Brewers Friend - Batch, Boil and Efficiency help

[Pale Ales and Such]

Hello,

I am trying to formulate recipes of my own and I can’t figure something out. My first hand at brewing was with craftabrews American pale ale 1-gallon recipe. What I’m trying to do now is tweak what they are providing with some of my own stuff

according to their website:
ABV - 5.5
SRM - 10
IBU - 40
OG - 1.055

here’s what I got when I emailed them about ratios
1.25 lb of Pilsen DME
1.6 oz Caramel 10 + 1.6 oz Carapils for steeping grains
0.4 ozs of Cascade hops for 60 minute bittering
0.4 oz of Perle hops for 2 minute aroma

I am trying to input this recipe within brewers friend and I can’t seem to get the recipe to reflect the output craftabrew is stating that it is. It seems to be a problem with what I’m inserting for batch size, boil size and efficiency.

I’m trying to replicate this as close as possible so I can begin tweaking it for custom recipes.

Can anyone help me with what I’m doing incorrectly or what I should set the batch and boil size to as well as efficiency?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I cannot say much about the exact ingredients, but since this is mostly a extract batch, efficiency should not matter too much. I am not sure how software like Brewer's Friend exactly handles steeping grains.

At least in BeerSmith, Batch Size would be the amount into the fermenter. The pre-boil water amount would be mostly Batch Size + the amount of water boiled off + any expected amount left in the kettle (if you leave trub behind). The grain would absorb a little water, but very little.

It does not surprise me that software gives you different numbers. If the info they gave you seems reasonable, I would go with that. Cascade hops can vary a bit in aa% which will impact the IBU calculation.

 

[Pale Ales and Such]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I figured 10% - 11% would be lost in the boil so tailored the recipe that way and it worked out it seems...at least as close as I could get.

The grain efficiency is something I’m having a hard time understanding. I know extract is pretty efficient but my confusion is around how efficient the grains will be...I chose 30% because that seems valid from the extract brewing recipes I’ve seen online. Still confused though, how can I tell if my grains are 30% efficient or not...and is there a ratio of some kind between efficiency, amount of grains, grain milling, and grain type?

thanks!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

The grain efficiency is something I’m having a hard time understanding.

I am primarily an all-grain brewer. Software like BeerSmith seems to do a good job of calculating gravity points from grain added to the mash. As far as steeping grains like a light crystal and carapils, I am not sure. Here is a thread with some discussion:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...avity-contribution-of-steeping-grains.538052/
I would say to brew the recipe they gave you and measure the results.

 

[Pale Ales and Such]

That sounds like a plan, thanks for all the advice

 

[Sergei]

The grain efficiency is something I’m having a hard time understanding. I know extract is pretty efficient but my confusion is around how efficient the grains will be...I chose 30% because that seems valid from the extract brewing recipes I’ve seen online. Still confused though, how can I tell if my grains are 30% efficient or not...and is there a ratio of some kind between efficiency, amount of grains, grain milling, and grain type?

Grain efficiency is a ratio of sugars that you got during a mash to the potential amount sugars that possible extract from the grains. When you use dry malt extract the grain efficiency is not relevant. The extract you use is a mix of dry sugars, it has 44 gravity points per pound per gallon and 100% efficient.
The steeping grains give flavors, unfermentable sugars and dextrins. And starch. The "American Pale Ale" by Craft a Brew is a good kit (it was my 1st batch). Though, if you want to improve it, you can consider add 10-20g (assuming you continue to use 1gal batch) of basic malt and steep at temperatures 150-155F. The malt will provide enzymes that will process starches from steeping grains and beer will be much clear