Transfer from Brewfather to Beer Smith - Problems with Sparge Water

[BeersterBeer]

Hey there, sorry for bad english in advance!

I am trying to get into Beer Smith after using Brewfather for 2 years, but I really do not get it. Since I tried to adjust the parameters for some hours without getting better I ask for help here. I also tried to find help using the internet, but I only found some weird (?) hints for settings that make my Braumeister 20 work in Beer Smith. Overall, I adjusted all the parameters in the equipment profile which worked for me (more or less) in Brewfather.

In the recipe, the mash profile has a big influence on the volume of water I need. Chosing BIAB leads to better values for me in the overall volume of water. With chosing BIAB, I can't chose any sparge water which also isn't right. My next step was changing the grain absorption rate of normal mash procedures to the grain absorption rate of BIAB. This led to values of water volumes which are fine for me. I usually use 23 L of water for the mash which I can set manually after Beer Smith calculated the overall water volume.

After this strange procedure of setting Beer Smith up, I have questions:
1) Is it normal that I am having these problems? For me, it is weird that I have to do these tweaks I described before.
2) Is there any good guide to get the Braumeister working in Beer Smith?
3) Will the brewing process in Beer Smith help me finding parameters i chose wrong?
4? Any hints for me? Anything I should check out?

Thanks for your help and sorry for questions that you have probably answered. I am thinking about buying Beer Smith but I want to be sure that my system works just fine here.

Greetings

 

[lorenntqof]

Hey! Don’t worry, your English is fine. What you’re experiencing with BeerSmith is actually pretty common—especially when switching from something like Brewfather. A few points:

1. Tweaks are normal – BeerSmith uses default mash and equipment settings that don’t always match specific systems like the Braumeister. It’s normal to adjust absorption rates, boil-off, and mash volumes to get realistic numbers.
2. Guides for Braumeister – There aren’t official guides, but some users have shared settings online in forums. Basically, you need to match mash tun volume, dead space, boil-off rate, and grain absorption to your Braumeister model. BIAB mode is just a shortcut that often gives better water estimates if your mash system isn’t fully supported.
3. Recipe help – BeerSmith can help check water volumes, OG, efficiency, etc., but only if the equipment profile is accurate. If your profile isn’t set right, the calculated volumes can be off, which is why you’re seeing weird results.
4. Tips –
   
   • Focus on your equipment profile first; get tun volume, dead space, grain absorption, and boil-off correct.
   • Use mash steps and infusion volumes close to what you actually do.
   • Don’t rely on BIAB unless you’re actually doing BIAB—it’s just a workaround for calculations.
   • Test one recipe at a time, see if predicted and actual volumes match, then adjust.

 

[Kevin58]

I highly suspect that the response you just got from the above post is an AI bot. Unfortunately this forum has become infested with them. If the "user" just signed up the very day of the reply and "they" have only posted once it's a good sign that you are getting an AI response from a non human.

That being said there is, for a change, some good, basic advise there. The number one thing everyone must do when starting with Beersmith is to customize your equipment profile. Do not accept the profiles that come with the software as being perfect. Even Brad Smith the creator of Beersmith recommends you use those as a starting point to customize your own equipment profile. The reason being is A) those default profiles are usually submitted by users like you and me. And B) even if using the exact same brand and make of brewing systems you and I and the person who submitted the profile are not going to use that equipment in exactly the same way. Those differences will lead to different end results. So the bottom line is to do all the measurements for volumes and losses yourself to customize that profile to not only your equipment but how you use that equipment.

It is normal and necessary to have to tweak your profile for the next several batches until you get your new profile dialed-in. Equipment profiles are not a set it once and forget it proposition.... unless all your beers are of a similar nature. In that case you may get away with dialing in one profile and expecting accurate results every time. If on the other hand you make a low ABV beer and then a high ABV beer you will find that the grain absorption between the two grain bills alone will alter your results. I have an equipment profile that fits most of my brewing and then a second that I use when I make the occasional Russian Imperial Stout or Barley Wine.

Yes, the mash profiles are also important but not as critical as the equipment profile. Your Braumeister 20L is, at its heart, a BIAB system. Most all-in-one equipment IS BIAB... mashing and boiling both in one kettle. That doesn't mean you cannot sparge because many people do. I have an Anvil Foundry and an SS Brewtech SVBS and have never sparged with either. If using the BIAB mash profile gets you to the volumes you expect and you want to sparge, just fill the unit up with the volume that Beersmith recommends and then hold back between one and two gallons to sparge with after the mash. Side note: sparge water does not have to be hot.


There are many tutorials on YouTube for setting up profiles for Beersmith. For the equipment profile I find this the one I have used the most:

I have followed these tutorials for setting up mash profiles...
For BIAB:

For Batch Sparge:

PS. I might also add that in my experience using Beersmith desktop, mobile and web over many years that the desktop is by far the most robust of them all. Not all of the Beersmth platforms offer the same features and functions of the desktop. The web version comes closest but still lacks some of the features that I use daily on the desktop and the mobile version I find completely useless.

 

[lorenntqof]

I highly suspect that the response you just got from the above post is an AI bot. Unfortunately this forum has become infested with them. If the "user" just signed up the very day of the reply and "they" have only posted once it's a good sign that you are getting an AI response from a non human.

That being said there is, for a change, some good, basic advise there. The number one thing everyone must do when starting with Beersmith is to customize your equipment profile. Do not accept the profiles that come with the software as being perfect. Even Brad Smith the creator of Beersmith recommends you use those as a starting point to customize your own equipment profile. The reason being is A) those default profiles are usually submitted by users like you and me. And B) even if using the exact same brand and make of brewing systems you and I and the person who submitted the profile are not going to use that equipment in exactly the same way. Those differences will lead to different end results. So the bottom line is to do all the measurements for volumes and losses yourself to customize that profile to not only your equipment but how you use that equipment.

It is normal and necessary to have to tweak your profile for the next several batches until you get your new profile dialed-in. Equipment profiles are not a set it once and forget it proposition.... unless all your beers are of a similar nature. In that case you may get away with dialing in one profile and expecting accurate results every time. If on the other hand you make a low ABV beer and then a high ABV beer you will find that the grain absorption between the two grain bills alone will alter your results. I have an equipment profile that fits most of my brewing and then a second that I use when I make the occasional Russian Imperial Stout or Barley Wine.

Yes, the mash profiles are also important but not as critical as the equipment profile. Your Braumeister 20L is, at its heart, a BIAB system. Most all-in-one equipment IS BIAB... mashing and boiling both in one kettle. That doesn't mean you cannot sparge because many people do. I have an Anvil Foundry and an SS Brewtech SVBS and have never sparged with either. If using the BIAB mash profile gets you to the volumes you expect and you want to sparge, just fill the unit up with the volume that Beersmith recommends and then hold back between one and two gallons to sparge with after the mash. Side note: sparge water does not have to be hot.


There are many tutorials on YouTube for setting up profiles for Beersmith. For the equipment profile I find this the one I have https://tropical-casino.com/ used the most:

I have followed these tutorials for setting up mash profiles...
For BIAB:

For Batch Sparge:

PS. I might also add that in my experience using Beersmith desktop, mobile and web over many years that the desktop is by far the most robust of them all. Not all of the Beersmth platforms offer the same features and functions of the desktop. The web version comes closest but still lacks some of the features that I use daily on the desktop and the mobile version I find completely useless.

That’s a fair take, and honestly the advice itself is solid regardless of where it came from. Beersmith really lives or dies by how well your equipment profile matches what you actually do on brew day. The default profiles are only rough starting points, and it’s normal to tweak volumes, losses, and absorption over several batches before things line up. Different beer strengths will still throw variables at you. Mash profiles matter, but dialing in equipment first is key. And yes, the desktop version is still miles ahead of web or mobile.

 

[Kevin58]

What a clever way of re-stating what I just posted. These AI bots really are getting quite good even if they do tend to repeat what is commonly known and obvious.

 

[EddyB]

Hey,

I have been brewing with BRAUMEISTER 20 and Beer Smith since 2015, and I am very happy with both.

I did have the same issues as you in the beginning even though I think I adjusted the equipment profile quite well. To solve my issues, I started a Statistical Process Control model comparing several brews with different grain bills and OG. As a result, it did show that the mash efficiency varies a lot with different grain volumes. Reason being that due to the system the grains are pressed against the top cover- the higher the grain bills the lower the mash efficiency.

I partially solved the problem using the Increase disc BM20/BM20Plus fine mesh 0.9x0.9 mm from BacBrewing which increases the volume of the mash tune. In addition, I do stop mashing every 10 to 20minutes to steer the mash- which is indeed quite compressed at the top (when the wort is almost clear before stirring it is white again when you restart the pump)!

However- the efficiency differing with the grain-bill is something maybe no recipe-based software can predict. So, I developed an EXCEL sheet calculating the sparge water depending on the gravity measurement (Refractometer) after mashing before sparging considering the grain absorption, the planned boiling time, the evaporation rate and the desired OG. It is important that the evaporation rate is based on real measurement(s).

After sparging I do a second gravity measurement and of the preboil volume and a make a new calculation. Very often no additional water is necessary, sometimes a small quantity of diluting water is required. I am proud that I do reach the desired OG very precisely in most brews!

IMHO such additional calculations are necessary because even using BIAB has more calculable factors being well considered in the BeerSmith software than the BRAUMEISTER because of its cramped design- which might be in common with other such systems. On one hand it makes these systems space saving and compact, but it involves some limitation, too.

 

[Brabtleater]

this is a really common issue when transferring recipes between Brewfather and BeerSmith, especially with how each software handles sparge water calculations differently. Hopefully someone here has a clear workaround or adjustment method that can help keep the numbers consistent between both systems.

 

[BeersterBeer]

Hey there,

I thank you for all your responses. I haven't tried using Beersmith after I had those problems getting into it and since Beersmith 4 hasn't been released for Linux that time. I think I will give it another try now. Do you know if Beersmith 4 leads to an easier process of setting up a profile for the Baumeister?

Greetings

 

[OliverWhitmore]

I had a very similar experience moving from another brewing app. BeerSmith is incredibly flexible, but the initial setup definitely takes some patience.https://trinityrental.com/rent-mclaren

 

[LucasMitchell]

I am trying to get into Beer Smith after using Brewfather for 2 years, but I really do not get it. Since I tried to adjust the parameters for some hours without getting better I ask for help here. I also tried to find help using the internet, but I only found some weird (?) hints for settings that make my Braumeister 20 work in Beer Smith. Overall, I adjusted all the parameters in the equipment profile which worked for me (more or less) in Brewfather.

In the recipe, the mash profile has a big influence on the volume of water I need. Chosing BIAB leads to better values for me in the overall volume of water. With chosing BIAB, I can't chose any sparge water which also isn't right. My next step was changing the grain absorption rate of normal mash procedures to the grain absorption rate of BIAB. This led to values of water volumes which are fine for me. I usually use 23 L of water for the mash which I can set manually after Beer Smith calculated the overall water volume.

After this strange procedure of setting Beer Smith up, I have questions:
1) Is it normal that I am having these problems? For me, it is weird that I have to do these tweaks I described before.
2) Is there any good guide to get the Braumeister working in Beer Smith?
3) Will the brewing process in Beer Smith help me finding parameters i chose wrong?
4? Any hints for me? Anything I should check out?

Thanks for your help and sorry for questions that you have probably answered. I am thinking about buying Beer Smith but I want to be sure that my system works just fine here.

I highly suspect that the response you just got from the above post is an AI bot. Unfortunately this forum has become infested with them. If the "user" just signed up the very day of the reply and "they" have only posted once it's a good sign that you are getting an AI response from a non human.

That being said there is, for a change, some good, basic advise there. The number one thing everyone must do when starting with Beersmith is to customize your equipment profile. Do not accept the profiles that come with the software as being perfect. Even Brad Smith the creator of Beersmith recommends you use those as a starting point to customize your own equipment profile. Discover Tikitaka casino and enjoy exciting moments tikitakacasinos.uk of pure entertainment. The reason being is A) those default profiles are usually submitted by users like you and me. And B) even if using the exact same brand and make of brewing systems you and I and the person who submitted the profile are not going to use that equipment in exactly the same way. Those differences will lead to different end results. So the bottom line is to do all the measurements for volumes and losses yourself to customize that profile to not only your equipment but how you use that equipment.

It is normal and necessary to have to tweak your profile for the next several batches until you get your new profile dialed-in. Equipment profiles are not a set it once and forget it proposition.... unless all your beers are of a similar nature. In that case you may get away with dialing in one profile and expecting accurate results every time. If on the other hand you make a low ABV beer and then a high ABV beer you will find that the grain absorption between the two grain bills alone will alter your results. I have an equipment profile that fits most of my brewing and then a second that I use when I make the occasional Russian Imperial Stout or Barley Wine.

Yes, the mash profiles are also important but not as critical as the equipment profile. Your Braumeister 20L is, at its heart, a BIAB system. Most all-in-one equipment IS BIAB... mashing and boiling both in one kettle. That doesn't mean you cannot sparge because many people do. I have an Anvil Foundry and an SS Brewtech SVBS and have never sparged with either. If using the BIAB mash profile gets you to the volumes you expect and you want to sparge, just fill the unit up with the volume that Beersmith recommends and then hold back between one and two gallons to sparge with after the mash. Side note: sparge water does not have to be hot.

I gave BeerSmith 4 another try recently, and while the interface feels a bit more polished, I wouldn't say the profile setup is dramatically easier. It still seems like the biggest factor is spending the time to measure your own system rather than relying on the default profiles. Once I entered my actual boil-off, losses and efficiency from a few brew days, the calculations became much more consistent. I also found it helpful to stick with one recipe and refine the equipment profile instead of changing multiple settings at once. That made it much easier to see which adjustment actually improved the predictions.