If you do a 2.5-3 hour boil for a Wee Heavy should you still boil a gallon of the first runnings down?
personally, I wouldn’t - the ‘mini’ boil down is to avoid that, IMO.
I don’t think I would. IMO the 1 gallon to 1 quart boil reduction/caramelization replaces the loooong boil.
My understanding is YES based on the the percentage of reduction between the boiled down first runnings and the percentage of reduction in the balance of the kettle volume. There is no way you can achieve the same caramelization/ maillard reactions in the BK as you can boiling down the first runnings.
Hamiltont and Blatz . . I think he was asking if he should boil the first runnings . . I think!
is that so??? ;D ;D
I plan on boiling 9 gal down to 3.75-4gal in 2.5-3hours.
I was just going to mash & sparge like normal. Should I not do this and just use first runnings?
Hmmm . . I think you’ll end up with something the consistency of molasses! 
I usually start off with 9gal for a 5.75 gal batch. I’d just take it further.
My pot’s pretty wide and I boil-off about a gallon every half hour.
Molasses was an exaggeration, but another two gallons of water gone is gonna thicken it up!
I was shooting for 1.100. Is that too high for a Wee Heavy?
You are asking me that question? Of course not, My Wee Heavy’s are on the heavy side, typically starting between 1.120 and 1.150. I boil 9 - 10 gallons down to about 5.5 in two turkey fryers, over 2.5 to 4 hrs depending. Make for an awesome brew.
Fred
You turkey, you beat me to it!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Zoinks Scoobs!!
Never made anything that heavy!. What’s the FG end up?
You drink it with a spoon??! :o 
Not with a spoon but with a whiskey backer… I actually have a Strong Scotch going right now. It started at 1.142. After a week & a half it was down to 1.044. It will go to a secondary Saturday. I’m hoping it will get down to the 1.030’s. Should be in the 14% range which is pushing it for Wyeast 1728.
I’m known to push
typical FGs are upper 1.020’s to abour 1.035 usually 13%+ 15% is not uncommon.
I’ve got a 20% BW I need to keg right now.
Fred
What ale yeast did you use to get to 20%?
Nottingham dry yeast.
Fred
Those little notty boogers. I woulda never thunk it! # of packs per 5 gallons?
persistence and multiple pitches, started with 3 packs of rehydrated and repeated that twice.
Fred
I am debating this issue myself. I was planning to boil down only the first runnings, but now I’m thinking about boiling the first and second runnings together for a few hours. I think it would be easier and I also beleive the beer would benefit from it in that the entire wort would carmelize instead of just the first runnings.