Recipe discrepancies: software vs kit

[cerv]

Hello fellow brewers, I'm new here... I've been getting into homebrewing for some time, mostly all-grain kits for 5 gal. I have used kits before and was happy enough with the end result without paying much attention to a more scientific approach, but now I'm aiming for more consistent results and thought a kit/software pairing would be a good place to start.

I've never used any brewing software before, nor do I have any experience designing my own recipes, so I decided to take the recipe/instructions included in the kit and input them into BeerSmith2 and Brewtoad, expecting to see at least matching OG and IBUs, alas, but no.

The recipe in question is an American IPA from Austin Homebrew Supply:

Pale 2-row: 10.5 lb
Crystal 60L: 0.5 lb
Crystal 40L: 0.5 lb
Carapils: 0.5 lb (extra)

Magnum: 1 oz 60 min
Cluster: 1 oz 15 min
Falconer's Flight: 0.5 oz 5 min

When I input that into the software it throws a lower OG than the instructions specify and is also outside the IBU boundaries for an American IPA: OG's Kit: 1.056, Brewtoad: 1.005, BeerSmith2: 1.063

So my main question is, who or what should I believe for accurate recipe descriptions (IBU, SRM, expected ABV, etc.)? Is something wrong with the way I'm using the software? Any ideas as to why I've got these discrepancies?

Thanks in advance

 

[HumulusHead]

I'm thinking it has to do with efficiencies. Austin assumes an efficiency when they make the kit. In brew smith you can set whatever efficiency you want. I'm guessing the same with brew toad.

I bet somewhere on Austin's website they prob list their assumed efficiency. You can then change your efficiency in brew smith to match it and then they OG should be the same.

May as well start tracking your efficieny now too. Brew smith, and prob brew toad, make it really easy.

You enter your final volume and OG into brew smith and it tells you your actual efficiency. I sit right around 80% myself.


Sent from myPhone

 

[cerv]

Thanks for the response I'm not sure how to track efficiency yet... The Austin website hasn't been very helpful about their recipes to draw a comparison later on. I have the same general input in both Brewtoad and BeerSmith2 now (including efficiency) and they're still throwing different results, especially for OG - Fermentables.

About the batch itself, my Brix readings were way off and I boiled the heck out of it to reduce volume, so I know something's up with my efficiency, but I haven't figured it out yet.

 

[brewfun]

It kind of depends on what your definition of "batch size" and efficiency is.

First, always trust the numbers that the person writing the recipe provides. They know what they were making and how is should turn out. This is your target.

BeerSmith looks at efficiency from the perspective of the fermenter. BeerSmith uses the term "brewhouse efficiency" to express the total amount of sugars that make it to the fermenter as a percentage of the total available from the grain. The bottom line is that wort that doesn't make it there can't become beer, so this becomes a loss that hits your overall efficiency.

[Digression: The real term for what ends up in the fermenter is "Brewhouse Yield". Brewhouse Efficiency in brewing texts and other publications is the measure of total extraction from the grain into the kettle.]

With that in mind, while using BeerSmith you have to take a few things into account in your equipment profile. First, what is a batch size? Is the 5 gallons what you get to bottle or keg? Is it the fermenter volume? Or, is it the kettle volume post boil?

If you know that the recipe is for 5 gallons post boil, then you have the lowest possible efficiency standard. You don't have to account for loss to trub or fermentation. Then in your equipment profile, both of these can be set to zero. You can backfill these numbers as you measure them.

For that scenario, the recipe calculates out to about 65% efficiency.

Your actual numbers are always going to depend on what kind of mash process you're using, plus crush and condition of the grains.