Recipe Conversion Help.

[chefeffect]

I am fairly new to all grain brewing, I use a BIAB set up and have just started using beersmith2. When I convert recipes from therecipeDB I seem to be getting different IBU's, EBCS, and OG/FG than what is in the recipeDB sheet?? Should I adjust the recipe specs in the software to get the exact specs from the recipeDB? I assume this will just totally change the original recipe as all software will differ slightly.

I have been adding the ingredients, batch volume, and efficiency from the recipe, what equipment should put into the software? Do I put the efficiency from the recipe into the efficiency in the software and then hit the convert button to get it set to my equipment/efficiency?

I appoligise for my miss matched questions, just wanting to know what others do to convert recipes to get them similar to the ones on the recipeDB.

 

[jkmeldrum]

I am fairly new to all grain brewing, I use a BIAB set up and have just started using beersmith2. When I convert recipes from therecipeDB I seem to be getting different IBU's, EBCS, and OG/FG than what is in the recipeDB sheet?? Should I adjust the recipe specs in the software to get the exact specs from the recipeDB? I assume this will just totally change the original recipe as all software will differ slightly.

I have been adding the ingredients, batch volume, and efficiency from the recipe, what equipment should put into the software? Do I put the efficiency from the recipe into the efficiency in the software and then hit the convert button to get it set to my equipment/efficiency?

I appoligise for my miss matched questions, just wanting to know what others do to convert recipes to get them similar to the ones on the recipeDB.

I'm not sure how new you are, but do you know your brewhouse efficiency. If not, try starting with a value of 70% as most recipes usually use that as a standard unless specified otherwise.

I usually add all the listed ingredients into my software as listed in the recipe and I put in the size of the batch as listed. (used to use Beersmith until version 2, now I use BeerTools Pro). Either one will allow you to scale your recipe. Then, if you want to do a different sized batch, you can scale the recipe by changing the size of the batch or use the scale tool in Beersmith and it will change the ingredient measures for you.

Also, there are different calculators that each software uses to give different EBC's etc. If you are using basically the same amounts (scaled) just go with what your software recommends and use a bit of trial and error in your future brews.....you sort of have to start at some point and see what works for you.

Cheers

Molly

 

[chefeffect]

Hi Molly,

I have done 7 brews in BIAB and many years of kits and bits. I have worked out my brew house efficiency, and have set all the software settings using online help forums and the brewsmith help. I was just concerned about how I was entering the recipes from other sourse as I want them to be as close to the recipe as possible as I am trying to do a few clone beers. I guess I will just have to give it ago and see how it goes. I was mainly concerned that all the specs for example the EBC, FG, IBU, and OG where all different once i entered them in beersmith2.

So do I put the efficiency from the recipeDB sheet into recipe spreadsheet on the software? I asume this is the efficiency that the recipe maker came up with when he/she has brewed it? and then my brew house efficiency will adjust it to my brew house efficiency when I convert it to my equipment? and this should give me my wieghts and and volumes to get as close to the original recipeDB brew as possible.

Just being cautious. Thanks.

 

[vykuza]

To confuse matters, there are a number of different formulas you can use to calculate things like IBUs, as well as different brands of malt having different extract potential etc etc.

I always use the recipe DB as a guideline for a beer rather than a strict recipe, as you will nearly always have to adjust it for your own system (ie chill, no chill etc).

Don't stress out if the numbers aren't exact - you're better off working with the percentages of ingredients, then adjusting to suit your own brew style.

For example, if the recipe is a hefeweizen with 3kg of wheat and 2kg of pilsner malt in the recipe DB, then I would just pick a suitable OG from the guidelines and enter the grains into my recipe with the right percentages: 60% wheat, 40% pilsner and beersmith will work out the correct amounts of grain you will need based on your efficiency. You might spend a few minutes with a calculator if your software doesn't work in percentages - but it's not hard to figure out.

 

[chefeffect]

Thanks Nick,

That makes a lot of sence, I will work on the percentages and scale up form there. I assume the hops work the same way in the software? being I enter the weights for each hop addition, and when I adjust the overall IBU of the recipe it will scale up all the additions? as beersmith does'nt seem to have a percentage section in the software for each hop addition? or am I missing that?

Thanks.