Convert extract to all-grain: converting grains

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oach

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Hey All,

I have used the following recipe for a 2.5 gallon extract batch with a full 60 boil (just showing malts for now).

2.00# Light DME (53.3%)
0.25# Honey Malt (6.7%)
1.50# Honey (40.0%)

SG 1.064, SRM 6.3

I have read a bunch of posts on here about switching to all-grain and they pretty much don't say the old fashioned way of using pencil and paper but beer smith, so I downloaded a version for trial. I converted the recipe.

2.68# 2 Row (54.2%)
0.68# Honey Malt (13.7%)
1.59# Honey (32.1%)

Seems like they added a ton of Honey Malt in terms of the overall percentage. Just wondering if this seems like a fair comparison?

On a similar but different note, I would actually like to do a 5 gallon batch. How can I use Beer Smith to calculate the amount of wort to put in the kettle before boil, assuming about a half gallon is left in the carboy? So I guess the final size is actually 5.5 or still leave at 5 as I would get a higher gravity?

Thank you for your time,
Scot
 
Hey All,

I have used the following recipe for a 2.5 gallon extract batch with a full 60 boil (just showing malts for now).

2.00# Light DME (53.3%)
0.25# Honey Malt (6.7%)
1.50# Honey (40.0%)

SG 1.064, SRM 6.3

I have read a bunch of posts on here about switching to all-grain and they pretty much don't say the old fashioned way of using pencil and paper but beer smith, so I downloaded a version for trial. I converted the recipe.

2.68# 2 Row (54.2%)
0.68# Honey Malt (13.7%)
1.59# Honey (32.1%)

Seems like they added a ton of Honey Malt in terms of the overall percentage. Just wondering if this seems like a fair comparison?

On a similar but different note, I would actually like to do a 5 gallon batch. How can I use Beer Smith to calculate the amount of wort to put in the kettle before boil, assuming about a half gallon is left in the carboy? So I guess the final size is actually 5.5 or still leave at 5 as I would get a higher gravity?

Thank you for your time,
Scot

Without typing it in, it looks right to me...as for switching batch sizes, there is a scale button up on the top tool button.
 
Yep, found that after I did the post. Amazing what your eyes can do when you search ;)

I guess my biggest hang up is the amount of wort I need to create:

1. I want to end up with 5.5 gallons after boil, so is that the actual conversion size I want to use w/in Beer Smith?
2. Since I am using honey, I guess I don't add that to the mash? When I did extract added it late in the boil. So even though this is considered grain my Beer Smith, I would only have ~6.5# of grain for this batch, so 6.5 * 1.25quarts/# water or 8.125 qrts in mash?
3. If above is rights, that is 2 gallons, how much do I lose to soaking grains? Let's say .5 gallon, then I would need 4.8 gallons of strike water as BS says I need 6.3 gallons of water in the boil.

Are my calculations any where near being right or am I screwed?
 
I would extract the wort from your grains and just as it begins to boil add your honey...as for how much water to mash with, I always use a generic calculation of: pounds of grain x 1.1 quarts of water ÷ 4 = gallons of water needed.
 
After upping the volume to 5.5 gallons, here is the grain bill:

5.90# 2 Row (54.2%)
1.49# Honey Malt (13.7%)
3.50# Honey (32.1%)

I thought Honey Malt can be a bit strong and wanted to keep that on the lower end, so in spite of more than doubling the recipe, does that amount of Honey Malt seem high now?
 
After looking through some more recipes, I don't see too many honey beers or beers in general that have that much Honey malt. Anyone have thoughts on that or some tweaks they would suggest?
 
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