Extract Beersmith question

Hi! Got Beersmith recently and love it but am having a hard time matching numbers when I put in recipes from a book or magazine. I think it may have to do with the settings on the different types of extract. Are their any advanced Beersmith users who have figured this out?
Thanks

What numbers are you having a hard time matching?

sherma said:

What numbers are you having a hard time matching?

Click to expand...

OG mostly.

How much of a difference is there?

Beersmith has the numbers already set for the malts. I don't have it infront of me, but I think there is a 'malt' tab where you can call that up. I've seen DME and LME values very about 2 points, which doesn't sound like much, but can make the OG's off by about 3 points in a beer with 6lb of malt extract. I'm not sure where Brad got the numbers, but they are not unusual.

Anyhow, when you type in "Pale LME" and then put in the lb, it should list how much points are going in, or the effect on OG.

OH one other thing, Beer smith has a whole bit on your equipement, so it might be working as if you are doing a grain and not an extract, and working with a 1 gallon boil off and all that. That will really change numbers. Check to be sure your final volumes are correct - I assume 5 gallons.

You have to hit the grain tab to the right of the recipe window. It has many grains,extracts,sugars,etc listed. You highlight one,then when the window comes up,you type how much you're using. you should've already picked a style to brew. And whether it's extract,partial mash,etc.
When inputing a new ingredient,you have to look up the numbers to put in manually in order to get the new ingedient in the list you choose from when formulating the recipe. I've got it new as well,& have already input a couple ingredients that weren't on the list that I use a lot,or occasionally.

I know how to build the recipe, I just can't get the OG's to match. For example, Beersmith says:

10.9# Light LME, 0.5# Wheat LME, 1.5# corn sugar and 0.5 # Crystal (steeping) = 1.096.

The recipe is from Jamil's Brewing Classic Styles book says OG = 1.080.

BIG difference. I have the batch size as 5gal. and the style as "extract".

I need to know more about that vanilla bourbon porter.
Can you send me the recipe and directions ?

Thanks,

Dean.

mdawson9 said:

I know how to build the recipe, I just can't get the OG's to match. For example, Beersmith says:

10.9# Light LME, 0.5# Wheat LME, 1.5# corn sugar and 0.5 # Crystal (steeping) = 1.096.

The recipe is from Jamil's Brewing Classic Styles book says OG = 1.080.

BIG difference. I have the batch size as 5gal. and the style as "extract".

Click to expand...

I get the same thing, 1.096. Something isn't right about that recipe. What beer is the recipe for?

Ok. Well that's good in a way...confirmation. The recipe is his Imperial IPA. Maybe I will just have to brew it and let the hydrometer decide.
Something has to be off though. It's just too big of a difference.

deanpearson62 said:

I need to know more about that vanilla bourbon porter.
Can you send me the recipe and directions ?

Thanks,

Dean.

Click to expand...

It's northern brewer's kit. You can download the recipe and directions in a pdf from their site. Great beer!

mdawson9 said:

Ok. Well that's good in a way...confirmation. The recipe is his Imperial IPA. Maybe I will just have to brew it and let the hydrometer decide.
Something has to be off though. It's just too big of a difference.

Click to expand...

Read through the recipe again. Are you sure that corn sugar isn't supposed to be added to the primary and not boiled?

EDIT: By that, I mean, is the 1.080 gravity you are looking at a pre-boil gravity? Or is it just listed as OG. I ask because when I take the corn sugar out I get 1.082, very close to your listed OG.

Also, is the ABV listed? That should tell you what the OG should be based on what the FG is listed as.

I just figured it out. The recipe in the book must be for 6 gallons.

I can ballpark get it to 1.088 if I use 5.5 batch size (typical for me to get 5gallons out between trub loss and bottling loss)... still not 1.080. Brewing Classic Styles? I wonder if he is going off his grain bill and then converting that ot extract. If he had a low efficency - which is typical with high gravity beers - then he might have a measured OG and a calculated malt extract bill. Does he have grains? how much does he use for all grain if it is there?

Also,BS2 list different gravities during different process stages,not to mention different parts of the page. At this point,it can get confusing...

ACbrewer said:

I can ballpark get it to 1.088 if I use 5.5 batch size (typical for me to get 5gallons out between trub loss and bottling loss)... still not 1.080. Brewing Classic Styles? I wonder if he is going off his grain bill and then converting that ot extract. If he had a low efficency - which is typical with high gravity beers - then he might have a measured OG and a calculated malt extract bill. Does he have grains? how much does he use for all grain if it is there?

Click to expand...

No, it is for 6 gallons. Put those ingredients in and change to 6 gallons. You'll get 1.080.

yeah, looking it over at 5 gallons 96, 6 gallons 80 makes sense. Although a 6 gallon recipe is a little odd

All of Jamils recipes are for 6 gal POST Boil. Enter it it that way as all grain and convert to extract.

Yup. Sherpa was right. Thanks all. Makes total sense now.

ACbrewer said:

yeah, looking it over at 5 gallons 96, 6 gallons 80 makes sense. Although a 6 gallon recipe is a little odd

Click to expand...

Cooper's cans/kits are for 23L,or 6.072USG. So a 6 gallon recipe isn't that odd to me. You go up from an average of 48 bottles to about 62. I've gotten as many as 67 bottles from a 6 gallon batch. Especially nice when a really good beer was the result.