Should I adjust Beersmiths grain absorption rate?

[linusstick]

I've done a bunch of BIAB beers and just did my second batch sparge beer (first one I used Beersmith solely). The grain absorption rate in here is .66 gallons. I'm doing a 1.5 gallon beer (1.75 into fermenter).
I had 5.47 pounds of grain. Beersmith said to use 8.48 quarts of water for infusion then 1.77 gallons of sparge water to get a preboil volume of 2.82 gallons. The only thing I can think is my grain absorption is too high (something I've never touched). I'm done sparging and only got 2.1 gallons of wort. So I have some more water heating up and if my gravity is high I'm going to add some more sparge water to get some more wort. If it's where it's supposed to be do I just boil and accept I'll only end up with a little more than a 6 pack? I'd like to get BS dialed in to batch sparging beers (my BIAB beers were pretty good and getting enough volume).

 

[Oginme]

I've adjusted mine for every major process change which has affected the absorption rate. The setting is available for customization.

 

[kh54s10]

I do batch sparging. I use the amount of strike water Beersmith says to use. I then sparge to get to my pre-boil volume. I ignore the amount it says for the sparge, so I never thought about changing the grain absorption rate.

I have adjusted other factors in the equipment profile to get to the right OG consistently.

 

[day_trippr]

I've never changed the BS2 default grain absorption setting. That setting really should not change due to peripheral process differences.
Once I got my losses and yields dialed in I found the BS2 recommended volumes for strike and sparge lead to hitting the expected pre-boil volume and gravity quite reliably...

Cheers!

 

[Qhrumphf]

The BeerSmith default of 0.12 gal/lb has been almost always spot on in my experience. May see some slight variance with adjunct grains, but seldom significant.

Now, that's for traditional mash tun brewing. If you're doing BIAB and squeezing the bag, you may absorb significantly less than that.

 

[Smellyglove]

Grain absorption is not linear. If you do a small grist, and then a big grist, you'l see that you'll get more wort out of the pound malt used in the big grist. I know what you're meaning, been there myself. If you're after correct volumes you need to make a spreadsheet on the side, where you input IRL data.

Since grain absorption is not linear, in a way a software can calculate it from one starting point. Make a sheet yourself. Which accouts for for mash water and sparge wate.

 

[jtratcliff]

I BIAB w/ a big squeeze of my bag (yowza!) and I use 0.08 gal/lb in brewtarget to get my numbers right...

 

[Horseflesh]

I definitely had to change the value for my single vessel EBIAB rig.