• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

Equipment profile- i will be upset if i do not get help on this. Not 1st time

steve2u42

Apprentice
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Sorry for the topic name but this is not the first post i made that was not answered.
I was wondering if anyone could help me through the equipment profile as well as the Mash Profile for BIAB, Medium Body. Reason I put them together is because they probably work together. This is going to be a long post but please bare with me and help me out. I just purchased the software today but have been playing with it for while.
I am using a 10 gallon kettle. I am doing BIAB. For some reason's my number's are coming up differently using Beersmith then when i do them in my head with other programs. I am adding exactly what i am finding when i do a batch of beer. Between the water i need to start with and the gallon i add to sparge, i am coming up about .45 gallons short.
Here is what I have when filling out the equipment profile and the Mash profile for BIAB medium body

Bottling and Batch Volume
Steve
Batch Volume:5.50 gal.
Fermentor loss: .50 gal.
Top up water: 0
Loss to trub and chiller:0
________________________________________
Boil time 60 min.
Boil off 1 gal./hour
Hop Utilization: 100%
_______________________________________
Brew House efficiency: 72%
Mash tun Volume: 10 gal.
Mash tun weight: 9.92 Lbs.
Mash tun specific Heat: .12
Lauter tun Dead space: 0

That is the questions they ask for setting up my equipment profile. Does all of this look accurate? I am using number's i have gotton from previous batches.
Here is what I am using for a mash profile just tweeking the medium, body BIAB

Temperatures
Grain Temperature: 45.0F
Tun Temp.: 153.0F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0F

Mash Properties
Grain weight Basis: 10 Lbs.
Boiling Temperature: 212F
Mash PH: 5.20

Saccharification
Infusion
Step Temp.: 156.0F
Step Time: 60min.
Rise time: 10min.
Water to add: 18qt.
water/grain ratio:1.80 qt/lb.
infusion Temp.: 167.5F
_______________________________________________
I added a sparge step because i believe it will help in efficiency
Step temp: 156.0F
Step time: 0
Rise time: 0
Water to add: 4qt
water/grain: 2.200 qt/lb
infusion Temperature: 156
________________________________________________

Mash out
Step Temp. 168.0F
Step time: 10 min.
Rise time: 0
Water to add: 0
water/grain ratio: 2.20 qt/lb.
_________________________________________________

Brew in a bag(BIAB) &full boil mash
Boil volume Basis: 5.50 gal.

BIAB mash with full boil is checked

Here is the recipe i am using at this time:



Centennial Blonde

Blonde Ale (6 2)



Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.72 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 5.72 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Date: 3/2/14
Brewer: Steve
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Steve
Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Taste Rating: 30.0


Taste Notes:


Prepare for Brewing

◯ Clean and Prepare Brewing Equipment
◯ Total Water Needed: 7.38 gal


Mash or Steep Grains

Mash Ingredients


Amt

7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 77.8 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 11.1 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.6 %
8.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 4 5.6 %

Mash Steps


Saccharification Add 21.52 qt of water at 164.3 F 156.0 F 60 min
sparge Add 4.00 qt of water at 156.0 F 156.0 F 0 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

◯ If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
◯ Add water to achieve boil volume of 6.72 gal
◯ Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.035 SG

Boil Ingredients

0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 55.0 min Hop 5 9.7 IBUs
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 35.0 min Hop 6 8.2 IBUs
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 7 3.3 IBUs
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 1.1 IBUs
◯ Estimated Post Boil Vol: 5.72 gal and Est Post Boil Gravity: 1.042 SG

Cool and Transfer Wort
◯ Cool wort to fermentation temperature
◯ Transfer wort to fermenter
◯ Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 5.50 gal

Pitch Yeast and Measure Gravity and Volume

Fermentation Ingredients


Amt


1.0 pkg Nottingham (Danstar #-) [23.66 ml] Yeast 9 -
◯ Measure Actual Original Gravity _______    (Target: 1.042 SG)
◯ Measure Actual Batch Volume _______    (Target: 5.50 gal)
◯ Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 5.50 gal

Fermentation
◯ 21 Aug 2011 - Primary Fermentation (4.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F)
◯ 25 Aug 2011 - Secondary Fermentation (10.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F)


Dry Hop and Bottle/Keg
◯ Measure Final Gravity: _________  (Estimate: 1.012 SG)
◯ Date Bottled/Kegged: 04 Sep 2011 - Carbonation: Bottle with 3.93 oz Corn Sugar
◯ Age beer for 30.00 days at 65.0 F
◯ 04 Oct 2011 - Drink and enjoy!



 
If you're hitting your preboil volume of 6.72 gallons and you're under by about a half a gallon at the end of your one hour boil, then you're boil off rate is more than the 1 gallon that you have it set at.  Raise your boil off rate to 1.5 gallons per hour.  It will have you putting an extra half gallon through your system (from sparge volume increases) and you'll hit your numbers.

I use a thirteen gallon boil pot and I boil off about 1.25 gallons.  I brewed yesterday (twice) and both brews started at preboil volumes of 6.75 and both ended up with 5.5 gallons in the fermentor.  You must be boiling more vigorously than I do.  I used to have a preboil volume of 7.44 gallons and I'd hit my post boil volume at 5.5 gallons.  From watching many very good brewers brew over the years, I realized that I was boiling much more vigorously than was necessary.  I was basically wasting propane for no reason.

You can either increase your boil off rate by .5 gallons or....

Test boil some water for an hour at a lower intensity and see if that gets you down to your 1 gallon boil off rate.
 
Scott, where am i messing up on my math? This recipe says my recipe starts with  21.52qts.(start of water) - 9(#of grain) *.05(water absorbed by grain) which takes me down to 21.07 +4 qts (sparge water I use)=25.07 qts before boil volume = 5.38 gallons. The recipe says to add more water to get to the 6.72 gallons preboil volume. Thats 1.34 gallons more. Some how, i should be starting off with at least 25.86 gallons.
Saccharification Add 21.52 qt of water at 164.3 F 156.0 F 60 min
sparge Add 4.00 qt of water at 156.0 F 156.0 F 0 min
◯ Add water to achieve boil volume of 6.72 gal
 
I think your problem is in Bold Red font below.

I think that you're boiling off more than 1 gallon of water per hour.

Bottling and Batch Volume
Steve
Batch Volume:5.50 gal.
Fermentor loss: .50 gal.
Top up water: 0
Loss to trub and chiller:0
________________________________________
Boil time 60 min.
Boil off 1 gal./hour
Hop Utilization: 100%
_______________________________________
 
I was wondering what Beersmith uses for water absorbed in grain when adding water for that? I was using .05 X # of grain for additional water.
 
steve2u42 said:
I was wondering what Beersmith uses for water absorbed in grain when adding water for that? I was using .05 X # of grain for additional water.

Open up your recipe.  Click on the mash tab in your recipe.  Then double click on the Mash In profile for your recipe.  This is the line that says Mash In and gives your strike temp, mash in temp, etc.

It will open up a new window, with your water to grain ratio in there.  You can adjust it to fit what you want it to be.  I almost always keep mine on 1.25 qts. of water per pound of grain.
 
steve2u42 said:
I was wondering what Beersmith uses for water absorbed in grain when adding water for that? I was using .05 X # of grain for additional water.

Options > Advanced The default absorption is 0.96 oz/oz of grain.

However, I believe Scott has identified the real discrepancy.
 
Back
Top