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results of first brew…how to change so next brew is closer?

jimanie

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As a normally obsessive person, I love the idea of beer smith. I completed the all of the necessary profiles, and just completed my first brew using the software. My pre and post boil gravities were off, as was my post boil volume. Now…I know it isn't the software, my efficiency was set at the default of 72 and I'm sure as a new brewer (did I mention I am also a new brewer too?) my actual mashing efficiency is lower. I am pretty sure that I have all of the volumes for my equipment measured correctly, the boil off of 1.5 gals per hr was high. Having said all that…how can I now go back into the profiles and change them so that on my next brew I get a little closer? I think its probably an iterative process and after 5 brews or so, I should be pretty close, but for now, what do I change and how do I change it to match up with my actual results? If I go into the equip and lower my efficiency say to 65%, how can I see the results of that change without changing my already-completed recipe?

Thank you to any and all help…please be gentle, Im new
 
Right click on your recipe in the list and click on copy.  Then right click away from the recipe and click paste.  It will create a duplicate your recipe.  Open the duplicate up and change the name to anything you want.  I would use "Duplicate of First Brew".  Now you have one that you can mess with the numbers on, without changing the original.  Try to figure out where your process was different from what you had set up in BeerSmith.  Once you're fairly certain of something, (for example, boil off), you can make that change. 

I have a default recipe that I call "Default Recipe".  I know, it isn't very ingenious, but it is what it is.  It is my baseline for all new recipes.  I have those things in the recipe that are always used, such as yeast nutrient, irish moss, wort chiller, etc. already on the design tabl ingredients list.  Yes, I have an ingredient called "wort chiller", so that my timer tells me to put it into my boil kettle!  I have forgotten!!!!

You're correct, that it may take a few brewing sessions to get everything dialed in, but you will.  The best thing is, that while you're dialing it in, you're making beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Whoohooo!
 
Hey, thanks for such a quick response! I think that there is an interplay between Total efficiency, as shown on the recipe page and Brewhouse efficiency as shown on the equip profile page that I need to research further; I don't quite get it yet.
As well, I don't quite get how the changes I make from the learning process of each brew get passed on to the next brew. Does my total efficiency, as shown on the recipe page (which I set according to the actual results of that brew days process) get saved somewhere so my next recipe starts where I left off and gives me correct numbers, if not, what do I set it at before brewing a new brew. Perhaps that is why you use a copy of your last brew--to carry your numbers forward? If so, it kind of precludes downloading recipes, no?

As you can see by my questions, Im not really solid on how to use beer smith to improve my process. I know its there somewhere.
 
Use your "default recipe" each time you design a new recipe and your numbers will carry forward.  Just make sure that your "default recipe" has the correct information in it so that BeerSmith software is starting from good numbers.
 
Thank you.
So when importing a recipe from the cloud or xml file, I would transfer ingredients by hand from imported to my default recipe "template"? I appreciate your help.
 
I don't use the cloud or import recipes.  I design almost all of my recipes from scratch.

Because of this, I really can't help you with that part.
 
jimanie said:
I think that there is an interplay between Total efficiency, as shown on the recipe page and Brewhouse efficiency as shown on the equip profile page that I need to research further; I don't quite get it yet.

Brewhouse efficiency is what sugar makes it into the fermenter. Total efficiency is just another name for it. What's on the recipe design tab and fermentation tab is the same as what's in your equipment profile for Brewhouse Efficiency. The Measured Efficiency number in the fermentation tab is how you did, based on your actual numbers, including losses along the way.

Does my total efficiency, as shown on the recipe page (which I set according to the actual results of that brew days process) get saved somewhere so my next recipe starts where I left off and gives me correct numbers, if not, what do I set it at before brewing a new brew.

It's saved in the recipe at hand. In addition to Scott's suggestion, you should modify your equipment profile in that database to reflect your brewery. This will help with a good outcome for your next question...

Perhaps that is why you use a copy of your last brew--to carry your numbers forward? If so, it kind of precludes downloading recipes, no?

Not at all. This is what the "scale recipe" function is for.

Create a recipe folder called "possibilities" for downloading all the recipes you desire. If you want to make one, you copy it to your active recipes folder. Then highlight it, click "scale Recipe, at the top of the window, select your equipment.

You have the option of letting BeerSmith calculate the boil volume and/or matching color, IBU and gravity.

Why are these options? Well, depending on several variables, BeerSmith might change the ratio of some ingredients to match specs. A straight linear scaling might fall short on some items. In any rate, consider it a first draft, not a final version. Tweak the recipe to numbers that make sense to you and your expectations.

As you can see by my questions, Im not really solid on how to use beer smith to improve my process. I know its there somewhere.

BeerSmith is a repository of ideas. Used properly, it is a catalog of your progress as a brewer and a check sheet of techniques. It can be relied upon to predict what should happen.

It is not a definer of techniques. There is a LOT of flexibility in this program, which can lead to some pretty unusual predictions. There are a lot of brewers who come up with some new "need" for BeerSmith to calculate or predict, often just to be experimental. Experimenting is at the heart of being a homebrewer. No guidelines or software is ever going to reign that in.
 
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