Beersmith help

[Beerzilla81]

Hey everyone, thanks for taking a sec to read my issues,hope you can help.

So I converted a 10 gal. cooler,using the instructions I read from here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/ . I proceeded to enter my equipment to beersmith as close as I could, I only have a 8 gal. kettle and not the 15 gal. kettle it lists. To check my dead space, I threw in 2 gal. of water and let it drain. I ended up with 3 cups left in my MT, and punched those numbers in BS. Good way of testing? Now, I batch sparge. And I'm just wondering why, when I enter a recipe BS has me doing multiple steps? I also don't understand why on the design window, when it tells me the amount of grain weight in the recipe, 9.75lbs for example, but when I switch to the Mash tab, under the "Mash Volume Needed" my Mash Grain Wt drops a whole pound. I appreciate the help.

I have a few more questions,but thats all for now since I've got to get back to work ......I'd rather be brewing

 

[LLBeanJ]

Check your grains in the design window to see if any of them have the "Add After Boil" checkbox checked. That will cause the Mash Grain Wt to be less than the Total Grain Wt.

For the sparge issue, be sure that both the "Batch sparge using batches that fill" and "Drain mash tun before sparging" checkboxes are checked.

 

[Beerzilla81]

Check your grains in the design window to see if any of them have the "Add After Boil" checkbox checked. That will cause the Mash Grain Wt to be less than the Total Grain Wt.
I checked the grains and none have it checked. When I enter a recipe, it only has the "recommend" I mash the base malt, which is 2-row in this case

For the sparge issue, be sure that both the "Batch sparge using batches that fill" and "Drain mash tun before sparging" checkboxes are checked.

Checked both boxes. but, it still says "batch sparge with 2 steps"

 

[LLBeanJ]

Yes, mine says the same thing. I think it may be a bug in the code. If there are really to be two steps, it will show two separate sparge quantities. If it only shows one quantity, then it is a single step sparge, regardless of the "Batch sparge with 2 steps" description.

 

[C-Rider]

I do brew in a bag and both design and mash windows show the same weight for the grain.

 

[CA_Mouse]

I could, I only have a 8 gal. kettle and not the 15 gal. kettle it lists.

You should customize your equipment profile to reflect your kettle. I have a 13 gallon cooler MT and an 11 gallon kettle, so I had to build my own equipment profile.

To check my dead space, I threw in 2 gal. of water and let it drain. I ended up with 3 cups left in my MT, and punched those numbers in BS. Good way of testing?

Yes, that is the best way. Although you may get slightly different results with grain and heated water, it is close enough to how much dead space you have.

Now, I batch sparge. And I'm just wondering why, when I enter a recipe BS has me doing multiple steps?

Which type of Batch Sparge are you selecting? Make sure that it isn't saying to fly sparge (I noticed once that it was telling me to fly sparge even though I chose batch). I always chose Single Infusion Batch Sparge. That is a 2 step process. 1) Mash In and 2) Sparge.

I also don't understand why on the design window, when it tells me the amount of grain weight in the recipe, 9.75lbs for example, but when I switch to the Mash tab, under the "Mash Volume Needed" my Mash Grain Wt drops a whole pound. I appreciate the help.

I never noticed this, but it is the same on mine. Brad haunts these forums, so perhaps he will be able to tell us why...

I have a few more questions,but thats all for now since I've got to get back to work ......I'd rather be brewing

You can, also, check the BeerSmith forums and how-to videos on the BeerSmith website.

 

[Queequeg]

I think the 2 step refesr to 2 sparge steps, not mash-in and sparge. That why it says "batch sparge with 2 steps (...,...) sometimes that says drain (if the drain batch is ticked), sometimes a mini sparge (basically mash out) when you don't drain.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I think the 2 step refesr to 2 sparge steps, not mash-in and sparge. That why it says "batch sparge with 2 steps (...,...) sometimes that says drain (if the drain batch is ticked), sometimes a mini sparge (basically mash out) when you don't drain.

I think so too. No matter what I did with the batch sparge box checked, I couldn't make it say anything other than "Batch sparge with 2 steps." When I messed around with water to grain ratios, I could get it to output either one or two sparge volume values, which would correlate to being either a 1-step or 2-step sparge, but either way it still said to sparge with 2 steps. This is what leads me to believe that it is an oversight in the BS2 code.

 

[brewkinger]

I think so too. No matter what I did with the batch sparge box checked, I couldn't make it say anything other than "Batch sparge with 2 steps." When I messed around with water to grain ratios, I could get it to output either one or two sparge volume values, which would correlate to being either a 1-step or 2-step sparge, but either way it still said to sparge with 2 steps. This is what leads me to believe that it is an oversight in the BS2 code.

^This

I spent the better part of 45 minutes trying to make the corrections that would allow me to do a single batch.
I only have a 5 gal cooler, and usually my sparge volume is over 5 gal and BS knows that, so it splits it into 2 equal batches.

Is that the same for your 10 gal setup?

Does your sparge volume usually exceed the capacity of your 10 gal cooler tun?

 

[Beerzilla81]

You should customize your equipment profile to reflect your kettle. I have a 13 gallon cooler MT and an 11 gallon kettle, so I had to build my own equipment profile.

Where in BS can i adjust the boil kettle size? Ive seen the equipment video,but still some what confused. how did you build your own profile?

Yes, that is the best way. Although you may get slightly different results with grain and heated water, it is close enough to how much dead space you have.
Cool good to know I did that right Should I check the ''Adjust Mash Volume For Deadspace" box? Or dont worry because the amount I have is so small.


Which type of Batch Sparge are you selecting? Make sure that it isn't saying to fly sparge (I noticed once that it was telling me to fly sparge even though I chose batch). I always chose Single Infusion Batch Sparge. That is a 2 step process. 1) Mash In and 2) Sparge.
Same here. Always single infusion,batch sparge

 

[GrogNerd]

I also don't understand why on the design window, when it tells me the amount of grain weight in the recipe, 9.75lbs for example, but when I switch to the Mash tab, under the "Mash Volume Needed" my Mash Grain Wt drops a whole pound. I appreciate the help.

design window will add the weight of everything that can be added with the "ADD GRAIN" button

mash window, Mash Grain Wt will total the weight of stuff listed in the design window as GRAINS or ADJUNCTS, and will NOT include EXTRACT, DRY EXTRACT or SUGARS.

you have a lb of those in your recipe

 

[LLBeanJ]

Where in BS can i adjust the boil kettle size? Ive seen the equipment video,but still some what confused. how did you build your own profile?

Go to the Equipment Profiles page on the left side of the screen (or find it in the menu), find an existing piece of equipment that is close to what you have, then copy it and paste a copy. Rename the copy and tweak the parameters to fit your piece of equipment.

 

[Beerzilla81]

Should I bother checking the "adjust mash volume for deadspace" box? Or don't bother since I have a small amount of deadspace? Thanks so far to all who have responded

 

[LLBeanJ]

I'd check it and enter the amount in your profile. The tools are there, you might as well take full advantage wherever you can.

 

[Ramarok]

In the Mash Profile that you have chosen, there is a check box for "Use equal Batch Sizes". If you un-check that box it will change your sparge amount to one sparge instead of 2 amounts.