Priceless BiabCalc

[doug293cz]

Any loss of wort, whether it's left in the grain, kettle, on the floor, whatever, reduces your efficiency. If you think the change in efficiency might be in error, post the actual numbers here (best would be a screen grab of the two cases), and the math nerds can do a sanity check on them.

Brew on

 

[wilserbrewer]

Why does just moving kettle losses up and down effect brew house number's so much?

Because you are pouring that portion down the drain losing fermentables.

Losing 5-10% to the kettle will reduce brew house efficiency by that amount.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Another update released today, Details listed on my blog

 

[thunderwagn]

Another update released today, Details listed on my blog

Nice update!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Small update (not worthy of a blog post) for you brewers here using Imperial units, but I update the mash calculator to support metric and Imperial units with hops as grams, which I've switched to using due to mostly increased precision.

Now that doesn't mean a ton for most users, unless you're using metric, but I learned a bit more about how radios work, and how to change the unit labels, which should help me implement another couple features I've been hoping to work on soon.

Small annoyance: The output variables don't get calculate anew immediately, they get changed when the input variables are changed by user input. Selecting different units changes the unit labels, but doesn't trigger a new calculation.

Goodbye metric version, hello all in one.

 

[GQT]

Small update

Thanks for the update Mark.
Two points if you don't mind,
1 - There are options of imperial, Metric and Imperial. There is no difference between imperial and Imperial, or at least I couldn't see any. Why then?
2 - I live in Metric world, but my recipes are mostly in I(i)mperial. Would it be asking for too much if I suggested a feature, like choosing I(i)mperial, filling in the form, then choosing Metric and voila, everything turns Metric? Now if I do so, everything that I filled in would be reset to defaults.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Thanks for the update Mark.
Two points if you don't mind,
1 - There are options of imperial, Metric and Imperial. There is no difference between imperial and Imperial, or at least I couldn't see any. Why then?
2 - I live in Metric world, but my recipes are mostly in I(i)mperial. Would it be asking for too much if I suggested a feature, like choosing I(i)mperial, filling in the form, then choosing Metric and voila, everything turns Metric? Now if I do so, everything that I filled in would be reset to defaults.

1. The options as Imperial (the "i" is a typo), Metric, and Imperial (hops as grams). Might not be showing on mobile? What type of device did you view it on?

2.Good thinking, totally possible. Will need some thinking over, and some spare time again, maybe completed around the end of april?

 

[GQT]

(hops as grams)

Ooops, perhaps I just didn't look as deep as that.
Re: end of april - come on, I'm beginning a new brew in a couple of hours!!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Well have a good brew, in the mean while you'll have to convert the recipe by hand the old fashioned way!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Ooops, perhaps I just didn't look as deep as that.
Re: end of april - come on, I'm beginning a new brew in a couple of hours!!

Alright so I figured out how to do it, and have gotten started. Might finish it up tomorrow.

Didn't take as long as expected. Remember to change an input variable after changing the units, otherwise the outputs will still be in the previous units. Adding a zero after a number counts as changing the input.

http://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc/TestingL

Something weird is going on in the metric calculations and is giving a lauter efficiency 2.5-3% higher than it should be.

 

[GQT]

Might finish it up tomorrow.

Mark you're magic.
I found some mold on the walls in the brewery so instead of brewing I'm scrubbing and spraying chlorine. Will brew tmrw if still alive.
Might even be lucky to test a new calculator!

 

[pricelessbrewing]

GL with the mold!

 

[GQT]

@pricelessbrewing - hi Mark, looks like you've been busy recently
The calculator looks like no change/update, or should I purge my cache and cookies and reload the page to see anything new?
Not sure maybe I did smth wrong, but the calculator suddenly suggested me 2L more water than I would normally use on such beer; I was prudent enough to keep it at hand but not mix it in, and right I was - I never had to use it and finished exactly at my target volume.
I played with the numbers next day and every time I was getting suggestions to use more water than the previous version would ask for.
Also, always wanted to ask, what is the difference between mash gravity and preboil gravity?
Not sure about the middle column calculations yet, didn't pay attention on a brew day but noticed that there were some values that would not get readjusted when I change my numbers.
Was I doing something wrong?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Utoh, that's not good.

there should be radios (click to check buttons), to choose your units, in the top left.

Would you be able to take a screenshot of the page, and I'll take a look. Might be an error in the inputs, or in the calculations.

The difference between input mash, and input preboil is negligible for a full volume mash, but if you're sparging there will be a difference.

 

[GQT]

there should be radios (click to check buttons), to choose your units, in the top left.

There are radios, but if I say enter the whole recipe in Imperial, and then choose a Metric radio, the recipe will not be recalculated, rather it will be reset to defaults.

Will make a screenshot when back home!

but what surprises me the most is that 2L extra water...

Re. sparging: I used to put aside some 4-5L of water and pour it through grain in suspended bag/basket at mashout. Did it because the previous version by default suggested this sort of sparging. Now it doesn't (minimum sparging volume is set to 0). However I still do it the way I used to.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Gotcha.

If you convert a recipe via the metric radio, you have to change one of the input variables in order to recalculate the output numbers on the right.

For example you could change the batch volume from "20.0" to "20.00".

I'm working on a way to make that happen automatically, but at the moment it's required.

As far as the 2L extra, I'm not sure. The numbers look to be calculating correctly, it's possible I have a wrong conversion somewhere or I missed converting something.

 

[GQT]

"20.0" to "20.00"

Yes but for example the recipe is 6 gallons; I input all values and have the entire form filled in in Imperial.
OK, then I choose Metric, and oooooops, it is all back to 20L and all other values are back to Metric defaults, already too late to change anything.
So I have to keep a calculator at hand, and manually convert g into l, f into c, and lb into kg, and fill it in anew.
Or, should I change the value before choosing Metric radio?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

wooops looks like I didn't push the latest update when I fixed it locally.

Thanks for catching that!

Should be good now, I hope.

 

[thunderwagn]

It may seem redundant, but one thing I have found myself wanting lately is a place to enter a recipe name. I do enter everything on BF, but I also print out each priceless calc that I input and a lot of my notes are scribbled on these pages and most often, then input into BF later that day (or the next) when more relaxed...just a thought

 

[mgr_stl]

How about adding a place for entering the name of the beer you're brewing. I always like to print out the info I get from the biab calculator, but then I have to write the name of the beer on it to keep things straight. Not a big deal, but it would be nice.

Edit - I see the post before me suggested the same thing. I'm always a couple months behind...

 

[pricelessbrewing]

How about adding a place for entering the name of the beer you're brewing. I always like to print out the info I get from the biab calculator, but then I have to write the name of the beer on it to keep things straight. Not a big deal, but it would be nice.

Edit - I see the post before me suggested the same thing. I'm always a couple months behind...

Should be done today.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Got a little distracted working on some other things. There's a lot of stuff going on in the background but I'm off for the next 4 days, planning on releasing a new version and doing some brewing. Will report back when completed.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

It may seem redundant, but one thing I have found myself wanting lately is a place to enter a recipe name. I do enter everything on BF, but I also print out each priceless calc that I input and a lot of my notes are scribbled on these pages and most often, then input into BF later that day (or the next) when more relaxed...just a thought

How about adding a place for entering the name of the beer you're brewing. I always like to print out the info I get from the biab calculator, but then I have to write the name of the beer on it to keep things straight. Not a big deal, but it would be nice.

Edit - I see the post before me suggested the same thing. I'm always a couple months behind...

Alright you two. It's there, kinda. I'm not pushing it to the main page just yet, cuz it's ugly.

http://pricelessbrewing.github.io/BiabCalc/TestingZ

I really need to go through and clean it up and re-work the layout a bit. The left column has just grown too much. Some inputs are going to have to go to the middle column, probably the efficiency inputs since that makes the most sense. The check boxes/radios will be moving to the header (the top). I'll probably have to play with the column spacings as well to get everything to fit a little better. God I hate formatting.

Depending on how productive I am before game of thrones starts, I might get around to adding a text input field for

1. Brew date
2. Style
3. Yeast

and if there's a remaining space in one of the three coloumns, probably the right side, I'll see if I can add a large text input field for note taking.

Also props to @Biscuits for double checking some of my formulas, I had used grain absorption rate instead of hop absorption rate for the dry hop loss. Not usually a big deal, since people rarely measure their packaging losses.

Lastly I'll see if I can find a way to reorganize the print field.

 

[thunderwagn]

Cool! Thanks for taking the time. Sounds like you've got some great things in store for an already awesome calculator.

 

[pretzelb]

Depending on the language used I might be able to help on the coding. I've always wanted an option to print everything in a format that can be copied into a text file. Just copying and pasting from the page requires manual effort to rearrange.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Depending on the language used I might be able to help on the coding. I've always wanted an option to print everything in a format that can be copied into a text file. Just copying and pasting from the page requires manual effort to rearrange.

js/html/css. Warning, it's a bit sloppy. If you want to play with it, the codes available at or send me a pm.

I don't know anything about css @media printing atm. Would prefer to keep the layout when printed, but change the colors so it prints easier.

Beta Version up.

Warning! Might crash browser and/or lock up computer due to memory leak and possible forever loop. Do not press the autoscale button for more than ~0.030 gravity difference

Thoughts? Concerns? I'll mess with the alignment issues tomorrow morning.

The metric version efficiency and gravity measurents aren't working just yet, I know why, but don't feel like messing with it tonight. Probably tomorrow.

The green button automagically scales the grain bill to hit the target OG based on the estimated mash efficiency. Currently it only works upwards, as I just wanted to see if I could do it. Will clean that function up tomorrow, and make it work both ways.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Another update! Man I'm on a roll!

Beta 6

• Fixed some formatting issues
• AutoScale Recipe still unstable
• Saving equipment and process data locally!!
• Load Equipment and process data from local storage
• Integrated autosizing notepad!

Let me tell you, getting the local storage took way longer than it should have.

Things saved to local storage.

• Batch Size
• Boil time
• Grain Temp
• Sparge Temp
• Mash Thickness
• Sparge Volume
• Grain absorption rate
• Hop Absorption Rate
• Boil Rate
• Pot Size
• Kettle ID
• Trub Loss (Kettle)
• Trub Loss (Fermenter)
• Trub Loss (mashtun) and/or deadspace and/or undrainable volume

To do:

• Have mash thickness set to zero when sparge volume is entered, and vice versa
• Stabilize the autoscaling by breaking it into steps, First look for OG difference of 0.25 and adjust in big steps, then .1 and medium steps, then 0.01 and small steps, etc etc. Both up and down.
• Fix Metric versions mash analysis.
• Save the units as well as values.
• If saved data is available, load it when page starts.

Thoughts on the data saving? The intention is to not saving recipe specific data, just process/equipment. As such the following are not being saved, but it would be trivial to add them. If you think it would be of benefit, let me know.

• Grain bill
• Hop Bill
• Dry Hops
• Mash Temp

 

[doug293cz]

Another update! Man I'm on a roll!

Beta 6

• Fixed some formatting issues
• AutoScale Recipe still unstable
• Saving equipment and process data locally!!
• Load Equipment and process data from local storage
• Integrated autosizing notepad!

Let me tell you, getting the local storage took way longer than it should have.

Things saved to local storage.

• Batch Size
• Boil time
• Grain Temp
• Sparge Temp
• Mash Thickness
• Sparge Volume
• Grain absorption rate
• Hop Absorption Rate
• Boil Rate
• Pot Size
• Kettle ID
• Trub Loss (Kettle)
• Trub Loss (Fermenter)
• Trub Loss (mashtun) and/or deadspace and/or undrainable volume

To do:

• Have mash thickness set to zero when sparge volume is entered, and vice versa
• Stabilize the autoscaling by breaking it into steps, First look for OG difference of 0.25 and adjust in big steps, then .1 and medium steps, then 0.01 and small steps, etc etc. Both up and down.
• Fix Metric versions mash analysis.
• Save the units as well as values.
• If saved data is available, load it when page starts.

Thoughts on the data saving? The intention is to not saving recipe specific data, just process/equipment. As such the following are not being saved, but it would be trivial to add them. If you think it would be of benefit, let me know.

• Grain bill
• Hop Bill
• Dry Hops
• Mash Temp

Sounds good, looking forward to playing with it. I assume the local values are stored as cookies. If not, how is it done? And, I expected to see something else on the todo list.

Brew on

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Sounds good, looking forward to playing with it. I assume the local values are stored as cookies. If not, how is it done? And, I expected to see something else on the todo list.

Brew on

Sssshhh it's a secret. Going to write up a blog post first, and run some charts first before posting on that other thing...


I was going to use cookies at first, but was having a bunch of issues with it. Probably because I'm an amateur programmer at best. I'd be much happier if I could just tell people to format things for me, and just stick to the math.

It's actually using html5's localstorage functions that are stored locally, like a cookie, and can only save strings, like cookies, and save a name-value pair, like cookies, and persist across sessions and are specific to the domain, like cookies, but totally aren't cookies apparently.

The only thing that I can tell, because I'm a newb, is that localstorage is more universally supported and has a larger file limit (5MB instead of XX KB).

 

[mgr_stl]

Could you put in a checkbox to remember the diameter of the kettle because my dumb ass can never remember that and I seem to have to measure it again every time.