Higher gravity then possible?

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IPAAAA

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So I made a blonde ale with about 20 pounds of grains. (10gal batch) I have to double batch sparge because my tun is too small but my gravity after boiling should be 1.048 based off beersmith. I ended up with 1.053-1.054.

How is that possible? Does beersmith list somewhere what the gravity should be before boiling or do I have to figure that out myself?

Trying to figure out what I did wrong.
 
The question is whether your estimate (Beersmith) is wrong, or put differently, if you are using Beersmith correctly, or why was your efficiency so high?

If you post your recipe and also explain more what you mean by 'double batch sparge because my tun is too small', that would help us ferret out some possible answers. Also, what is your efficiency set for in Beersmith? And did you hit your final volume exactly, or are you estimating that?
 
Also, you're not getting a higher gravity than possible - you're just getting a higher gravity than beersmith is estimating. You'll have to check within beersmith, but it defaults to a certain efficiency level (I think brewtarget, which I've used a little, defaults to 75%). It's possible that your process is just a little more efficient than the beersmith default.

Not only did you probably do nothing wrong, you probably did something very right. Do a few searches on calculating efficiency, start to keep track of what efficiency levels your process is getting you, and then adjust the efficiency (and thus, your recipes) appropriately in beersmith.
 
Sounds like you got better efficiency. As Strat noted, it was probably a difference in your efficiency or perhaps more boiled away than would have been expected. Another explanation would be that you didn't use as much sparge water as you should have.

Regardless, there's nothing about a slightly higher OG that would indicate that anything is wrong.
 
Well that is good to hear. I gotta jet to work but will post more details when I have a chance and answer your questions. Thanks everyone. Actually here lemme knock this out real quick...

The question is whether your estimate (Beersmith) is wrong, or put differently, if you are using Beersmith correctly, or why was your efficiency so high?

If you post your recipe and also explain more what you mean by 'double batch sparge because my tun is too small', that would help us ferret out some possible answers. Also, what is your efficiency set for in Beersmith? And did you hit your final volume exactly, or are you estimating that?

By double batch sparge I mean I mash then I have to sparge twice to make up my entire boil volume. I have never changed the efficiency in beersmith so whatever the default is. I think I missed my boil volume by a tiny bit. Was suppose to have 13.5gals and I believe I had 13.1 gallons so still pretty close.

Also, you're not getting a higher gravity than possible - you're just getting a higher gravity than beersmith is estimating. You'll have to check within beersmith, but it defaults to a certain efficiency level (I think brewtarget, which I've used a little, defaults to 75%). It's possible that your process is just a little more efficient than the beersmith default.

Not only did you probably do nothing wrong, you probably did something very right. Do a few searches on calculating efficiency, start to keep track of what efficiency levels your process is getting you, and then adjust the efficiency (and thus, your recipes) appropriately in beersmith.

So what happens when I adjust my efficiency in beersmith? It just recalculates my og and fg for me correct? I want to try and figure out what my pre boil gravity should be because I think beersmith doesn't do that. Hopefully I did do something right heh. This is the 4th time I made this beer but the second with the revised recipe but everything has gone smoothly everytime,

Sounds like you got better efficiency. As Strat noted, it was probably a difference in your efficiency or perhaps more boiled away than would have been expected. Another explanation would be that you didn't use as much sparge water as you should have.

Regardless, there's nothing about a slightly higher OG that would indicate that anything is wrong.

I ended up with almost 11.5 gals after a one hour boil so pretty close to what I wanted. Definitely used enough sparge so I think that is all ok. I just wish I could have a bigger tun so I can only sparge once but maybe in the future.
 
adjusting your efficiency in BeerSmith means you need a little less malt than everyone else for the same result... it's a good thing.

keep in mind, that next batch could be lower - you will develop a "brewhouse efficiency" but one batch may be an outlier.
 
Was Beersmith set for 11.5 gallons? That would also throw off your OG estimate, as well as the efficiency setting I mentioned earlier.

Your 'double sparge' isn't related. Many of us do two or three sparges.
 
Also, as I understand it, many people still split their sparge into 2 sparges specifically to improve their efficiency. I'd really focus on keeping track of efficiency and plan accordingly, rather than trying to reduce your efficiency.
 
Also, as I understand it, many people still split their sparge into 2 sparges specifically to improve their efficiency. I'd really focus on keeping track of efficiency and plan accordingly, rather than trying to reduce your efficiency.

Right. The problem isn't your brewing or efficiency, its how you are using Beersmith to estimate your OG.
 
Beersmith will give you your expected pre and post boil volumes, and the expected eff for both. It should show you all of that on the brewsheet.
 
Beersmith will give you your expected pre and post boil volumes, and the expected eff for both. It should show you all of that on the brewsheet.

You set your post boil volume (your batch size) and your equipment, and Beersmith estimates what you will need for pre-boil volume. If the boil-off calculation isn't right for your set-up, you can adjust it in Beersmith.
 
Was Beersmith set for 11.5 gallons? That would also throw off your OG estimate, as well as the efficiency setting I mentioned earlier.

Your 'double sparge' isn't related. Many of us do two or three sparges.

My batch size in bs was 11 gal and boil size was 13. Efficiency set at 75% I honestly have no setup my equipment in bs. I just used manual calculations to get my water volumes/mash amounts + temps/ sparge volumes etc.

If I change the efficiency to 85% in bs it ends up at the OG of 1.054 that I got.
 
BeerSmith does have a preboil gravity calc. In the old version, it was buried in the efficiency setup dialog. In the new version, it's selectable as one of the displayed values on the recipe design tab.
 
My last batch I got over 100% efficiency according to Beersmith. Most of their numbers are an average and are correct for 99% of batches but you may that one batch. Sounds like to me that you just need to up your efficiency settings.
 
. . . I honestly have not setup my equipment in bs . . .

FWIW, I'd spend the time to get Beersmith set up for your equipment and process. In Beersmith, my equipment and efficiency are locked in and I'm nearly always spot on the two numbers that really matter to me - mash temperature and original gravity.

And those times that I miss the numbers, its always because I've been lax in measuring volume - if I had done the right volume, the Beersmith predictions would have been correct.
 
BeerSmith does have a preboil gravity calc. In the old version, it was buried in the efficiency setup dialog. In the new version, it's selectable as one of the displayed values on the recipe design tab.

Nice...I will have to select it.

My last batch I got over 100% efficiency according to Beersmith. Most of their numbers are an average and are correct for 99% of batches but you may that one batch. Sounds like to me that you just need to up your efficiency settings.

Ya when I upped it to 85% it hit dead on but I still have to set it all up correctly.

FWIW, I'd spend the time to get Beersmith set up for your equipment and process. In Beersmith, my equipment and efficiency are locked in and I'm nearly always spot on the two numbers that really matter to me - mash temperature and original gravity.

And those times that I miss the numbers, its always because I've been lax in measuring volume - if I had done the right volume, the Beersmith predictions would have been correct.

So which settings should I setup? I know all my equipment pretty well but honestly haven't looked at setting them up in beersmith at all.
 
Which should be the main settings I should look into setting in beersmith?
 
I am unsure of the correct names because my beersmith is on my other computer. Dead space, boil off rate, Heat loss rate, and then the simple stuff like equipment sizes.
 
What if I don't know my boil off rate or heat loss rate....just ignore it?
 
Will do it this week. % gallons should be enough even though I do mostly 10 gallon batches right? It should come out the same I think.
 
IPAAAA said:
Will do it this week. % gallons should be enough even though I do mostly 10 gallon batches right? It should come out the same I think.

I think you meant to type 5 gallons, right? If so, it should be enough as your boil off rate will be the same whether you boil 5 or 10 gallons.
 
Ya ment to type 5 and forgot I held the shift key haha. Sorry about the confusion.
 
Using BobbyM's Double batch sparge I usually get over 80% efficiency. Now I just use 80 as my default for calculations.
 
Boiled 5 gallons of water today for an hour and ended up boiling off 1.9 gallons. That seem like too much? Got about .3 gallons of dead space in my tun too once I tilt it a tiny bit at the end.
 
Is the default amount of cooling shrinkage good enough or can we calculate that also? I know it's a ton of questions but I think I might have this setup pretty good now.
 
Watch how strong your boil is. When I first got my burner I was keeping it wide open the whole time and lost far more than my standard boil off rate.
 
I have my boil set as low as possible to save propane. Very steady rolling boil is all.
 
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