First time user of Beersmith

Hi to all forum members.

I am currently playing around with Beersmith2 with the trial version, before downloading the key. I am new to all grain brewing and just want to make sure that I am in the ball park for settings of the system. I have a 50L S/S vessel but at this stage want to experiment with smaller batches ie 11.5 L, to allow me to build up experience in the whole new world of brewing.

I  would like some advice whether I have set the equipment profile correctly for my system, I am using a 33L coolbox for a mashtun.

Can somebody explain why I have 11.5L showing in the "batchsize" and 18.93L in the "measured batch size". What is the difference here.

I have also taken a stab at some of the efficiencies for my first brew. First impressions from the software is that it is reasonably complex for a beginner like me, but I can see the value of really getting to understand the process and the software.

I am sure there will be many more silly questions from me!

Best regards,

WM7793

Measured Batch Size doesn't really exist, yet. That's an "actual" number you'll fill in on the Fermentation tab, when you brew.

Thanks Brewfun for your reply. I presume then that the "actual" is then entered to predict efficency for later brews?

Just a few more questions regarding "My Equipment" and "Mashing"

I have a 50L S/S vessel and a 33L coolbox mashtun.

As I am new to all grain, I wish to cut my teeth on smaller batches.

Q1. Is is best to set up brewsmith in the "my equipment" for smaller batches ie set the "batch volume" to 11.5L, or set this up for a standard 23L and alter the "recipe" for 11.5L?

(In the UK when batch sparging, a common practise is to set the "strike" temperature at around 72 degrees C, and allow the mash to take place at around 66 degrees C for 90mins.)

Q2. Is the "infusion temperature" the "strike temperature", and the "step time" the actual "mash time" of the grain?

Q3. I am unsure of the differences between mash profiles in beersmith.
ie Single infusion, full body, batch sparge,
  Single infusion, medium body, batch sparge
and Single infusion, light body, batch sparge.

I was intending to collect two equal amounts from the mash tun. Typical ratio of grain to water in UK is 2.5L liquor to 1Kg of grain.

Have I set Beersmith up correctly for "my equipment" and "mash" to proceed with my first all grain brew?

I have attached screenshots to enable you to see my settings.

Best regards,
WM7793

yes, you enter your actual measured results post-brew to determine what efficiency you really achieved, and then use that (or something in that direction) on the next brew.  Once you start seeing consistent measured results, your estimated results will become fairly good predictors of what's going to happen.  (Prior to brewing, I always enter the estimated results into the measured fields so that the calculations look perfect.  Yours are different, and it "looks" like you're not going to hit any targets when you don't have the predicted results in those measured fields.) 

Attached is my 50L keggle setup for a Spaten keg.  You seem to have large losses and high evaporation rates built in your setup, so that you're starting with 26 liters and ending with only 11.5 liters.  That's nearly 150% loss.  (My primary loss in the 50L keggle is I choose to leave ~gallon behind in the keg's concave bottom.) 

Many/most of BS2's calculations are based on the batch size you enter as your target, so if you want 11.5 liters you'd enter that.  Then you "tell" BS2 what losses you predict to incur, and it calculates what boil volume to start with, i.e., amount of wort to collect.  I think your losses show a gallon lost in the fermenter, and three gallons boiled off. 

Strictly my opinion, but if you want to do small batches on your full-size equipment, I would create a small-batch profile first, and then a separate full-size batch profile when you are ready.  The equipment may behave differently with half the volume, or double the volume, depending on how you look at it.  Boil rates, ability to retain heat during the mash, etc., may be noticeably different. 

Another option is to just start with full-size batches, but keep them very simple, so the ingredients' cost is lower.  For ex, you could design a recipe for a Special Bitter, and if you come up short, you have a Ordinary Bitter, and if you over-achieve, you have an ESB.  Or at least something drinkable, and you're learning the full-size batch process from the start. 

Hi Maltlicker, thanks for your reply. As you can see I am still getting to grips with Beersmith !

With respect to the number in "Boil volume" in the "my equipment", I thought that this would be calculated for you, when you entered your batch size, losses to trub, boil time, etc.

As you rightly pointed out that in "my equipment" the "boil volume" is set at 24.94L and my batch size is 11.5L.

If beersmith does not calculate this for you, then how do you derive a number in "boil volume" ?

Sorry for asking elementary questions here guys, but it is all new to me.

Any answers for my previous questions please?

Best regards,
WM7793

Malt did a great job of answering your Q1.

WM7793 said:

Q2. Is the "infusion temperature" the "strike temperature", and the "step time" the actual "mash time" of the grain?

Click to expand...

Yes. Infusion = Strike, in all cases. With decoction, that number will be 100C and anything less is assumed to be water.

The Step Time is the rest until the next Rise Time. That is, how long you want to wait untile the next procedure. Again with an infusion, it's straightforward and relatively quick. With a decoction, you'd schedule a rise time so that the return to the mash is right when you'd want the rest to end. Same with a "temperature" or profile step.

For instance, assuming that a decoction will take 15 minutes to boil and the boil duration is 10 minutes, that's 25 minutes of time.

If you wanted to have a TOTAL rest time of 45 minutes for Step A and decoct from Step A to Step B, you'd design:
Step A: Rise X (how long it takes you to infuse) Step 20 min.
Step B: Rise 25 min (the total of decoction boil) Step X (how long you wanted to hold the new temp)
20 + 25 = 45 minutes total at the lower temperature.

WM7793 said:

Q3. I am unsure of the differences between mash profiles in beersmith.
ie Single infusion, full body, batch sparge,
  Single infusion, medium body, batch sparge
and Single infusion, light body, batch sparge.

Click to expand...

The difference between these is the rest temperature of the mash. Higher temperatures tend to create more body than lower. Differing styles require differing body to hold up to alcohol and hopping, various yeasts, age, carbonation, etc. You might want fuller body for a mild or Brown to compensate for session strength alcohol, while your IPA may be crisper and more lively with lighter body.

Consider starting with Medium Body and tailor your recipes, from there. It's a solid midrange temperature where you'll get excellent attenuation and malt at the same time. 

Just brew. Don't let too many details confuse you. Brewing is a very simple process that starts sounding very complicated when explained in detail.

WM7793 said:

With respect to the number in "Boil volume" in the "my equipment", I thought that this would be calculated for you, when you entered your batch size, losses to trub, boil time, etc.

As you rightly pointed out that in "my equipment" the "boil volume" is set at 24.94L and my batch size is 11.5L.

If beersmith does not calculate this for you, then how do you derive a number in "boil volume" ?

Click to expand...

It does. Boil volume is not the pot, but the liquid volume in the pot. It's your job to make sure that number doesn't exceed your actual pot's capacity. BeerSmith backs into boil volume (you have all the auto calculate boxes marked, which is good) from your batch volume. NOTE: Batch volume is the yield expected into the fermenter.

BeerSmith adds to the batch volume with shrinkage and boil off. As Malt pointed out, your boil off is extremely high. Something around 4 to 5 liters per hour is typical in homebrewing (12 to 14%). I think your boil volume should be in the neighborhood of 15 to 16 liters.

Many thanks Brewfun/Maltlicker for your sound advice. This makes much more sense now.

Just another daft question though.

Malticker has suggested to create a "smaller batch profile", why would this be different to what I have, ie I have set my "equipment profile" to handle 11.5L batches?

Brewing my first all grain today, so I really appreciate your swift replies.

Best regards,
WM7793