BeerSmith - General help and comments.

[431neb]

Hey all, I'm a new user of BeerSmith. Thus - far very impressed with it's capabilities but I've been a little lost in the detail and there are a few items that I am having trouble coming to grips with. I know that BS has a dedicated trouble-shooting site and forum etc but AHB is always open and I find it easier and more convivial that some offshore sites.

Every time I use BS I seem to have an an annoying question that doesn't seem worthy of a thread so I thought I would have a crack at starting a general discussion around BS. I have been unable to find a thread that is so generalised. If there is one perhaps we can get the mods to delete this post and I'll direct my queries elsewhere. If I can get some hints and tips from experienced users, then I'll park my dumb questions here and pray for some kind-hearted advice. I might even be able to help some others.

One drama that I haven'e solved is the perennial , "Coopers kits / IBU's " entering problem. I have a kit stout that is a quick keg filler and would like to write it up. Yep I know there is a thread on this issue but from memory unresolved.

Currently I am trying to determine why the measured pre-boil volume on one of my recipes is pre-filling itself with a number that is blatantly wrong. I get a bit nervous changing some of the fields because sometimes it results in some pretty dramatic changes to recipes.
I guess I don't fully understand the equipments setup fields and I also have had some weird results with actual brew-day data entering to refine my system. My approach is very "hit and hope" unfortunately.

The pic below shows the 18 ish litre pre - boil volume. Is that a field I have screwed up previously or has BS actually done that. Notice how it is greyed out?



Thanks everyone . I know that some of these answers would require a short novel to answer but any help would be appreciated. I'm sure I will have more as I go forward.

Edit - What is the difference between "Measured Efficiency" in the Design screen/tab and the "Measured Mash Efficiency" on the Mash screen / page. Don't laugh but I have 41% for "Measured Efficiency and 66.7% for the Measured Mash Efficiency. I know my numbers suck. I'm working on it but I have to be sure my setup is right first.

 

[chewy]

Are kits and extracts available in the mobile version?

 

[keifer33]

Your boil off rate is automatically calculated when the box is ticked using the information you have within your equipment profile. You can guestimate this but its best to calculate it from results you collecting during a brew as everyone's equipment is slightly different. The pre-boil field showing 18ish litres is where you can input your results for this batch to see if it varies with the 18ish litres being the default answer built into Beersmith.

As far as the Coopers Kits are concerned the Add-on within Beersmith is incorrect which I was in contact with Brad about but nothing appears to have changed as I deleted and installed the addon again for the comparison below. I created ingredients and compared them to Ianhs spreadsheet and the results are very close give or take a little.

The file I created can be found here - http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/60191-coopers-kit-cans-for-beersmith-2-download-included/

Here is the comparison between, Beersmith Addon -> My Attempt -> Ianh's Spreadsheet.




Hopefully helps out.

 

[431neb]

Thanks keifer for the response and the time it took. I'd sorta reached the same conclusion on the pre boil thing but great to confirm my suspicions. My efficiency really does suck! Have to buy more grain to compensate until I get an act.

Unsure about the mobile version chewy. Does anyone know if it's worth having the mobile version and the desktop version? Do they "talk" to each other? I use iBrew to adjust hydrometer readings for temperature, calculate bulk priming and ABV but haven't used it for anything else.

I love my brew-day print out from BS with scribble in the margins and wort stains all over it. I can tell how many jars we had during the mash from the mess on the paper.

PS IanHs spreadsheet deserves an honourable mention. Very impressive. I never did get the macros to run but I'm on an old version of excel on a mac so I figured x platform problems, gave up and bought BS.

 

[431neb]

All I can say is (few beers in) is , Total efficiency / Mash Efficiency/ Measured Efficiency..... WTF?!

Hopefully my judgement at present is so hopelessly impaired that I will review various internet guides and all will be clear tomorrow.

 

[djar007]

If you need any confusion cleared up then pm Crusty. He loves this particular topic. http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/71772-efficiency-according-to-brewmate/

 

[Crusty]

If you need any confusion cleared up then pm Crusty. He loves this particular topic. http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/71772-efficiency-according-to-brewmate/

It appears that Rob, the developer of BrewMate has disappeared & is uncontactable, so I will be doing this next brew.
20lt batch = into fermenter or cube
3lt trub loss
20lt @1.054 = 70% brewhouse efficiency
How's that look djar?

 

[djar007]

Well the brew house efficiency looks right. I had a shocker today. Leaking pump. Efficiency was very good. On the other hand. Brew house efficiency suffered considerably.

 

[431neb]

Thanks for the replies.

In an effort to iron out some of the kinks in my interpretation and understanding of the various efficiencies listed on BeerSmith I have reviewed my equipment profile for my 50 litre keggle and set some numbers.

Recognising (now) that "batch volume" is the amount of wort I actually get into the fermenter and "bottling volume" is the amount of finished product (either kegged or bottled), I have set fermenter loss to 1.5 litres but it is a guesstimate. In a 21.5 litre batch volume does that seem reasonable?

I would like to reduce the amount of losses to trub but so-far 4 litres seems to be where I start sucking up break when I drop the wort into the fermenter. This happens a fair bit so I will stick with that for now knowing that it will be gimping my brew-house efficiency*

Incidentally I am using Irish Moss. Is there a product that drops break out better or in a more solid trub cone? That might boost my brew-house efficiency a bit.





*I understand brew-house efficiency to be a calculation of just how much of the fermentable potential of the grain has ended up kegged or bottled. Happy to be corrected.


Whilst recognising that mash efficiency numbers will become clearer with subsequent brews I have to start somewhere so I followed the method I found in one of the links above and calculated my mash efficiency at about 60 %. I look forward to sharpening the accuracy of this figure. Hopefully that figure will rise somewhat and I can stop throwing a tonne of grain at my shitty efficiency.

All part of the curve.

 

[Edak]

brew-house, or total efficiency is from grain to fermenter, not to bottles/keg, so by changing the fermenter loss you don't change the BH efficiency. Hover over the fields in BeerSmith to get a summary of what the field means.
You can (if you can be bothered that is) filter the last few litres including trub through a fine mesh/voile/paint-strainer bag so it captures the crap and lets the last of your wort into the fermenter. That will improve your BH efficiency. That being said, some don't believe that the cold break is anything to worry about so potentially you could just dump it all in the fermenter, if you skimmed off the hot break.

If there is hop material in the trub then you can also put your hops into the same type of bags so they don't contribute to the trub.

Irish moss = whirlfloc = the best thing (I think) to drop out the break.

Personally I have trouble with the whirlpool but I use the steps above and they have allowed me to get that extra 1-2 litres. Seems worth it for a six-pack of beer.

1.5L fermenter loss is about right.

 

[431neb]

Thanks Edak. Good tips.

Yes you are quite right re Brew-house efficiency. I'm confusing it with bottling volume.

I have considered hop bags but have been unable to find what I want. I would like some small bags that I can use for multiple additions - Each bag with a weighed amount.

The cold break; I have cubed previously and included quite large amounts in my regular chilled BIABs and never noticed any ramification but it does break my heart when I peer over the edge of the keggle and watch as the cold break gradually starts creeping through the outlet and into the fermenter in larger and larger amounts until it's sucking hop snot instead of the beautiful bright wort that it started as.... I guess I have to balance that against the 6 pack I don't get.

Lately I have been saving it and re-boiling it before I "cube" it into 1 litre tupperware for freezing and subsequent starters. I usually get one pretty bright litre and one dirtyish. I am often tempted to cool and add the bright one to the fermenter.

As for trub cones I think they are there but there's a layer of cold break that settles (for me anyway) fairly flat over the whole lot obscuring any cone.

My "stats". Requiring much tweaking but will probably make a few others feel good about their processes and outcomes.



Kids are feral. Gotta go. Thanks again

 

[Edak]

Hey if you want to come around for a brew session I am just over in Burwood, that is if you are in east bentleigh in Victoria. I am brewing tomorrow but some people have to work

Otherwise you can come some other time to check out the system and swap a brew.

 

[431neb]

You lucky bugger. I have a pretty loose day tomorrow but I will also have a 6 year old in tow due to school holidays.

She would be on a building site in the morning and in a brewery in the afternoon. Poor girl.

Despite the fact that my daughter might have more luck determining mash efficiency than me, I must decline.

Thank you for the generous offer. Next time.

 

[Edak]

Fair enough, bad news; I got called in to work so I probably cannot get a brew out today...

:'(

 

[TheCarbinator]

Hey guys

I am trying to add my Barrett Burston grains to BeerSmith.

Has anyone done it?

Cheers

Andrew

 

[TheCarbinator]

Disregard - Found it.

http://www.beersmith.com/adding-ingredients-in-beersmith-2/

For anyone who is interested.

 

[431neb]

Quick question regarding this option on BS2.



This check box for adjusting temperature for equipment (Yes I am a dipshit and I missed the whole wording in the screenshot). If this is checked will BS deduct the theoretic amount of heat lost from my 15 degree / 50 litre stainless keg / mash tun if I was to add my strike water from a separate HLT? If so, I definitely shouldn't have it checked, because I add the water and heat it with an over the side immersion element in the mash tun before adding grain and rechecking?

Is my interpretation of this function correct?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Quick question regarding this option on BS2.

Screen Shot 2013-08-11 at 11.23.35 AM.png

This check box for adjusting temperature for equipment (Yes I am a dipshit and I missed the whole wording in the screenshot). If this is checked will BS deduct the theoretic amount of heat lost from my 15 degree / 50 litre stainless keg / mash tun if I was to add my strike water from a separate HLT? If so, I definitely shouldn't have it checked, because I add the water and heat it with an over the side immersion element in the mash tun before adding grain and rechecking?

Is my interpretation of this function correct?

Yes you have it right.
You shouldn't check it if you heat your strike water in the mash tun, same applies for BIAB brewers otherwise you will overshoot your mash temps.

 

[Byran]

Yeh it does do that for you but in my experience you are better off just not bothering and adjusting temps as you do your mash. I just flame up to temp and check every 15mins, usually requires a small heat burst to stay there. (If you have the ability to do so) The temp drop at dough in is usually pretty close based on the default setting.

I use 50 L beer keg as a boiler/mash tun and find that I end up with 5 to 6 litres of trub. I could save it but I cant be arsed stuffing around.

The water volumes/ efficiency calcs that are automatic and unchangeable are from the base algorithms Brad has incorporated. Pretty much just do a brew and the fields you can change will have to be set to your equipment and actual efficiency or volumes.
I have found a few glitches in the program where you change an efficiency calc or volume calc and the numbers don't add up on the brew sheet. But if you close and open the program it works itself out.

I have found that beersmith is a wonderfully easy program to use once you have stuffed around learning the ins and outs.
I am a bit dissapointed that there is no default No Chill hop addition adjustment. I always add 15 mins to all my hop additions to get a more accurate IBU reading. I have seen on another thread that the boil additions don't really need to be adjusted as more than 60 mins of boil does not offer much more in the way of IBU.

Just spend some time tinkering with volumes and mash temps and get a feel for what changes when you change a setting. This will help your understanding of the whole program.

 

[djar007]

Where oh where is the automatic addition of salts option after you add water. I can't find that anywhere. Saw it mentioned somewhere but can't find the post.