Pliny Clone

[BlackDuck]

This weekend I will be brewing the Pliny the Elder clone AG kit from Austin Homebrew supply. My question is regarding their volumes in the instructions. Here's what the instruction sheet says:
Recirculate for 10 -15 minutes until wort is clear. Begin sparge and runoff....at a rate of 12 minutes per gallon. Once sparge water is used or you have reached 6.25 gallons begin heating for boil. Don't run off more than 6.25 gallons of wort!

First, I batch sparge, so I won't be able to follow their instructions exactly. With my set up, and a pre-boil volume of only 6.25 gallons, I'll have a post boil volume of 2.33 gallons and I'll have to top up with 2.35 gallons of water.

Here's the question....why would they say to only run off 6.25 gallons and no more? I would like to collect more from the batch sparge so I don't have such a large fermenter top off amount. How would collecting more than the recommended 6.25 gallons of wort affect this recipe?

[Beer-lord]

Sorry Chris, I'm not going to be helpful as I do the BIAB thing. All the recipes I've seen for this mention a 90 minute boil so I'm thinking you'll blow off way more wort than you want to end with.
I've never had to call Austin Homebrew but have read that they are very helpful. Perhaps a phone call and you'll get lucky enough to find someone to help you. It's worth a shot.

I'm either doing this in 2 weeks or may wait until early next month. Let me know what you find out and good luck!

[BlackDuck]

Thanks Paul...this one is a 90 minute boil also. My total boil off is going to be approximately 2.33 gallons. The numbers above take that and all my losses into consideration. Maybe calling them is a good idea. I wait here to see if someone can help first.

[Kealia]

Chris, is that the new math you're using?

You said:
With my set up, and a pre-boil volume of only 6.25 gallons, I'll have a post boil volume of 2.33 gallons and I'll have to top up with 2.35 gallons of water.

I assume you meant that you'd boil-off 2.33 gallons, leaving you with 3.92 gallons post-boil, right? Then, depending on your total volume, you'd be topping off with somewhere between 1.08 and 2.08 gallons to get to either 5 or 6 gallons in the fermenter, correct?

I realize this isn't helping but wanted you to check your numbers before making solid plans.

Cheers.

[BlackDuck]

Ooops...I mistyped a little: my post boil volume would be 3.93 gallons. My topoff needs to be 2.35 gallons to get 5.25 gallons into the fermenter. I loose .88 gallons to crap left in the kettle below the spigot and I'm boiling off 2.33 gallons.

I would rather get closer to a full volume boil and only have to top off with 1.5 gallons. If that were the case, my numbers would look like this:
Pre-boil volume = 7.14 gallons (which would fit my 10 gallon kettle pretty good to account for hot break, any more and I could have troubles.)
Post-boil volume = 4.82 gallons.
Boil off volume = 2.33 gallons
Top up volume = 1.5 gallons
Volume into fermenter = 5.25 gallons
(these numbers are from BeerSmith by the way)

With these numbers, my pre-boil is 7.14 gallons compared to AHB instructions of 6.25 gallons....how would this difference of .89 gallons make in the overall recipe quality. I can't really see how this would effect much.

[haerbob3]

Chris drain the tun, measure and adjust your batch sparge. Remember that beersmith is using your boil off rate. As long as you are dialed in that is what I would use

~~Bob

[BlackDuck]

Thanks Bob....my numbers are dialed in. So I'm going to use the BeerSmith numbers instead of the 6.25 pre boil volume that AHB says to use. I just can't see how a pre-boil volume of 7.14 gallons instead of 6.25 gallons would make a difference in the end product.

[Beer-lord]

Any luck calling AHB? Of course, you could send me all the goods and let me brew it for you BIAB style. I'd even let you come by to help.

[Kealia]

If anything, with a lower gravity due to the higher water you're going to use you should get better hop utilization.

Maybe that was the reason? Maybe they figured hop utilization at a pre-determined pre-boil gravity. In any case, with as hoppy as this is I would just go for it, too.

[BlackDuck]

Paul....nice offer, but....nope, your not getting the ingredients. Maybe a couple of bottles, but not ALL the ingredients. I haven't called them yet. I will tomorrow if I've got time.

Ron. I was wondering if it had something to do with hop utilizations.

Thanks again for the help guys.

[BlackDuck]

I called AHB today. Talked to a guy named Adam. He said to run-off as much as I want to minimize the top off into the fermenter. He said it should not effect the stats of the recipe. Really a good conversation with him. At the end he even told me to call back next week and let him know how everything went.

[Beer-lord]

I knew they would be helpful. I've heard much about people calling and getting good help from them. Props to them for their customer service and glad you have a game plan.
Now get brewing before I get to brewing mine so I can learn form you before I mess mine up.

[Brewbirds]

AHS is our LHBS and we talk to and see Adam all the time. He is a very helpful and enthusiastic man to deal with. He has helped us many times and provided us very personal customer service on numerous occasions. He is on the Technical Help side over there and seems to me to be very experienced. I hope you enjoy the kit, we've done several of theirs.

[BlackDuck]

AHS is our LHBS and we talk to and see Adam all the time. He is a very helpful and enthusiastic man to deal with. He has helped us many times and provided us very personal customer service on numerous occasions. He is on the Technical Help side over there and seems to me to be very experienced. I hope you enjoy the kit, we've done several of theirs.

Sweet....next time you see him, tell him I said "hi and thanks for the help". That's pretty cool that you get personal help from guys like that!!!

[losman26]

Has anyone done BIAB recipe of Pliny? I have done a couple of extract versions that came out nice.