Does my step by step Beersmith brew day sound right?

[linusstick]

Going on my fourth BIAB brew day and trying to get my processes down. Tell me how this sounds and if I'm using the software correctly. I start by opening the software, opening the recipe and going on the timer page. This is where I get my strike water temp and volume (although I usually use an online calculator as I have more success doing it that way). After my mash is done i open the brew session data tab. I skip runoff gravity because I'm doing BIAB (is this right)? I input my post mash gravity from my refractometer. I enter my preboil volume and I enter THE SAME gravity as my post mash gravity (they should be the same right?).
I do my boil then when it's done I input my measured batch size and take my refractometer reading after it has cooled down to pitching temp.
Finally when I'm bottling I take the final gravity reading and I enter that. I was doing that with the mobile version on my iPhone.
When I see YouTube tutorials using the full software (which I used for my last batch), I saw someone use the mash tab to enter the mash reading instead of the brew session data tab. If you add info in one, does it automatically carry over to the other? My last question is after the batch do I change my equipment profile mash and brewhouse eff to match the last batch? Thanks in advance!

 

[Oginme]

First, when you enter readings on one tab, it transfers those readings to other tabs which have it listed. Basically, it sounds like you are doing fine in how you are using the software. I usually open the mash tab first and input the current grain temperature to adjust the strike temp to current conditions. I make notes of changes on the brew day sheet I have printed out as well as any other comments which are of note during the session.

Yes, you can skip those entries which do not apply, such as run off gravity. I do use the pH readings to record the initial pH in the 'measured mash pH' slot and the pH at the end of the mash in the 'sparge run off pH' as well as on the brew day sheet (sorry, old school here, paper records don't crash).

The post mash gravity and pre boil gravity should be the same, unless you are adding sugars at the beginning of the boil.

I also measure volumes pre-boil and into the fermenter as well as post boil and trub volumes. Post boil volume is just an indicator for me that I am close to target while the wort is cooling and there is no place for it to be recorded in BeerSmith.

If your volumes are close to or on target, you can update your brew house efficiency in your equipment profile. If your volumes are far off, I would recommend recalculating your losses to get your volumes to match before adjusting your brew house efficiency in BeerSmith. Since the volume is part of the calculation for efficiency, you can end up achieving your target efficiency, but still end up off in gravity.

Note: I don't use the mobile app for BeerSmith, so I work entirely off of the desktop software.