I have had a real challenge with the amount a wort that ends up in my primary after the boil and cool down. I have a 15 gal. brewpot and a 10 gal. mash tun. I don not like to add any make up water to my wort before or after the boil. I like my beers to be higher in ABV rather than lower, so I try not to add any make up water. I usually mash with 18-20 qts. of water( 1 1/2 qts. per lb.). I have used up to 6 gals. of sparge water because I try to have 8-8 1/2 gals. of wort before I start the boil. I will sparge till my refact. reads 1.010.
I like to have a good rolling boil and I keep my boils to 60 min. all though I would like to extend that time for certain beers, but I know I will come up even shorter for those brews. As I said earlier I use a 15 gal. brew pot made by Polar, and I live in Wyo. at an elevation of 5000 feet. I don't know if I loose so much of the wort to evaporation because the pot surface is so large combined with the higher altitude or what, but I always come up short by 2-3 qts. of my 5.5 gals. target. I have tried partially covering the pot with the lid to reduce some of the evaporation as well as slowing down the boil. ANY help or insight to my dilemma would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I like to have a good rolling boil and I keep my boils to 60 min. all though I would like to extend that time for certain beers, but I know I will come up even shorter for those brews. As I said earlier I use a 15 gal. brew pot made by Polar, and I live in Wyo. at an elevation of 5000 feet. I don't know if I loose so much of the wort to evaporation because the pot surface is so large combined with the higher altitude or what, but I always come up short by 2-3 qts. of my 5.5 gals. target. I have tried partially covering the pot with the lid to reduce some of the evaporation as well as slowing down the boil. ANY help or insight to my dilemma would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!