applecrew135
Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2013
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
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I'm returning to brewing after a long (14 year) hiatus and will be brewing a dunkelweizen as my first batch this weekend. I'm using DME and specialty grains and spent some time this evening experimenting to find out what my water losses will be during a 1 hour boil. I really wanted to try a full-volume boil to hit a 2.5 gallon fermenter volume, but after I finished my little experiment, it looks like a full-volume boil will be a no-go for me until I get a larger pot.
Equipment: 20 qt stainless steel pot, electric ceramic-top range
I filled my pot w/ three gallons of water and turned the burner to it's highest setting. I was able to achieve a steady rolling boil in about 25 minutes. Once the boil started, I set the timer for an hour and let the boil run uncovered.
After the hour, I removed the pot from the stove and covered it, trying to simulate my cooling. Once cool, I measured the remaining amount and discovered I had lost almost exactly a gallon.
So, for me the moral of the story is that I would have to boil 3.5 gallons in a 4 gallon pot... and I don't think that is a great idea. With about an inch from the top of the pot I think the potential for a bad boil-over is too great so I will use a boil volume of three gallons and top off my fermenter to make up the difference.
Oh well, at least I know. Sort of a neat thing to do to get to know your equipment better without wasting any beer. I also know that I will not be able to generate a really solid rolling boil on my stove, but it should be good enough. I'm sure that if I used my propane burner I could boil harder and quicker, but that's not going to happen until I'm ready to go bigger and gp all-grain.
It's a learning process.
Cheers!
Equipment: 20 qt stainless steel pot, electric ceramic-top range
I filled my pot w/ three gallons of water and turned the burner to it's highest setting. I was able to achieve a steady rolling boil in about 25 minutes. Once the boil started, I set the timer for an hour and let the boil run uncovered.
After the hour, I removed the pot from the stove and covered it, trying to simulate my cooling. Once cool, I measured the remaining amount and discovered I had lost almost exactly a gallon.
So, for me the moral of the story is that I would have to boil 3.5 gallons in a 4 gallon pot... and I don't think that is a great idea. With about an inch from the top of the pot I think the potential for a bad boil-over is too great so I will use a boil volume of three gallons and top off my fermenter to make up the difference.
Oh well, at least I know. Sort of a neat thing to do to get to know your equipment better without wasting any beer. I also know that I will not be able to generate a really solid rolling boil on my stove, but it should be good enough. I'm sure that if I used my propane burner I could boil harder and quicker, but that's not going to happen until I'm ready to go bigger and gp all-grain.
It's a learning process.
Cheers!