Beer calc vs beersmith regarding OG

Pharmguy · 03-24-2009, 01:34 AM

Well, I broke down and bought beersmith. I have been using beer calculus but it is limited. I was playing around just getting used to it and put the same recipe in both. Same everything...boil volume, batch size, malts, hops, ect. So the IBU's were close but the Og was way off. 1.058 vs 1.052. Is this a common issue between the 2 programs?

**Denny's Evil Concoctions** · 03-24-2009, 09:29 AM

Best way to do it is find out the grain analysis for each grain you have and enter that info into beersmith.

**AnOldUR** · 03-24-2009, 11:18 AM

Also, things like boil off rate and dead space under the equipment tab will effect your results in BeerSmith.

Pharmguy · 03-24-2009, 12:51 PM

Deadspace? Boil off rate?

**AnOldUR** · 03-24-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pharmguy

Deadspace? Boil off rate?

Just to the right of the box marked "Equipment" are two buttons. The right one is "Details". Click on that. In the pop-up you'll see places to enter things like Evaporation Rate, Lost to Boil Trub, Lauter Tun Deadspace . . . They will have an effect on gravity and hop utilization.

Edit:
You may have to experiment with your system for a while to get these numbers exact.

The numbers in "Brewhouse Efficiency" also have to be dialed in for your system.

**Weezknight** · 03-24-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pharmguy

Well, I broke down and bought beersmith. I have been using beer calculus but it is limited. I was playing around just getting used to it and put the same recipe in both. Same everything...boil volume, batch size, malts, hops, ect. So the IBU's were close but the Og was way off. 1.058 vs 1.052. Is this a common issue between the 2 programs?

I just found the same things. I've been using BeerSmith and just heard about BeerCalculus. My results were the same, IBU within .1, SRM within .6, but the OG for BeerCalc was 1.050, and 1.044 for BeerSmith. I'm guessing it's a difference in how their ingredients are loaded into their calculations.

FlyGuy · 03-24-2009, 08:56 PM

It is unlikely to be a software issue (it is probably safe to assume each calculates gravity correctly). It is far more likely that there is some difference in the way you have your recipes set up in each system (check to be sure the obvious things are all similar, like efficiency).

Pharmguy · 03-24-2009, 10:31 PM

Yeah, Im sure you are right. I just dont know what I am checking/adjusting in beersmith. I went to the tab AnOldUR suggested and played around but when it comes down to it....Im not sure how much is evaporated and lost to boil trub,deadspace, ect. I am sure it is different for each batch brewed so I will just go with the averages unless someone has a better idea.??

Brickhouse · 03-24-2009, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyGuy

(it is probably safe to assume each calculates gravity correctly)

Oh really? In the three years I used Beersmith it never, ever, accurately predicted my preboil gravity. However, using a pencil and the correct information from the malster I was able to accurately and repeatedly predict my gravity. It may use a formula that with the correct information and variable values, will spit out a number you can use. I was never able to get it to work for me. If someone else has - more power to you and brew on brutha.

FlyGuy · 03-25-2009, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brickhouse

Oh really? In the three years I used Beersmith it never, ever, accurately predicted my preboil gravity. However, using a pencil and the correct information from the malster I was able to accurately and repeatedly predict my gravity. It may use a formula that with the correct information and variable values, will spit out a number you can use. I was never able to get it to work for me. If someone else has - more power to you and brew on brutha.

I can get Beersmith to match what my hand calculations or my brewing spreadsheet tell me. So I know it is making the correct gravity calculations -- I don't doubt the software. It also gives me the same gravities from any recipes I have imported from ProMash.

If you were getting the wrong numbers, you probably failed to set up your equipment profile correctly. That's typically the source of error.