Low volume wort after boiling

[user 40634]

Hi,
Can anyone offer some advice please.
I prepared my first all-grain brew last week and after mashing and sparging I had the recipes recommended 27L to boil, after boiling according to the recipe I should have been left with 21L but actually only had about 18L although the SG was as expected at 1.040.

I'm not sure whether I should have topped up the volume from 18L to 21L or just continued to ferment the 18L.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[The Baron]

Hi thats a lot of boil off, how long did you boil for and was it a very vigorous boil?.
Regards topping up it is your choice you would have 18l at the correct OG or 21ltr at a reduced OG,
Personally I would either go with 18l at the correct or maybe top up to say 19l if volume is important to you which would reduce the OG but obviously by not too much

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi,
Can anyone offer some advice please.
I prepared my first all-grain brew last week and after mashing and sparging I had the recipes recommended 27L to boil, after boiling according to the recipe I should have been left with 21L but actually only had about 18L although the SG was as expected at 1.040.

I'm not sure whether I should have topped up the volume from 18L to 21L or just continued to ferment the 18L.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Could you post the recipe.
I tend to brew a little short so that, rather than top up to the target volume, I can top up to the target OG, even if the volume is a little short.
As The Baron says, 18 litres from a 27 litre boil would take several hours of vigorous boiling. Did you leave a lot behind in the boiler because it wasn't very clear?

 

[Buffers brewery]

Not wishing to sound argumentative but with my equipment I aim for 7 gallons of wort from the mash tun which after a vigorous one hour boil yields a little over 5 gallons in the fermentation bucket and 5 gallons of beer in the barrel. I think when you establish your process with your equipment youfigure out your volume targets.

@Biffotrout you might find a longer sparge will extract more good stuff from your mash and increase the volume sufficient to compensate for your boil off volume.

 

[user 40634]

Thanks for all the guidance, it was a 90 minute boil and I left the lid partially on for most of that time so it was a vigorous boil. The recipe is attached. Cheers

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks for all the guidance, it was a 90 minute boil and I left the lid partially on for most of that time so it was a vigorous boil. The recipe is attached. Cheers

Thanks. Yep, I'd be looking for 1045 with that malt bill in 23 litres so a target of 1043 offers a bit of leeway. You've lost 5 litres somewhere- It certainly didn't boil away in a 90 minute boil. I can only suggest it got left behind in the kettle with all the trub and hop debris. On the other hand, perhaps the fermenter you ran the wort into has a dodgy scale and you've got more than 18 litres after all. The important thing is that your OG is on the nail- I certainly wouldn't dilute it.

 

[moto748]

I'd rather have beer that reaches the target FG (or near enough), even if I end up with a bottle or two less out of a batch.l

 

[An Ankoù]

I'd rather have beer that reaches the target FG (or near enough), even if I end up with a bottle or two less out of a batch.l

Me too. But when there's a whole gallon missing, questions need to be asked, eyebrows have to be raised, heads sent rolling, rafts of measures implemented, and lessons well and truly learnt.

 

[user 40634]

Thanks all, really appreciated. I left the mash to drain into the boiler but didn’t squeeze or press it as I think I’ve read this can release tannins, so there was quite a lot of wort left with the trub but not gallons. I’m wondering if I misread the scale when topping up to 27L!

Appreciate the advice not to top up but go with the SG

 

[hoppyscotty]

I know people will probably scorn at this but after sparging I give the grain a good squeeze. I used to fall short of wort volume after sparge so added more sparge water, but then realised once I put the malt pipe in a bucket after sparging (using a brewzilla) alot of wort continued to drip out, so after that started to apply pressure to the top plate to squeeze out wort absorbed in the grain and have since been achieving target volumes and gravity into the kettle. I usually get a good litre or two depending on the grain. I get absolutely zero tannins or bitterness from doing this too so no downsides from what I can detect.

I do fall short of volume in the fermenter by a litre or two, but think that is left in the kettle being absorbed in hop matter and just not able to scavenge from the bottom of the kettle. If alot of hops added I have poured out through a sanitised sieve before now with no downsides and if I over achieve OG topped up with water, but I'm only talking a litre or so so not as much as the 3 or so litres mentioned in the original post.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Thanks all, really appreciated. I left the mash to drain into the boiler but didn’t squeeze or press it as I think I’ve read this can release tannins, so there was quite a lot of wort left with the trub but not gallons. I’m wondering if I misread the scale when topping up to 27L!

Appreciate the advice not to top up but go with the SG

Release of tannins is a Brewing Myth. Squeeze away.

 

[The Baron]

I am with Cheshire on this.
Do you not think the tannins would have already been released all you are doing is getting the wort out of the mash grain that it is holding. I have always squeezed the bag when I did BIAB and never ever had any extra tannin in my wort and bet I am not alone too.
The internet can be a wealth of knowledge but so much out there that is not correct and to a newbie it is confusing.
SQUEEZE away and get your volume up

 

[user 40634]

Thanks all, appreciate the advice. My experience with the Brewzilla matched hoppyscotty where the mash holds a lot of water was held in the grain after lifting the malt pipe. Next time I’ll squeeze out the wort. Cheers

 

[foxy]

Thanks for all the guidance, it was a 90 minute boil and I left the lid partially on for most of that time so it was a vigorous boil. The recipe is attached. Cheers

Boil off is dependent on circumference of the kettle, that recipe is on a BM, you have to know your own boil off rate not someone else's.
Dont worry about getting as much as you can from the mash, I apply 15 to 20 kg pressure to the grain basket, this will get as much as possible out of the grain. BUT remember to add this to your calculations. Get a 20 litre pail almost fill it with water and rest it on your grain bed over a bowl this will get an extra 3 to 5 litres of wort.

 

[user 40634]

Thanks