1/2 gal short!?! help please

[storytyme]

Hello everyone. I just brewed my 100th batch of beer today and for all of those I have used Beersmith. The last few batches I am now all of a sudden a half gallon short (5 gal into the fermenter instead of 5.5). My OG is spot on. My pre-boil volume is spot on. I've used the same kettle for 70+ batches. Same fermentors as well. A few batches back my OG was coming in too high on batch after batch. I changed my mash efficiency in the equipment profile and since then it has all been spot on, except for the 1/2 gal shortage. What is the best way to fix this. Start doing 6 gal batches? I have changed my mash efficiency to 78% from 72% Will this effect anything? My volume into the kettle is spot on, so do I increase my rate of evaporation? I have a pretty good grasp on all numbers but need a little guidance. Thanks.

 

[JimRausch]

I'm a fairly new user of brewsmith, having moved over from Brewtoad the first of the year. But, yes, I do believe that changing your efficiency will have the program cut back on your volume. It makes sense. Greater efficiency=more sugars gotten out of the same volume, or same sugar out of less volume. Try changing the batch volume.

 

[kh54s10]

I'm a fairly new user of brewsmith, having moved over from Brewtoad the first of the year. But, yes, I do believe that changing your efficiency will have the program cut back on your volume. It makes sense. Greater efficiency=more sugars gotten out of the same volume, or same sugar out of less volume. Try changing the batch volume.

I don't believe this is true. The boil off rate and volumes should stay the same. The change would be in the amount of grains/extracts.

Something else has changed. Are you using the same heat source? Have you changed you equipment profile.

If you are getting the proper pre-boil volume and not the proper amount into the fermenter it seems to be a change in your heat source. = boiling off more than you used to.

Changing the boil off rate in your equipment profile should solve this, but IMO, it has nothing to do, directly, with changing the efficiency from 72% to 78%.

 

[JimRausch]

I don't believe this is true. The boil off rate and volumes should stay the same. The change would be in the amount of grains/extracts.

Yes, I suppose he could change the grainbill instead of the mash volume or sparge volume. But if you keep one constant and change the other, then the amount of sugar (ie. efficiency) will change.

 

[kh54s10]

Yes, I suppose he could change the grainbill instead of the mash volume or sparge volume. But if you keep one constant and change the other, then the amount of sugar (ie. efficiency) will change.

A constant in this instance should be volumes. He changed the efficiency, but supposedly not the boil off rate. So the change should be in the amount of fermentables (sugars).

If you boil x gallons for y hours the resulting volumes should stay very close to the same (imperceptible) regardless of efficiency settings.

 

[Smellyglove]

Just add more into the boiloff, if that's where the error is?

If efficiency is adjusted up it means less grains are needed and also less water, but it isn't much difference.

Where's your first miss of the volume? Preboil? Postboil?

 

[kh54s10]

When turning up efficiency less grains is used, thus also less water. But I can't believe that's where the error lies.

Just change your absorption rate under "options -> advanced". I believe it's under options.

If you have started to sparge faster, then you'll end up with less wort is my experience from doing fly sparging at least.

Turning up the efficiency would use less grain and less STRIKE water. It would be made up for in the sparge.

Absorption should be constant and should not need changing. Boil off may need to be changed, but I don't know why.

Faster sparging shouldn't change the amount of wort collected since you should be fly sparging until you get to your preboil volume. If you are going by gravity I would think you would collect too much wort since a lot of water could go through the grains before the gravity got too low.

 

[storytyme]

Just add more into the boiloff, if that's where the error is?

If efficiency is adjusted up it means less grains are needed and also less water, but it isn't much difference.

Where's your first miss of the volume? Preboil? Postboil?

Postboil. May need to change the boil off rate a bit.

 

[Smellyglove]

Turning up the efficiency would use less grain and less STRIKE water. It would be made up for in the sparge.

Absorption should be constant and should not need changing. Boil off may need to be changed, but I don't know why.

Faster sparging shouldn't change the amount of wort collected since you should be fly sparging until you get to your preboil volume. If you are going by gravity I would think you would collect too much wort since a lot of water could go through the grains before the gravity got too low.

You're too fast, you quoted me before I understood he's low into the fermentor so I edited.

I do no sparge and change my absorption according to the size of the grist all the time btw, to hit my numbers and have an "empty" mash-tun after transfer. And faster flysparging did at least for me give me less wort to boil. But this is OT.

 

[Smellyglove]

Postboil. May need to change the boil off rate a bit.

And you're hitting the preboil numbers?

 

[kh54s10]

You're too fast, you quoted me before I understood he's low into the fermentor so I edited.

I do no sparge and change my absorption according to the size of the grist all the time btw, to hit my numbers and have an "empty" mash-tun after transfer. And faster flysparging did at least for me give me less wort to boil. But this is OT.

Gotcha. And of course with a no sparge you have to adjust every brew to the amount of grain used.

 

[Smellyglove]

Gotcha. And of course with a no sparge you have to adjust every brew to the amount of grain used.

I was unclear. I meant my absorption rate, the factor, how much is absorbed pr kg of grain.

 

[Smellyglove]

But back on topic. If preboil numbers are correct, and post boil is also correct (measured hot!), then the boiloff rate is wrong. Add the same volume of water as when you boil wort, take a precise reading, boil for 30 minutes, take another precise reading and multiply it by 2x. If you don't have a precise way of taking those reading you could use a...hold on..precise weight and weigh the water before and after. You only have one shot at this pr boil, if you boil the same water twice you'll get a lower boiloff the second time due to it's gas free and will not be as vigorous in the start and evaporate less water.

 

[storytyme]

And you're hitting the preboil numbers?

Ya. Pre-boil numbers are good. My boil off rate was set at 1.63 gal/hr. I'm going to start noting the volume post boil that is in the kettle. Before I'd just note what went into the fermentor. I am going to bump my gal/hr to 2.1, but may do a quick 30 minute test with water to make sure.

 

[Smellyglove]

Ya. Pre-boil numbers are good. My boil off rate was set at 1.63 gal/hr. I'm going to start noting the volume post boil that is in the kettle. Before I'd just note what went into the fermentor. I am going to bump my gal/hr to 2.1, but may do a quick 30 minute test with water to make sure.

The post boil is always something you need to write down. You need to know your boiloff. Suddenlyd there's a situation you'll thank yourself for knowing it. Volume down into fermenter can be more or less depending on trub, unless you toss it all inn.