So I’ve done a few batches in the frigid north here and I’m having serious issues with not hitting volumes. The only thing I’ve changed in my set up is adding a Blichman burner.
My loss during boil was clockwork 1 gallon, but that was in the warmer months. I am wondering if the extra gallon I’m losing is coming from boiling in the cold weather and losing more to evaporation that way.
I am going to be doing some measurements in the meantime to help account for this loss. Kettle loss below the ball valve and getting a screen to help with that. Loss in the mash tun with is a 10gallon Rubbermaid.
Everything else is coming out ok, I’m missing some other targets but mainly due to the volumes not being met.
Is there anything else I should be looking out for? Any help would be appreciated.
Are you saying that you lose 2 gal. of wort during your boil instead of 1gal. That’s alot. I brew in the cold and have very low humidity this time of year. Can’t tell much of a difference to notice.
I might lose a little bit but not a gallon.
I think the blichman burner might be the culprit. Did you have a harder boil?
I, too, regularly brew in sub-freezing temperatures during the winter months and have not noticed much deviation from my standard 1.5 gallon boil off over an hour’s times vs. in the warmer months.
I boil off a steady 1.2 gallons/hour regardless of the temperature, and I’ve done boils when it’s been 60F or 10F. It’s the burner. Which reminds me, I’ve got to get myself a better burner…
I too started using a Blichmann this winter and noticed the higher evaporation rate compared to by old turkey burner. It seems that even if I try to keep just a low boil, I still am losing about 1.5+ gallons in a one hour boil. I’ve adjusted it by adding a little more water to the mash (a quart or so per runoff doing batch sparge) and that seems to work fine.
The Blichmann has really cut down the time to bring things up to temp.
:cheers:
[quote=“timtim”]I’m about as northern MI as it gets for whoever asked.
I’ll take the lid suggestion in to consideration, that may be something to try if I can’t settle the boil down a bit.
That Blichmann is a monster![/quote]
So you’re in the UP then?
[quote=“timtim”]I’m well above Manistique, I’m actually almost above the “other” bridge. Those in Michigan know the first bridge.
I’m in the Keweenaw[/quote]
Just above Houghton. Have some friends that head up that way and some coworkers with family over there. Thinking about taking a trip up that way this year to visit a couple of the brewers.
