Beersmith vs Brewers Friend IBU/Color difference

Same recipe dialed into both programs and I am getting significantly different color and IBU's. Anyone else getting this problem? We are talking 76 IBU vs 53 and 8 SRM vs 10.5 SRM.

I would suspect that the process variables are set up differently in each case. Is the water requirement the same for both programs? Are your losses to trub, dead space, and chiller the same? Is the boil off rate set the same for both programs? Are the Lovibond and pppg for the grains the same in both recipes?

Additionally for IBU, are they both using the same equation for calculation of IBU?

Most of the time, large differences such as you are experiencing end up being a difference in process: water losses and usage set by each program. If you enter the same recipe into both and do not configure the process variables, the software for each makes different assumptions.

Oginme said:

I would suspect that the process variables are set up differently in each case. Is the water requirement the same for both programs? Are your losses to trub, dead space, and chiller the same? Is the boil off rate set the same for both programs? Are the Lovibond and pppg for the grains the same in both recipes?

Additionally for IBU, are they both using the same equation for calculation of IBU?

Most of the time, large differences such as you are experiencing end up being a difference in process: water losses and usage set by each program. If you enter the same recipe into both and do not configure the process variables, the software for each makes different assumptions.

Click to expand...

The IBU percentage is different for Whirlpools because one says to have it at 50% and the other says 10%. The whirlpool IBU's actually match on one recipe that I have put into each program, but then a different recipe has different whirlpool IBU's between two recipes.

arnobg said:

The IBU percentage is different for Whirlpools because one says to have it at 50% and the other says 10%. The whirlpool IBU's actually match on one recipe that I have put into each program, but then a different recipe has different whirlpool IBU's between two recipes.

Click to expand...

So what are we trying to understand, here?

Each program has a foundation of assumptions to start with. Each has controls available to the brewer. Even if they differ at the start, if you hone each to your particular circumstance, the numbers begin to move closer.

Will they agree with all numbers? Nope.
Is there just one way to brew? Nope
Can either program anticipate every brewer's circumstance or experiments? Nope.
Is everything about brewing understood and modeled perfectly? Hell Nope.

brewfun said:

So what are we trying to understand, here?

Each program has a foundation of assumptions to start with. Each has controls available to the brewer. Even if they differ at the start, if you hone each to your particular circumstance, the numbers begin to move closer.

Will they agree with all numbers? Nope.
Is there just one way to brew? Nope
Can either program anticipate every brewer's circumstance or experiments? Nope.
Is everything about brewing understood and modeled perfectly? Hell Nope.

Click to expand...

This goes to the heart of what many people encounter when trying to compare simulation software. No two programs are exactly the same. One program may work well for one person but not for another and vice versa.

You can get hung up for many hours trying to rectify the two programs to no good use of time. Pick one program and spend your energy customizing it to reflect how you brew, what you brew, and to produce similar outcomes to what you have brewed. You will be much better off for it.

arnobg said:

The IBU percentage is different for Whirlpools because one says to have it at 50% and the other says 10%. The whirlpool IBU's actually match on one recipe that I have put into each program, but then a different recipe has different whirlpool IBU's between two recipes.

Click to expand...

So, you found a difference in how they are calculating the IBU. Want to know which one is right? Neither... or both... It really depends upon your system.

Unless you are willing to brew any times with small process changes differentiating each batch and send samples out for IBU analysis, you will never know which is more accurate for your process.

What I recommend is either brewing a well established clone recipe for a commercial beer you can sample side by side along with yours or brewing a common style and comparing that to several similar IBU commercial beers. Use your taste buds to guide you in determining if you are too light on IBU, too heavy on IBU, or just right. Use your sensory information to help you tune ONE of the programs to brewing what you experience.