Ok I just got a keg for my boil kettle. And I just built a mash ton out of a cooler, how do I know how much water to add? I don't know my boil off, or how much dead space in my kettle or mash ton. So how much water should I go with? 1.75qt of water per 1lbs of grain, I would rather be over and do a long boil then end up with 4gal when im doing an 8gal batch. Any ideas?
new equipment.
- Thread starter avm221
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
TopherM
Well-Known Member
Most brewers go with 1.25 qts/lb of grain in the mash.
You then sparge with enough water to get up to your pre-boil volume.
You can figure out your pot's boil off rate pretty easily. Boil 1 gallon of water in your pot for 15 minutes at a vigorous boil (just below boil over heat). Measure the boil off and multiply by 4. As long as you can replicate that boil, your boil off rate for that pot will always be constant.
The wort you collect, including the sparge water MINUS loss to trub, MINUS loss to contraction in cooldown, PLUS boil off should equal your starting water volume in the boil.
Hope that helps. Ask question!
You then sparge with enough water to get up to your pre-boil volume.
You can figure out your pot's boil off rate pretty easily. Boil 1 gallon of water in your pot for 15 minutes at a vigorous boil (just below boil over heat). Measure the boil off and multiply by 4. As long as you can replicate that boil, your boil off rate for that pot will always be constant.
The wort you collect, including the sparge water MINUS loss to trub, MINUS loss to contraction in cooldown, PLUS boil off should equal your starting water volume in the boil.
Hope that helps. Ask question!
The best way I found to figure my sparge water is to measure my first runnings. Then subtract that volume from your pre boil volume and that is your sparge amount needed. So if I get 3gallons first runnings I'll need to sparge with another 3.5gallons to get my 6.5 preBoil as I lose a gallon per hour. That leaves me 5.5 which gives me 5 full gallons into the keg .5 for trub and transfer loss.
ong said:
Same
plumber_bob
Well-Known Member
plumber_bob
Well-Known Member
MuddyCreek
Well-Known Member
The easiest thing int he world to do is build a simple excel spreadsheet that lets you enter in your preferred water/grain ratio for the mash. You can also add in the amount of liquid your grain absorbs (I use 20%)
Then you put in the lbs of grain in your recipe, and BOOM. You get your mash water amounts.
Then, based on the absorption amount you can figure out your first runnings and finally subtract that amount from your preferred boil amount and you have the sparge amount.
You know what... here... It's not perfect, but if it uploads, have at er. Otherwise pm me and I'll mail you my file.
EDIT
Crap. I can only upload graphics files... sorry. PM if you want the spreadsheet. Everything is 'editable' and can be updated for your preferences and the formulae you normally use.
Then you put in the lbs of grain in your recipe, and BOOM. You get your mash water amounts.
Then, based on the absorption amount you can figure out your first runnings and finally subtract that amount from your preferred boil amount and you have the sparge amount.
You know what... here... It's not perfect, but if it uploads, have at er. Otherwise pm me and I'll mail you my file.
EDIT
Crap. I can only upload graphics files... sorry. PM if you want the spreadsheet. Everything is 'editable' and can be updated for your preferences and the formulae you normally use.
Similar threads
