Need Help With Profile (I think thats the problem)

Previously all my brewing was always extract or partial mash.  I did my first BIAB this weekend, first ALL GRAIN, AND my first time to scale a recipe.  Since moving to BIAB I was going to switch from doing 5 gallons to 3 so that I could do full mash with no sparge.  From my reading here and on homebrewtalk.com this seemed like the best way to go since moving to BIAB.  I downloaded the Shiner Bock Clone recipe from beersmith cloud and scaled (using the scale function not just changing my equipment profile) to my newly built profile for 3 Gal BIAB based on some of the already existing BIAB profiles.  The only change i made to the recipe other than scaling was changed yeast from Kolsch Yeast 2565 to SafAle S-04 dry yeast but doubt that caused these issues .

My problem is I missed my OG 1.042 and not 1.068 from BS.  I also missed my batch vol that should have been 3.25 gal per BS using my equipment profile but was closer to 4.45.  I ASSuME I messed up my profile and that the resulting beer will be drinkable just not as strong/good as expected.

The profile I used:
Batch Size: 3.25

Mash Tun Vol:  7.00 gal (this is the size of my pot)
Mash Tun Wght: 2lbs
Mash Tun Specific Heat: 0.12
Lauter Tun Dead Space: 0.00

Boil Size: 5.58 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Evaporation Rate: 25.4%
Calculate Boil Size: TRUE
Kettle Top Up Water: 0.00
Hop Utilization Adjustment: 100%

Trub/Chiller Loss: 0.75
Cooling Loss: 4.00
Top Up Water into Fermenter: 0.00

Any suggestions and help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Wyndell

First, to set you mind to rest, you will have beer from your batch.

I am going to start with an assumption that the volume and gravity readings are good readings.  Poor mixing before pulling a sample can affect your gravity reading as can taking a reading with your hydrometer at an elevated temperature (this can be corrected for using the hydrometer adjust tool in beersmith)

Next, it would appear that you have a couple of things to look at.  The initial thing that jumped out at me was your boil off rate.  That is a large boil off, which it appears that you did not achieve.  Did you final batch volume include the 0.75 gal of loss to trub and chiller?  If not, then you ended up with a post boil volume of 5.2 gallons and this does not really seem right.

Just working from your expected results versus what BeerSmith calculated for water, you started with 5.58 gal and ended up with 4.45 gal (guessing that it includes the trub loss) for a 60 minute boil.  This would leave a boil off rate of about 1.13 gal/hr.

Correcting for the additional water, you should have ended up with a post boil gravity of:  42 points * 4.45 gal / (3.25+.75) = ~47 points or a gravity of 1.047.  Still a far cry from your expected value.

So, now look at your assumed efficiency in your equipment profile.  I would make a copy of the recipe and (1) change the boil off rate and batch size to reflect where you ended up.  Now (2) adjust the brewhouse efficiency until you get an estimated result for OG close to where you actually measured.  Once you have this figure, plug this back into your equipment profile and this will reflect your actual results.

Intially and assuming a brewhouse efficiency around75%, it would appear that this number is actually around 52% +/- a bit.  So you may want to read up on improving your mash efficiency for your next batch.  Focus on grinding your grain a bit finer and making sure you stir the heck out of it when you add it to your kettle to prevent dough balls.

Oginme said:

So, now look at your assumed efficiency in your equipment profile.  I would make a copy of the recipe and (1) change the boil off rate and batch size to reflect where you ended up.  Now (2) adjust the brewhouse efficiency until you get an estimated result for OG close to where you actually measured.  Once you have this figure, plug this back into your equipment profile and this will reflect your actual results.

Intially and assuming a brewhouse efficiency around75%, it would appear that this number is actually around 52% +/- a bit.  So you may want to read up on improving your mash efficiency for your next batch.  Focus on grinding your grain a bit finer and making sure you stir the heck out of it when you add it to your kettle to prevent dough balls.

Click to expand...

+1:  With no sparge your efficiency is going to suffer.  Next time if you have your efficiency knocked down to the ballpark you should come much closer to your goals.  Conversely, if you try it again and sparge you'll get better efficiency.  I think that'd be my suggestion... stick with 5 gallons and don't fear the sparge.

All of the numbers I listed were taken directly from my brew sheet except for the actual OG, 1.042 it was still pretty warm around 85 Ill have to recheck with tool when I get home and see how it adjusts, and volume 4.45 based on carboy vol.

I'm sure my equip profile is way off.  Ill try to make those changes and see what it does.  Yes the carboy did get some trub poured over but I know I left about 1/4" in the pot and siphoned most of the rest of the wort over.  Following most of the advice in the BIAB boards, I was able to 'squeeze the bag like it owed me money' and got most of the wort out.  Dont know if that would have effected the final vol or not since there wasnt as much absorption lose.  Thanks Ill get back after I run some numbers when I get home.

One other mistake I think may have effected my OG.. I started my timer on the boil right away, not when it got up to boil.  I now know that was a mistake and shouldn't have started timing till it it reached rolling boil and I suspect that reduced boil time by 15 min or so and reduced the efficiency I'm sure.  : :-[  Im sure it hurt my 60min hops too.

jtoots said:

+1:  With no sparge your efficiency is going to suffer.  Next time if you have your efficiency knocked down to the ballpark you should come much closer to your goals.  Conversely, if you try it again and sparge you'll get better efficiency.  I think that'd be my suggestion... stick with 5 gallons and don't fear the sparge.

Click to expand...

Efficiency does not HAVE to suffer with a full volume BIAB.  I consistently achieve brewhouse efficiency of 82% to 84% even with a planned 9% loss to trub in the kettle.

I finally got around to sitting down and working with profile.  After adjusting for temp the OG came pretty close only off by .005.  I think I have the boil off and effeciency worked out.  I guess Ill see on my next brew, but got about 6 cases conditioning from other brews so will be a few weeks >  thanks again

good stuff.  keep at it, taking good notes, bumping the numbers every few batches, and soon enough it'll be clockwork.