F 75 min

Sparge Step: Fly sparge with 4.73 gal water at 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

i would just mash in with the volume suggested then sparge till you reach 8.79 gallons it recommends then after your 2.81gallon boil loss you will have your proper volume.

I usually batch sparge so I just drain first runnings after mashing 1.5qts/Lb. Then measure runnings, subtract the volume from my pre-boil volume, then sparge with the remaining volume needed to reach my PreBoil amount. After the Mash the Dead Space and grain absorbtion are already accounted for so what goes in will come out.

 

[itsme_timd]

i would just mash in with the volume suggested then sparge till you reach 8.79 gallons it recommends then after your 2.81gallon boil loss you will have your proper volume.

I usually batch sparge so I just drain first runnings after mashing 1.5qts/Lb. Then measure runnings, subtract the volume from my pre-boil volume, then sparge with the remaining volume needed to reach my PreBoil amount. After the Mash the Dead Space and grain absorbtion are already accounted for so what goes in will come out.

Thanks. I wondered if that's what I should do.

I guess this brings up a couple other questions for me. Like if the OG estimates in Beersmith are correct, as that could be part of the reason I'm not hitting numbers. If they're not, why? Can you think of any settings I should check to see if I'm off somewhere.

I'm going to sit down now and hand-calculate the recipe to see what I come up with so I can compare that to Beersmith.