Mash Efficiency versus Brewhouse Efficiency versus Session Tab

My first question relates to the Session tab.  My assumption is that this is where the brewer records the actual values on brew day.  Is that true?

Do any of those values that are recorded in the Session tab affect the recipe design?  My assumption is no.

After I input/record record the Pre-Boil Volume and Pre-Boil Gravity and record them in the Volume & Gravity In Boiler area it does not seem to affect any of the calculations at that time.  I see no actual changes in any computed values.  Am I looking at this correctly??

After I measure and record the Batch size and Measured OG going Into Fermenter area then I see a Meas. Efficiency change in the Brewhouse Efficiency area for this recipe.  Is this Measured Efficiency the Brewhouse Efficiency value for this recipe?  If it is consistent over several recipes should it become the ?new? Brewhouse Efficiency for the Equipment Profiles in the future?

Sounds like you've got it pegged. Guess the software isn't so bad after all!

Thank you Bob, I appreciate your response.

You may have miss-understood my prior posts.  I have always said the software was excellent.

What I consistently complain about is that the documentation is not optimal and that the novice or less skilled user needs to understand what actions affect a recipe and which actions do not affect a recipe.  I have submitted several posts in the Suggestions area.  None involve program capability change just clarity of documentation or operational paradigm help within the software.

Understanding the operational paradigm for a software element is less important for the expert user.  However, understanding the paradigm becomes more important as the market for the software expands to novice or less skilled users.  My experience is that those less skilled users do not completely understand the problem space and expect the software to embody a solution.  They often make assumptions regarding what the software does and generally do not want to spend the time to become experts and they often skim the documentation.  Absent good documentation support costs start to escalate and associated issues emerge for these new users to effectively use the product. 

Most of the folks on this forum seem to be quite skilled but then there are folks like me who need to be coached since we are less skilled and often do not understand the proper frame of reference to ask appropriate and cogent questions. 

At this point I have written my own BeerSmith3 Operational Paradigm manual to document and clarify my understanding.  Whether that manual is better/different/worse than the existing documentation is a decision for management.  It would be offered to Mr. Smith if he choose. 

Thanks for affirming my understanding of the Session tab.

That's what the forums are for. Between these pages and the videos and articles Brad has published over the years few questions go unanswered. IMHO, more people these days will go to any other source of information to avoid reading. That leads me to believe that the forums and videos are used more than printed documentation would be.


Looks like you'll be in a position to be answering questions here before long. Happy brewing.


Bob

mr_beer said:

Most of the folks on this forum seem to be quite skilled but then there are folks like me who need to be coached since we are less skilled and often do not understand the proper frame of reference to ask appropriate and cogent questions. 

At this point I have written my own BeerSmith3 Operational Paradigm manual to document and clarify my understanding.  Whether that manual is better/different/worse than the existing documentation is a decision for management.  It would be offered to Mr. Smith if he choose. 

Click to expand...

Indeed most of us are more than happy to help out with understanding how the program works.  I am very pleased that you have compiled your understanding of how the program operates and hope that you would share it with the rest of the forum.

Your description of the session tab and how the information flows and is used certainly illustrates that you have a good grasp of that aspect of the program.