I use Beersmith and BrunWater. Brunwater gave values for water additions and both programs are amazing. I did a Belgian Pale Ale and used .80 gal mash water and 1.10 gal sparge water. This was a one gallon batch, still in secondary as I type this. Beersmith said I’d be at about 1.036 post mash gravity, I was at 1.039. I can accept that. Post boil volume was to be at about 54 but I was at 67. My post boil volume was just slightly less than one gallon. I used a larger “spaghetti pot”, larger than I needed. I had to add water to adjust gravity to expected 54. Could this higher gravity be from a “wider” pot and more evaporation or I “squeezed” the grain too hard before sparging? Everything works out OK otherwise. After boil, I ended up, after a funnel/sieve, with about .80 gallons. My volumes seem weird?? Every batch I brew, extract or otherwise, I end up with less than the “brewed amount.”
Not really kettle geometry can play a factor but if your boil off is more than expected then top up to 1 gal. With such a small batch the .2 gallons will probably put you at the expected OG.
Probably from higher evaporation rate than expected in the program. Even at a stove top you are loosing more than 8% of starting volume. It is adjustable in beer smith.
Thank you. Yeah, the pot was pretty large with a very large surface area. I’ll adjust up in Beersmith and see what gives. Thank you.
I’m not sure how relevant this since I’m brewing 5.75 gal batches, but with BIAB I lose about a gallon less liquid in the boil than most sources indicate for normal sparge. I do really squeeze the grain bag hard though.
Keeping good records and adjusting as needed will get you closer to the brew you want.