genegraham
Apprentice
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2012
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi,
I'm new to the forum and to brewing. I've just completed my fourth extract batch with a recipe I created using Beersmith. I'm acquiring equipment on my way to AG brewing, and I've gone to a full boil using a 44 quart Polar kettle and a high-output propane stove (the kitchen stove wasn't cutting it). Now on to my questions...
I assumed from previous experience that I'd have a pretty good boil off. Beersmith's default value seemed to be about 4.1% per hour, which strikes me as significantly underestimated. I actually boiled off a full gallon. On the equipment profile, I notice there's a check box for "Use boil off as an hourly rate". There is no explanation of this in the Help, and when I check it it doesn't seem to have any immediate effect. What is this check box for, and how should I use it?
OK...after I estimated all the losses, etc., Beersmith tells me I should start with about 7.76 gallons. That's fine. However, when I go to the "Vols" tab on my recipe, it tells me two things: Total Water Needed is 8.48 gallons, and Est. Pre-Boil Vol is 7.76 gallons. I have specified that the recipe is an extract brew, but the Mash section of the Vols tab (which is grayed out) has a Tot Mash Water of .59 gal, Sparge Vol of 7.9 gal, etc. Why does Beersmith tell me I need 8.48 gal when I clearly don't? Is it somehow including the non-existent mash stuff?
As an aside, I can see where a pickup tube might be a benefit ... I get about a gallon of "Trub and Chiller" loss. I suppose I could improve that by about a half gallon (but I'd probably pick up more trub than I am now).
Beersmith is a great product...I've had fun using it. I'm just having some trouble understanding some of this stuff and dialing it in! Your help is appreciated!
Gene
I'm new to the forum and to brewing. I've just completed my fourth extract batch with a recipe I created using Beersmith. I'm acquiring equipment on my way to AG brewing, and I've gone to a full boil using a 44 quart Polar kettle and a high-output propane stove (the kitchen stove wasn't cutting it). Now on to my questions...
I assumed from previous experience that I'd have a pretty good boil off. Beersmith's default value seemed to be about 4.1% per hour, which strikes me as significantly underestimated. I actually boiled off a full gallon. On the equipment profile, I notice there's a check box for "Use boil off as an hourly rate". There is no explanation of this in the Help, and when I check it it doesn't seem to have any immediate effect. What is this check box for, and how should I use it?
OK...after I estimated all the losses, etc., Beersmith tells me I should start with about 7.76 gallons. That's fine. However, when I go to the "Vols" tab on my recipe, it tells me two things: Total Water Needed is 8.48 gallons, and Est. Pre-Boil Vol is 7.76 gallons. I have specified that the recipe is an extract brew, but the Mash section of the Vols tab (which is grayed out) has a Tot Mash Water of .59 gal, Sparge Vol of 7.9 gal, etc. Why does Beersmith tell me I need 8.48 gal when I clearly don't? Is it somehow including the non-existent mash stuff?
As an aside, I can see where a pickup tube might be a benefit ... I get about a gallon of "Trub and Chiller" loss. I suppose I could improve that by about a half gallon (but I'd probably pick up more trub than I am now).
Beersmith is a great product...I've had fun using it. I'm just having some trouble understanding some of this stuff and dialing it in! Your help is appreciated!
Gene