Why is my color always off?

I've been using BeerSmith 2 (and v1 before) for a while, and all the calculations are pretty much spot on except for the final color. Every time I brew, regardless of the recipe, the final color of the beer is a good bit darker than what BeerSmith estimates. It's not an issue of my monitor displaying the color or the difference between looking at an actual beer vs. color on a monitor. The final product is simply darker than the estimate.

For example, a red ale I brewed was about 22-24 SRM, but BeerSmith calculated 16.6. An Imperial IPA was about 16, but BeerSmith calculated 10.6. A Belgian specialty ale was about 17-18 SRM, but BeerSmith calculated 12.5.

Because all the other calculations are correct, I suspect that this has something to do with caramelization or boil volume or something like that. I have an equipment profile set up, and I've adjusted the boil volume, etc. Perhaps there's something else that I don't have configured correctly. On most beers I use a 60-minute boil, on others a 90-minute boil, but there's no correlation between color difference and boil time - every beer is darker than estimated.

Thoughts?

Thanks for any help!

  I have run into the same issue repeatedly now. My last red was much more a brown. Like you, I was shooting for around 18, I am thinking it is more around 24. I use primarliy British malt, perhaps a correction factor is needed? I recall readin somewhere the variance in L values grows with darkness of crystal, some, if I remember correctly, was as much as a possible eight points. :-\

Two brewers and four examples, all six points different, which is interesting in itself. 

Two things to verify......equipment profile for some losses you're telling BSmith will happen, but they don't.  That would be calculated dilution (lightening) in the batch volume that doesn't occur.

That's my bet since it is always six points, regardless of target SRM and grist. 

You might also check your recipe ingredients, though that seems a stretch.  But if you are picking generic grains with XX lovibond, and actually using Crisp / Fawcett / Simpsons-branded grains with varying lovibond, it might affect the final SRM.  Things like chocolate malt can vary from 350 to 550 lovibond.

Just a long shot, but could it be that you are using extracts as opposed to all-grain?  I have read that extracts can darken considerably with age, especially LME.

Brian

I have been having the same issue of color. 
My thought was that the variable changes in the material vs the value of the material in BeerSmith.

Since there are wide ranges in the product, you are chasing the product actuals and end up with a miss match of what you place in and calculate, and what you actually have in the product, and the beer you get show how good your guess really was.

  $ 00.02 worth.    How clear is your beer?  Reds and browns will always look darker with even the slightest cloudiness.  Chill haze?  I have a Danish lager that looks cloudy and slightly darker when served at 32 degrees than a bottle that sat out for 10 or fifteen minutes.  Seems to improve head and clarity when served at closer to 45 degrees.