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How much do you typically boil? Batch size?

cmbrougham

Grandmaster Brewer
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I'm moving--slowly--into all-grain. My setup, as it is, allows me to do 5 gallon batches, or if I really want to be daring, 5.5 gallons. Typically, I try to do the latter, because I almost without fail lose a lot of wort to trub and transfers. My transfer mechanism consists of me picking up my kettle and pouring the wort through a strainer funnel. This worked OK for extract batches, but doesn't cut it for AG. I'm losing probably a gallon or so that is just full of crud.

I'm building a keg-based AG system that will use a bazooka screen in the boil kettle. What size batches do you usually attempt? How much do you try to boil? How much do you lose in the transfer to primary?
 
I start with 7.75-8 gallons at the beginning of the boil, boil down to 6 gallons, transfer about 5.5 into the fermenter, which generally leaves me with 5 gallons of beer and 2 quarts of harvested slurry. That's if everything goes according to plan, which you know doesn't actually happen all that often.  ;)
 
If I'm indoors, I don't get as much evaporation so I only boil ~6.5 gallons, when I'm outside I really need about 7-1.5 gallons.
 
I usually boil just over 6 gallons for a 5 gallon batch.

Cheers!
Brad
 
I guess that depends on what I am brewing. I am a partial mash brewer so usuall make 5 gallon batches except when I make my maple sap porter then I start with 8 gallons of sap
:D
 
I use a 15 gallon keg as my kettle, and boil either 7 or 10 gallons. I had a friend weld 2 fittings so I could put a thermometer and a ball valve. The keg is great because it in bellied on the bottom so all the trub settles and sits nicely. I noticed you said that you pick up your kettle and pour it through a strainer. I assume you have already cooled it or else you will aerate it- hotside aeration- which is very bad. If you do get a keg, just put in a tablet of Whirflock the last 15 minutes of your boil. Give it a good whirlpool at flame out and let it sit for 20 minutes. You won't need to strain anything. Using a bazooka screen in the kettle could also cause some aeration, which will lead to oxidized beer. If you really need to strain it, do it on the cool side, where oxygen is a good thing. Good Luck :)
 
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