About to attept AG, should I trust BrewPal?

[Chaostar]

First of all, I just want to thank everyone on here for the oceans of knowledge and resources that you guys have contributed. You are all awesome!!! :rockin:

I am about to ease into AG and going to try a 2.5 gallon batch using DB's stove top method.

Here's the recipe:

6# 2-row
1# Pilsen
0.75# Chrystal 60

0.5oz Warrior 60min
0.25oz Amarillo 20min
0.5oz Amarillo 5min
0.5oz Columbus

Wyeast 3522 Ardennes

I plugged it into the Brew Pal app and it's calling for a 3 gallon strike, which seems alright but a 7 quart sparge. Doesn'tsound right to me but it is coming out to about 3.5 Gallon pre-boil.

My question is should I use more like 2-3 gallons to sparge and boil for a long time to bring it down to the 3.5 gallons, disregarding the software suggestions, and then add the hops and boil for the normal hour or so? I would be taking a hydro reading after the sparge and before the hop additions to add some DME if needed.

Just looking for some advice and assurance if this would work from more experienced brewers on here. Thanks guys.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

I have had pretty good luck with BrewPal. If you want more sparge water though by all means add more and boil it down. Are you attempting a single or double batch sparge, or fly sparge? I would think 2g sparge is fine.

 

[RM-MN]

Spend a bunch more time reading about brew in a bag and you might find out that you start with your full volume and don't sparge at all after the mash is done. You squeeze the liquid that you can from the grain in the bag and then start your boil with that.

I've tried it with full volume and I tried with reduced volume and sparge and guess what? I got almost identical efficiency. I think your additional sparge water and boil down will mostly get you a longer day of brewing and more cost for the fuel to boil away that much water. YMMV

 

[Brewfat]

I use brewpal. There are many settings which effect your volumes (mash thickness, sparge type, grain absorption, dead loss, boil off rate). Not to mention efficiency. The defaults got me pretty close but ive since adjusted everthing to fit my system.

One tip, the strike temp calculator at rackers.org has worked better for me than the one in brewpal.

 

[Chaostar]

Spend a bunch more time reading about brew in a bag and you might find out that you start with your full volume and don't sparge at all after the mash is done. You squeeze the liquid that you can from the grain in the bag and then start your boil with that.

I've tried it with full volume and I tried with reduced volume and sparge and guess what? I got almost identical efficiency. I think your additional sparge water and boil down will mostly get you a longer day of brewing and more cost for the fuel to boil away that much water. YMMV

Solid point. I have been looking into the BIAB, might be a good route as well. Thanks

 

[Chaostar]

I use brewpal. There are many settings which effect your volumes (mash thickness, sparge type, grain absorption, dead loss, boil off rate). Not to mention efficiency. The defaults got me pretty close but ive since adjusted everthing to fit my system.

One tip, the strike temp calculator at rackers.org has worked better for me than the one in brewpal.

Sweet, I'm gonna have to look at the rackers software.