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strike temp calculator error?

T

tdfoste

I've had a problem since I started using Beersmith with the strike water temp calculator being off by about 4F.  I've tried to get serious and have entered all my mash tun/system information into the Equipment section, I've selected that in my recipe, but the temp its giving me is still 4F too low on the recipe view page.  For this recipe, I'm using the Single Infusion, Medium body default, then changing the "water to add" to 18qt and the step temp to 152F.  It tells me my strike temp should be 162.7F.  (For testing purposes I duplicated a recipe I just made and have modified the equipment and am trying to get it to give me the right strike water temp in the Recipe View page)  Strangely, if I go to the "Strike/Infusion Temp" tool on the left hand side bar and enter in all the same data, including the mash tun weight (which I had already entered under my equipment), then I get the same water/grain ratio but the strike temp is listed as 166.4F, which based on my experience, should be pretty much right on.  Why are these two so different?
 
Wow.  I didn't even see that box AT ALL!

That brought the temp up to 165.1F,  but the strike temp calc tool says 166.4F.  I'll try it next time, but I'm not sure why they would be different.  Is there some other default equipment that is used for the strike temp calc tool?  I did go in and edit the mash profile and changed the temperature of the grain and the equipment down.  The default is 72F, but my apt sits at about 68F currently.  That should have increased it above the 166F that the strike temp calc tool says, I would think.  Any thoughts?
 
You are darn close at a .9*F diff. Grain and Tun temp could easily make that up. I lowered the weight of my tun in the equip settings. By math, I get within .5*F. In actual practice brew to brew, week to week, well I don't do that good!!  My mash is usually within + or - 2*F. I'm sure the error is in the actual Strike water temperature. My equipment isn't that good. My HLT is an old aluminium turkey pot on a gas range. So my regulation of the strike / sparge water temperature is not accurate. What is good is that brew to brew, week to week, we have gotten consistant. If we want a 148*F mash, we usually get a 147*F to 149*f. I said usually, 146 & 150 pop in there occasionally if I'm not very careful. It drives me crazy but ........... As my friend always says, "You are brewing beer, not building a Swiss Watch!"
This is usually followed by, "Do you think all those drunken Vikings gave a damn about a degree of two?"

and so it goes. We like what we brew. Our friends never have a problem drinking what we brew so......
US DRUNKEN VIKINGS ARE HAPPY VIKINGS!! ::)

Enjoy!  It sounds like you are doing good!

 
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