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Converting Recipes based Percentages?

brewmoreblack

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Does beersmith have the ability to convert recipes that are given in percentags of ingredients into specific weights, based on batch size and target OG?

or how is this done manually to convert something like the following to weights for a 5 gal batch.

90% 2 row base
5% specialty malt 1
5% specialty malt 2

Hops
x amount of grams/liter (bittering)
x amount of grams/liter (aroma)


Any suggestions?
 
I'm not positive, but I believe you can just click on the "Scale" button on the toolbar while you are in the recipe edit and enter the new batch size and it will convert it for you. The only real way to convert to a new size it to scale up or down with percentages, so I would assume that is how BeerSmith does it. Am I correct Brad?
 
Im not trying to scale the recipe, in the way that Beersmith scales. I want to know for instance, how much weight 90% of a grain would be in a 5 gal batch for instance.  Once I have specific weights, I can then use Beersmith to scale the recipe up or down I know.

 
I now see what you are saying. I would discourage you from formulating a recipe in that manner. While technically it may get you what you want, it will prohibit your artistic growth as a brewer. Try to take those percentages of grist weight (which I'm sure come from a book or style guideline?) and use them as a rough outline for the recipe you are designing. Look at the types of specialty malts; what they are going to contribute to your overall beer, and use more or less on the basis of what you want to get out of it. When you end up with a final grain and hop bill, does it more or less coincide with what that guideline says? If so, then great. If not, EVEN BETTER! Go for it. Maybe you will make something phenomenal! I guess my point is, just use those numbers as a general guideline. BeerSmith gives you the percentages on the fly, so it should be fairly easy to increase/decrease amounts of malt to tailor it to what you are looking for.

Darin
 
I would agree that this is probably not the way you should be formulating recipes. You should however pay attention to percentages when using adjuncts with high sugar content such as honey, candi sugar's, molasses, etc.. Large quantities of those will add undesirable flavors to your beer. instead look at the style guideline for base malt, specialty malt's, hops, OG and FG a come up with a plan to mimic the style. Or if you have an idea, run it buy the masses for their input. There is a wealth of information out there, all you need do is ask!

Cheers
Preston
 
Im not formulating recipes this way.  Im trying to convert recipes that OTHERS have formulated this way.

For instance when a commercial brewer gives you a recipe like this, I want to convert to what it would be in a 5 gal batch.

T.
 
brewmoreblack said:
Does beersmith have the ability to convert recipes that are given in percentags of ingredients into specific weights, based on batch size and target OG?

or how is this done manually to convert something like the following to weights for a 5 gal batch.

90% 2 row base
5% specialty malt 1
5% specialty malt 2

Here is one way of doing it:

Create a new recipe and enter batch size = 5 gal.
Enter 90 lbs 2 row base
Enter 5 lbs specialty malt 1
Enter 5 lbs specialty malt 2

Off course your OG will be way off. To correct this, press the Gravity-button (or choose Actions -> Adjust Gravity), enter the desired target OG, press OK and BeerSmith will correct the amounts of grains to suit your needs.
 
brewmoreblack said:
Im not formulating recipes this way.  Im trying to convert recipes that OTHERS have formulated this way.

Same here. Note, all of the recipes in "Brew Like a Monk" are presented in percentages, and I had this exact question last week because of this. It's possible to do a conversion the long way, outside of BeerSmith, but it would be much easier to enter percentages and set a brewing quantity (e.g. 5 gallons).

If you ever do implement this, do give us decimal and rounding options ;-)

Very much like BeerSmith -- great product!

K.G. Schneider
 
Mr. P said:
kgs said:
If you ever do implement this....

But it is already (sort of) implemented - see my previous post.

Well... I wouldn't call that an implementation, I'd call it a workaround. Again, recipes that list percentages are a bit of a pain, but it would be nice to plug in the percentages as-is.
 
My interpretation is that first you need to know the efficiency being used by whomever is providing the receipe. 

After that I would detemine points of gravity per grain type and tweak based on your own efficiency
 
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