Final Volume Problem - No Chill

[BigDaddy]

Hi all,

might sound like a silly question but I can't seem to understand where I have lost volume after no chilling yesterday.

Brew was to have a volume of 19L into the fermenter after no chill and trub loss. This is my 3rd BIAB and the first time I have had this problem. I have been using Brewmate which has worked well for calulations etc.

Everything was on target (ie final volume post boil in kettle of 21L as marked inside the kettle, OG spot on at 1065 using refractometer) then I did what I usually do which is to whack on the lid and wrap a few layers of glad wrap and stick in on the shed floor to cool overnight. The seal was good - no different to previous brewdays.

Opened it up this morning to transfer into the fermenter to find that the volume has dropped++ in the kettle. Note it is a 60L Robinox with MM thermometer - which was not leaking. Volume into the fermenter was 14L. I expected to lose about 2L to evap and trub but not 6L :blink: I pitched the yeast and sat down to think about it just now and cant seem to find a concrete answer

I checked the gravity and it had raised to 1070 - is there any formula I can use to work out how much extra boiled H20 I can add to bring the grtavity down 5 points? Also any ideas on why this may have happened??

Thanks for helping out.

 

[hsb]

So you leave it in the kettle to cool, no cube involved?

Liquids contract when cooled, though I dont think that covers the volume here? Plus the software should have a setting for that?

 

[np1962]

I don't have an answer to where you have lost 5 litres but to dilute 14litres of 1.070sg down to 1.065sg only requires 1litre of water.
Nige

 

[BigDaddy]

No - I chill in the kettle as I havent put a tap on it yet. I think I'm beginning to understand why some dont like the no chill method. I need to look at putting together a rack for my setup to facilitate transfer etc. I guess u learn as u go along and ask plenty of questions to boot.

Thanks Nige for the volume calc.

Sounds like I need to look at a chilling setup using gravity- I have 2 cubes with taps so that will work. I love this game! Guess I'll be trolling the forum looking at others setups.

 

[Deebo]

Only thing I can think of is if the marking on pot or fermenter are wrong.. but you would have noticed this in previous brews.

I think beersmith 2 suggests about 4% loss to shrinkage, is it possible you lost more to trub than last time?

 

[BigDaddy]

Maybe - I'm a real noob at this.

I need to look at making the whole process easier for me - I use a 9L bucket with increments to measure my water volumes into the mash tun. As I said, it was spot on at flame out, I didnt take into account the 4% loss though - as they say: You learn something new every day!

 

[Hinji]

Hey mate,
For dilution of your wort to get a certain SG, use the 'water dilution calc' in the tools tab of Brewmate. Plug in the wort volume and gravity, then just keep upping the added water volume until you get your desired gravity.
Cheers

 

[clean brewer]

Fermenters with measurements on the side can be generally inaccurate...... :icon_cheers:

Nothing wrong with No-Chill, just bung a Tap on your pot and dump in a Cube/Jerry can, just put a bung in your Cube/Jerry can and not the tap, that will dislodge due to heat.... :blink:

CB :icon_cheers:

 

[BigDaddy]

Hey mate,
For dilution of your wort to get a certain SG, use the 'water dilution calc' in the tools tab of Brewmate. Plug in the wort volume and gravity, then just keep upping the added water volume until you get your desired gravity.
Cheers

Thanks mate - never knew that it was there. Thanks for the heads up!!!

Fermenters with measurements on the side can be generally inaccurate...... :icon_cheers:

Nothing wrong with No-Chill, just bung a Tap on your pot and dump in a Cube/Jerry can, just put a bung in your Cube/Jerry can and not the tap, that will dislodge due to heat.... :blink:

CB :icon_cheers:

Why do taps dislodge when bungs dont?? Do they not have the same number of threads etc??

 

[DUANNE]

once the plastic is hot it gets soft and with a tap all it takes is a small knock to dislodge it and your hot wort to leak all over the floor. a bung cant be knocked or dislodged so is a lot safer and potentialy less waste full.

 

[barls]

its all about leverage.they stick out further so less effort is required to knock them out.

 

[BigDaddy]

That makes sense.

I have a few questions about chiller setups so might start a new thread