Big difference between Beersmith and Grainfather recipe

[Geoffrey006]

Hi,

I can't figure out why with the exact same values in the grain bill, volumes and brewhouse efficiency, I get such different values from Beersmith to the grainfather recipe.

Please see below:

Recipe in grainfather website:

So with the same values I have :
- in Beersmith: OG=1.045, 21.9 IBUs, 4.6%ABV
- In Grainfather website: 0G = 1.038, 23.7 IBUs, 3.8% ABV

The only thing that could make sense is if the volume or the BH efficiency was different, but it's not it's 75% and 10L in both.

Please help me figuring out what's wrong, and which values should I follow. This is turning me crazy.

Thank you

 

[Jag75]

Try doing the OG by hand and not using either BS or GF . The Gf app knows how much loss you will have with that vessel. I use the Gf app for my recipe then take that info and put it into Brun water . I use the water amount from the Gf app , not the Gf manual pamphlet.

 

[Jag75]

I did the OG on paper using your grain . I had to covert to pounds and gallons but my numbers came out to you having an Og at 1.045 with 75 % mash efficiency

 

[Geoffrey006]

So that would mean that the GF app is giving a wrong OG ? How can this be ?
I've tried to contact GF and they said that it's better to use their numbers because it has been tested multiple times.
I'm completely lost...

Edit: I see that you used 75% MASH efficiency, but 75% is supposed to be the brewhouse efficiency

 

[Smellyglove]

Estimated mash efficiency = 90%. What ME does GF operate with?

 

[Jag75]

Estimated mash efficiency = 90%. What ME does GF operate with?

I did those numbers on mash of 75 %.
With 90% mash efficiency you get 1.055 OG.

You can change it on the Gf app . Mine I think is at 80%

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I have not used the Grainfather site. I would wonder what that counts for "Batch Size" and also wonder at what point they calculate "Brewhouse Efficiency". For BeerSmith, Batch Size is the amount of volume that goes into the fermenter and Efficiency is only up to the Fermenter (does not include losses from fermenter into packaging). I have seen tools that calc Batch Size as either the amount after boil or the amount into packaging.

 

[WBB]

Maybe the old saying should include brewing, along with hand grenades and horseshoes.

 

[Jag75]

I have not used the Grainfather site. I would wonder what that counts for "Batch Size" and also wonder at what point they calculate "Brewhouse Efficiency". For BeerSmith, Batch Size is the amount of volume that goes into the fermenter and Efficiency is only up to the Fermenter (does not include losses from fermenter into packaging). I have seen tools that calc Batch Size as either the amount after boil or the amount into packaging.

As far as the Gf app I use it doesnt calculate brewhouse efficiency.

 

[Jag75]

Honestly if you think about you can write a recipe and come up with an estimate on mash efficiency/OG but you truly dont know until you brew it and check it . To get pre boil gravity you have to have the OG. Most times i get over 80 % . Sometimes i wonder why i even bother with efficiency but i guess it's just an intriguing part of brewing .

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Average ppg is about 36.5. You have 1.98kg of grain, which is 4.37lbs. That means a total of 36.5 x 4.37 = about 160 points. 10L = 2.64 gallons.
OG at 75% efficiency = 1 + (160/2.64 x 0.75)/1000 = 1.045.
Beersmith is correct.

Could the grainfather software be 'double dipping' the efficiency? E.g. have you set 75% on top of a pre-set efficiency that applies somewhere else? For example, maybe it knows that you leave behind, say, 2L of trub and your efficiency is only meant to be for the mash.