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End of Running vs Pre-Boil

Gossard

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I've brewed a few successful beers with Beersmith 2, but I am trying to better understand more about the program.  One thing I don't understand on the Mash tab of a recipe, is what's the difference between the End of Running Gravity (found under mash pH and runnings), and the Pre-Boil Gravity (found under volume and gravity in boiler)?  Shouldn't those two numbers be the same?

Thanks for any help.

Chris.
 
The numbers are not the same.

End of running is the measurement of the gravity of the wort coming from the lauter line BEFORE it hits the boil kettle at the time that lautering is stopped or just before.

Pre boil is the gravity reading of ALL the wort in the boil kettle once lautering has stopped.
 
Got it.  Thanks.

So what would you use that measurement for?  To see how efficient your mash is?  Or to determine when to stop sparging?  Or am I completely missing something?
 
I hear once runnings drop below 1.010 all you're taking off the grains is tannins and off flavors.  So the sparge should stop there. 
 
jtoots said:
I hear once runnings drop below 1.010 all you're taking off the grains is tannins and off flavors.  So the sparge should stop there.

Last runnings is a bit controversial with some crossing over into religious fervor on the matter.

A brewer should really taste their last runnings to see. 1.008 is the actual accepted lower limit, but homebrewers tend to create ever upward safety zones, then begin to notice lower efficiency numbers. Some pro brewers (including me) can go as low as 1.004 with the right mineral content and mash pH, especially on lighter flavor and alcohol styles. It depends on the brewer, equipment and beer style.

OTOH, a few breweries have analyzed last runnings wort quality and found that below about 1.015 fermentability drops to almost zero, as does post fermentation flavor. Personally, I think it all adds up to the final beer, so I keep sparging.

Not all of my beers are sparged all the way out. Richer styles may stop as high as 1.024.

All of that is to point out that there is a huge range available to the brewer. So, you record your final runnings for repeatability, troubleshooting, stopping sparge and calculating efficiency.
 
Thanks for all the responses.  It's making much more sense to me know.  I'm sure I'll be back as I get deeper into the program!
 
As  home brewer you will get very little from those readings. Sparge until your pot is up to the level you want. Take the readings to understand how efficient you are but, after a few batches this will be useless info and, you will find that it is always the same. No need to bother with it.
 
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