Beersmith Question

Is there a tool to calculate mash extraction or the gravity (pts) you would get from a given amount of grain...or do people just use the recipe view, add grains to the list and then look at the estimated OG? I am new to the software but i am surprised there isn't a simple tool that uses the formula (below) to quickly estimate the potential gravity of some grain. Do you really have to go into the recipe view and do it that way?

It would also be nice to have some type of list of theoretical Malt yields in Points/Pound/Gallon similar to the one in Palmer's "How to Brew". I know software is suppose to bypass all of this, but I am interested in the math involved in all of this and I would like to see how the software calculates it, check my own math, etc.


(Gravity(pts) = [Mash Extraction (Max ppg) * Malt used(lbs)]/Wort Volume(gal)

I just use the recipe view. The ppg potential extraction is listed right alongside the grain in the ingredients list, but that doesn't account for your efficiency.

Your math looks basically OK to me, but you would multiply that number by your brewhouse efficiency to get the actual OG.

yea, I saw the potential SG in the grain list right after I posted. Calculating it in the recipe view works, and having an extra tool would be redundant I guess, although they have one for hop bitterness calculations. I think some of my math confusion is stemming from the fact that I am doing partial boils and since the gravities/volumes of the boil and final batch are different I may be putting them in the wrong place in my calculations.

I think the tool you are refferring to for hop is the alpha degredation tool. so that one may estimate the bittering potential of old hops.

There is also a Hop Bitterness tool as well. It allows you to calculate the IBU's and AAU's of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Hop additions individually. It is useful because you can see how it breaks down and how each Hop addition contributes to the total IBU's. I would like to be able to do the same with the grains.