how come? adjusting the Batch volume

[Pdaigle]

How come when I adjust the batch volume in the design view it doesn't adjust the the ingredients? I have a 50 gallon kettle but want to try a 15 gal on it and it doesn't adjust. what I am doing wrong?

 

[Oginme]

Which software package are you using?

 

[Pdaigle]

Which software package are you using?

sorry I'm using BeerSmith

 

[Oginme]

OK, that fits with what I thought.

BeerSmith does not scale a recipe automatically. If you want to change a recipe size, there is a 'scale recipe' function which will allow you to change the ending volume and/or the equipment profile. If you are using the same equipment and just changing the ending volume, open the recipe and then click on 'scale recipe'. Keep the equipment profile the same and just change the batch size. The software will then scale the recipe up to the new volume keeping the same OG (and bitterness and color if you click on the option to do so) and the same brew house efficiency as your profile is set up for.

Since BeerSmith uses your input on brew house efficiency to set the amount of sugars which will be extracted from the mash, when you change any process volume (batch size, trub losses, mash tun losses, boil off rate) the program will recalculate the mash efficiency to keep the amount of sugars to the fermenter the same.

 

[Pdaigle]

OK, that fits with what I thought.

BeerSmith does not scale a recipe automatically. If you want to change a recipe size, there is a 'scale recipe' function which will allow you to change the ending volume and/or the equipment profile. If you are using the same equipment and just changing the ending volume, open the recipe and then click on 'scale recipe'. Keep the equipment profile the same and just change the batch size. The software will then scale the recipe up to the new volume keeping the same OG (and bitterness and color if you click on the option to do so) and the same brew house efficiency as your profile is set up for.

Since BeerSmith uses your input on brew house efficiency to set the amount of sugars which will be extracted from the mash, when you change any process volume (batch size, trub losses, mash tun losses, boil off rate) the program will recalculate the mash efficiency to keep the amount of sugars to the fermenter the same.

Huge thank you, I will try this. It's been 2 years that I've setup my first system so I was basically just using BS to create recipes.

Cheers

 

[Pdaigle]

OK, that fits with what I thought.

BeerSmith does not scale a recipe automatically. If you want to change a recipe size, there is a 'scale recipe' function which will allow you to change the ending volume and/or the equipment profile. If you are using the same equipment and just changing the ending volume, open the recipe and then click on 'scale recipe'. Keep the equipment profile the same and just change the batch size. The software will then scale the recipe up to the new volume keeping the same OG (and bitterness and color if you click on the option to do so) and the same brew house efficiency as your profile is set up for.

Since BeerSmith uses your input on brew house efficiency to set the amount of sugars which will be extracted from the mash, when you change any process volume (batch size, trub losses, mash tun losses, boil off rate) the program will recalculate the mash efficiency to keep the amount of sugars to the fermenter the same.

still getting it... it's only when I change to single infusion (fly sparge). I've attached a pic

 

[Oginme]

export the recipe as a .bsmx file and post it here. That way I can open it up and look at your equipment profiles and your water balance.

 

[Pdaigle]

export the recipe as a .bsmx file and post it here. That way I can open it up and look at your equipment profiles and your water balance.

here you go

View attachment IPA.bsmx

 

[Oginme]

In your equipment profile, you are topping off your boil kettle with 50 gal of water. This addition forces the calculation to a negative sparge volume.

 

[Pdaigle]

Isn't that the size of my kettle?

 

[SlitheryDee]

Isn't that the size of my kettle?

Your kettle size is already listed in the upper right hand side of the equipment profile page under mash/lauter tun. Top up values are for when you want to add water to your wort to bring the volume up to a certain amount. You're only making 15 gallons of beer, so telling beersmith you're going to "top-up" the kettle with 50 gallons of water confuses it. Beersmith needs to make the amounts balance out to your batch size, so it puts a negative number for the sparge.

 

[Oginme]

Your kettle size is already listed in the upper right hand side of the equipment profile page under mash/lauter tun. Top up values are for when you want to add water to your wort to bring the volume up to a certain amount. You're only making 15 gallons of beer, so telling beersmith you're going to "top-up" the kettle with 50 gallons of water confuses it. Beersmith needs to make the amounts balance out to your batch size, so it puts a negative number for the sparge.

^^ This ^^. You tell the program the size of your equipment in the equipment profile. Water additions are just that -- additions of water into the system.

 

[Pdaigle]

Your kettle size is already listed in the upper right hand side of the equipment profile page under mash/lauter tun. Top up values are for when you want to add water to your wort to bring the volume up to a certain amount. You're only making 15 gallons of beer, so telling beersmith you're going to "top-up" the kettle with 50 gallons of water confuses it. Beersmith needs to make the amounts balance out to your batch size, so it puts a negative number for the sparge.

can you review this please. I've attached a pic

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

The top up water for kettle is set for 50gallons. You'd need to adjust that to the amount you actually need to top up with. As it is filled out beersmith thinks your boiling 50 gallons.

 

[whovous]

I doubt it makes a difference, but does your mash tun really weigh 100 pounds?

 

[Pdaigle]

I don't know but for sure 75 pounds

 

[JordanKnudson]

can you review this please. I've attached a pic

I think the problem is that you didn't understand what "top up water" meant, and folks are assuming you do. It's not the max volume of your kettle, it is an amount of additional water added after the boil is complete. By planning for a 15 gallon batch and then telling beersmith you will add 50 gallons of top up water, you are planning for a 65 gallon batch of heavily diluted wort (which will incidentally confuse beersmith in its recipe formulation calculations). You just need to set your top up water volume to zero. Then your scaling adjustments will have the intended effect.

EDIT: in the picture above, you are set for a 42 gallon batch plus 50 gallons, equaling a 92 gallon batch. This is the same problem. No matter what you scale your batch to, you have told beersmith that you will be adding 50 additional gallons of plain water after brewing.

 

[Oginme]

If you want BeerSmith to accurately predict your strike water and sparge water temperatures, you will need to get an accurate weight for your mash tun (empty and dry -- the weight of grains and water retained is calculated by BeerSmith for each recipe). Next, if you are adding any water to your boil kettle by plan, then you want that volume reflected in the 'Top Off Water For Kettle' box. If you do not plan on any water addition at this point (getting all your water from the mash and sparge), then this value should be zero.

 

[Pdaigle]

The top up water for kettle is set for 50gallons. You'd need to adjust that to the amount you actually need to top up with. As it is filled out beersmith thinks your boiling 50 gallons.

It worked btw, huge thank you