Mash: BrewPal vs BeerAlchemy

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berebrando

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So I've used both brewpal over the last year or so and I like a lot of the features in both of these apps. I just got beeralchemy and I'm starting to prefer it for its appearance, all the different calculators it has, and also because I can do multiple batches based on a single recipe. (the batch/recipe layout is immensely better in beeralchemy.) But... There seems to be a function in brewpal that beeralchemy is missing.

Basically, I can't get my mash schedule in beeralchemy to function like the mash schedule in brewpal. I like that brewpal divides my sparge volumes and calculates the temperature of each addition to reach my target temperatures. Beeralchemy, on the other hand gives me a boiling water volume to get to my sparge rest volume then says "Add a further 2.71 US gals of water at 170 F and mix."

Here's an example of a typical mash schedule in each app... Both, (apparently) accomplish the same thing:

Brewpal:
Strike with 9.7 gallons at 164. Target temp 150.
Sparge with 3.9 gallons at 201. Target 170.
Sparge with 3.9 gallons at 170. Target 170.

Beeralchemy:
Heat 9.70 US gals of water to 166 F.
Raise the temperature to 170 F by adding 5.43 US gals of boiling water
Add a further 2.71 US gals of water at 170 F and mix.
Run off to collect a total of 13.79 US gals of wort.

Looking at these two schedules, the brewpal version appears to severely underestimate the temperature/volume of the first sparge. The beeralchemy version does not divide the sparge water very well. I also don't know if I will overheat my grains by using the beeralchemy mash schedule.

To be fair, ive only used the brewpal mash schedule, but I also find that it fails to get up to the 170 target sparge volume. Can anyone offer any input on how to dial in the beeralchemy mash schedule? Any experience with hitting/ not hitting your temperatures?
 
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