Beersmith miscalculations.

[TraughbersBrewHaus]

I did a Saison brew this weekend, and missed my final gravity number horribly. My first thought was my mash efficiency was way low, but didn't think this was really the issue because my mash temps and water numbers were spot on. After finding a thread in the all grain brewing section, I found a guy telling how to calculate water volume. After recalculating my water using his formula, I found that BeerSmith had suggested using way too much water. I'm just curious if anyone else has run into a similar situation?

 

[broadbill]

I don't use BeerSmith, but I'm not sure you can pin it on the program. You know what they say about software....GIGO....

If you used too much water, wouldn't your final volume be off? Was it? I'm not sure in what situation that would have been something you wouldn't have caught immediately....using too much water (enough to make a big difference) would have meant to much volume of wort (or excessive measures to reduce it).

More details would help here...if you post your recipe and process we can figure out what happened.

 

[Jsbeckton]

You have to set your own boil off rate, and brew house efficiency in BS. I found mine are close to the defaults but not exact.


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[GrogNerd]

"too much water" would mean you have something incorrect as far as grain absorption, dead space, estimated pre-boil volume or your equipment profile

 

[Jsbeckton]

Also, did you mean OG instead of FG? FG will also be impacted by your fermentation and BS can only guess as to how great that went.


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[GrogNerd]

Also, did you mean OG instead of FG? FG will also be impacted by your fermentation and BS can only guess as to how great that went.


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didn't see that. good catch

 

[singybrue]

Was this your 1st brew using Beersmith?
I takes about 5 brews or so to really get your settings and numbers dialed in.

 

[TraughbersBrewHaus]

Also, did you mean OG instead of FG? FG will also be impacted by your fermentation and BS can only guess as to how great that went.


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Yes meant OG.

 

[TraughbersBrewHaus]

Was this your 1st brew using Beersmith?
I takes about 5 brews or so to really get your settings and numbers dialed in.

Yeah, first brew on BeerSmith I'll have to do some number adjusting thanks for the help.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Once you set up your equipment profile and dial it in, you'll usually hit your numbers very reliably. Your key go/no go control points are your pre-boil gravity and pre-boil volume. Knowing those, you can decide if you need to alter anything about the boil (extend it, add water, etc.) to create the beer you intended even if the mash/sparge didn't quite work out as intended.

 

[whenithitsyourlips]

I've found that the "Trub Loss" in Beersmith caused the same issue with me. After the boil I would normally have about a gallon of trub that didn't make it into the carboy. I assumed this was the volume I was supposed to put in Beersmith to account for this loss. After accounting for a 1 gallon trub loss in beersmith, I noticed that I started missing my pre-boil gravity consistently. What I found was that Beersmith will increase the volume of wort you are supposed to collect from the mash, but does not adjust the grain bill to compensate. Now I just leave the Trub Loss at "0" and just increase the batch size to account for the trub loss (since the trub loss is not pure water, as beersmith would seem to indicate), seems to have corrected the issue.

 

[saskd]

I had a similar problem my first time using Beersmith. My OG was 5 points high and when I got the wort into the fermenter it became clear that there was about 1/4 gallon less then there should have been. I've since adjusted my boil off rates in my equipment profile and it's working great.

 

[TraughbersBrewHaus]

Once you set up your equipment profile and dial it in, you'll usually hit your numbers very reliably. Your key go/no go control points are your pre-boil gravity and pre-boil volume. Knowing those, you can decide if you need to alter anything about the boil (extend it, add water, etc.) to create the beer you intended even if the mash/sparge didn't quite work out as intended.

I assume that the pre-boil sample will need to be cooled before taking a gravity reading.

 

[krenshaw]

I assume that the pre-boil sample will need to be cooled before taking a gravity reading.

there is a calculator in beersmith to compensate for the temperature of the wort you are using.. seems to be quite accurate from my usage of it

 

[duboman]

Software is nothing more than a tool to help you brew, it will only provide accurate calculations if the information you provide is accurate.

It will take a few batches to dial in your system and ensure your input is accurate. AS for hydrometer readings, yes they need to be cooled at least below 100oF for even a decent temperature adjustment reading using the software adjustment tool. Anything over 100oF is basically worthless, the closer you are to 60, the better off you are for accuracy.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I assume that the pre-boil sample will need to be cooled before taking a gravity reading.

A refractometer is great for that purpose, since the sample does not need to be cooled.

 

[WileECoyote]

I did a Saison brew this weekend, and missed my final gravity number horribly. My first thought was my mash efficiency was way low, but didn't think this was really the issue because my mash temps and water numbers were spot on. After finding a thread in the all grain brewing section, I found a guy telling how to calculate water volume. After recalculating my water using his formula, I found that BeerSmith had suggested using way too much water. I'm just curious if anyone else has run into a similar situation?

I have been using BeesSmith for around a year, had everything set, water volumes were right on, so were temps, they did a update then all of a sudden temps and volumes were way off.

I have contacted BeerSmith 1/2 a dozen times explaining what is going on and all they do, is tell me they didn't make any changes to water volumes or temps, instead of trying to help me figure out whats wrong.

I will even manually set my water volumes and hit save then if I shut beerSmith down the open it again, it will change my water volumes to whatever it wants.

If I used BeerSmiths water volumes, I would end up with 14 gallons of wort brewing a 10 gallon batch.

I would love to find a good brewing program that actually worked and had decent support.

Fortunately for me, I have done enough batches that I can guestamate my water volumes and temps pretty close even on a new recipe, once again I do my water volumes the old fashion way, 14 gal + or - in (depending on recipe) give me 11 gal after boiling.

BeerSmith support SUCKS Horribly to say the least, I even asked support if they could call me and gave them my phone number and they ignored that completely, just replied back with YOU must have changed your settings.

Very Disappointed with BeerSmith to say the least, wast of money and time !

Cheers

 

[kh54s10]

I have been using BeesSmith for around a year, had everything set, water volumes were right on, so were temps, they did a update then all of a sudden temps and volumes were way off.

I have contacted BeerSmith 1/2 a dozen times explaining what is going on and all they do, is tell me they didn't make any changes to water volumes or temps, instead of trying to help me figure out whats wrong.

I will even manually set my water volumes and hit save then if I shut beerSmith down the open it again, it will change my water volumes to whatever it wants.

If I used BeerSmiths water volumes, I would end up with 14 gallons of wort brewing a 10 gallon batch.

I would love to find a good brewing program that actually worked and had decent support.

Fortunately for me, I have done enough batches that I can guestamate my water volumes and temps pretty close even on a new recipe, once again I do my water volumes the old fashion way, 14 gal + or - in (depending on recipe) give me 11 gal after boiling.

BeerSmith support SUCKS Horribly to say the least, I even asked support if they could call me and gave them my phone number and they ignored that completely, just replied back with YOU must have changed your settings.

Very Disappointed with BeerSmith to say the least, wast of money and time !

Cheers

Again, Beersmith is a tool. You have to input and SAVE the proper information. I have to agree with them that it is something you have changed, unintentionally, that is causing your problem.

The place to start with is you equipment profile. Make sure all the numbers there are what they need to be for your system.

Since every system is different it would be pretty much impossible for Beersmith to fine tune everybody's rig.

You are one of the VERY FEW that think that Beersmith is a waste.

I think it is one of the BEST investments I have made in my brewing.

 

[duboman]

I have been using BeesSmith for around a year, had everything set, water volumes were right on, so were temps, they did a update then all of a sudden temps and volumes were way off.

I have contacted BeerSmith 1/2 a dozen times explaining what is going on and all they do, is tell me they didn't make any changes to water volumes or temps, instead of trying to help me figure out whats wrong.

I will even manually set my water volumes and hit save then if I shut beerSmith down the open it again, it will change my water volumes to whatever it wants.

If I used BeerSmiths water volumes, I would end up with 14 gallons of wort brewing a 10 gallon batch.

I would love to find a good brewing program that actually worked and had decent support.

Fortunately for me, I have done enough batches that I can guestamate my water volumes and temps pretty close even on a new recipe, once again I do my water volumes the old fashion way, 14 gal + or - in (depending on recipe) give me 11 gal after boiling.

BeerSmith support SUCKS Horribly to say the least, I even asked support if they could call me and gave them my phone number and they ignored that completely, just replied back with YOU must have changed your settings.

Very Disappointed with BeerSmith to say the least, wast of money and time !

Cheers

Sounds like user error to me having been using BS for close to 4 years with hundreds if recipes and several upgrades I have had no experience with the issues you're complaining about. I have also found Brad and support to be more than helpful when I did have to contact them with an issue or question.



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[TraughbersBrewHaus]

I used the phone ap on this one. Once I plugged my numbers into my laptop software, I came up with different numbers. Looks like the discrepancy was with the phone ap.