Hey there Trout,

Glad to see the guys here have helped you in some way/s. Personally I get a bit worried that I write too much which may confuse things for some (all) brewers . Often I'll see a post here and think, "Now why couldn't I write it like that?"

Anyway, as for sections I to L you are totally correct. These should be filled in to suit yourself. In fact the only sections that really need to reflect the original recipe are C, E and G.

This poses a little bit of a 'logical neatness' problem in the fact that, as you say, the original yeast, mash schedule etc cannot be displayed. I'm hoping that most users will just use Section M, 'Special Instructions/Notes on this Beer,' to make any important notes. For example, for your recipe, I suppose we should have noted there that Nottingham was used in the original recipe.

The main problem is in the Miscellaneous section as that won't scale. So, if you had a full batch that said 1/2 tab of whirfloc and then scaled it to a half batch, you are still going to see 1/2 tab there. If we had a bit more room there, we could probably fix that but fingers crossed, it won't be a big problem in most recipes. (We could put a permanent red warning there perhaps?)

There's one other 'logic layout' problem and that is with the report. If you have substituted a grain or hop, the report shows that substitution - it doesn't show both the original and the substitution. Adding a second report though is probably a bit silly. It probably just boils down to the user creating a system to manage their BIABAcus files. In fact, here's what I'd probably do. (I'll use your Centennial Blonde as an example)...

1. Type everything you can about the original recipe into the BIABacus and save it as... BIABacus PR 1.0 - American Pale Ale - Centennial Blonde - Original.

2. Make your substituions or changes and then save the file as... BIABacus PR 1.0 - American Pale Ale - Centennial Blonde - Batch 1.

That way, you can always print out the original recipe report or the batch report and compare them side by side. Having a copy of the original is important. I can't think of how many recipes I have gradually distorted over the years as I never kept an original copy - lol! And, I think the space that the extra files take up is not a big worry these days.

Did I write too much? (Again!!!!)
PP

In the next post, I'm going to scale a recipe for Joco that he posted here. Had a bit of time yesterday to change some things. I've saved the file as PR 1.1 and I'll probably change to using that file for now. Most of the current Temporary Help will make sense with this version.

The main changes are...

1. Unit Conversion Tool moved to it's own sheet.
2. BIABacus Default Adjustments has been moved up.
3. 'Kettle Shape Adjustments' is now part of the 'BIABacus Default Adjustments' section.
4. 'Extract Potential Adjustments has been made taller but narrower.
5. 'Checklist' has been lengthened.
6. You can now copy the 'Recipe Report' and 'Checklist'. It's a bit clumsy but shouldn't take ling to get used to. Steps are listed on the appropriate sheets.
7. Added 'Liquor to Grain Ratio' at the bottom of 'Maxi-BIAB Adjustments'.

Here's 2Trout's Centennial Blonde recipe in PR 1.1

As mentioned in the last post, this recipe comes from the question Joco asked here. Am using BIOABacus PR 1.1 (not 1.0) for this recipe.

Hi again Joco,

As we saw in the other thread, this recipe is actually a copy of the Ruabeoir recipe from 'Brewing Classic Styles' by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer. Unfortunately, this often happens with recipes, the original authors get no credit. I'm going ahead with the conversion here in the hope that it will encourage users to buy the book. All recipes in the book are high integrity recipes. Finding such sources is very difficult. I'm not going to post the Recipe Report here, just the file. I've also used the recipe from the book to avoid any distortions.

All You Need to Do...

1. Open the file and relax - lol!
2. In section B, type in your kettle diameter and height as I have only guessed them.
3. Ring your brew shop (or look at it's website) and find out the Alpha Acid Percentage of their East Kent Goldings. Type that number in Section H under AA% - just below where 'Substitutions' is written in light green.

Now, you know the quantity of grain and hops you need to buy by looking at Sections F and H.

On Brew Day

Your kettle wasn't big enough to do a full-volume batch and still get 16 L into the fermentor. There are several; ways around this. You can use a hop sock to manage your trub or do a whirlpool. This will increase your yield. See the top pic of this post for more details.

Instead of doing that, what I have done is held back 4 L from your mash. You can see that I have done this under 'Maxi-BIAB Adjustments' which you will find in the column to the right next to the checklist. That's probably the easiest way around this kettle problem for your first brew.

...

Anyway, just take your time and have a beer and the logic of the BIABacus shouldn't take too long to work out. Have a look at Section O 'Your Estimated Volumes' and have a read of the temporary help. Any new software will have you asking questions. Make sure that you feel free to do this.


PPP.S. Ignore the difference in IBU's from your recipe and the one in the BIABacus. This is due to different hop estimate formulas. The one used in the BIABacus is better for all-grain recipes.

PP
Your time and effort to help people is astonishing
I can only imagine how long you spend on the forum.

It must be for the love (I don't think its for the money)

A question i have about the BIABacus; How do you add fermentables?

I thought i would add the BobBrews black IPA recipe to the BIABAcus to see what happens, but i don't think i quite understand how you add corn/cane sugar as fermentables. Any help appreciated.
I cant quite remember where the original post for the recipe is, but it is the 1Lb of corn sugar addition that i am struggling with.

BTW - I thought i would call this recipe the "QUADBY" to keep the original naming convention intact (4 X B (Bob Brews Black Bear))!

Mally

Fermentables are adjusted in the Extract Potential Adjustment Section which is found bottom right of the main sheet. Sugar is 100% FGDB and 0% moisture. (well in my book)

File attached so you can see the difference it makes.

Yeasty

Mally

Fermentables are adjusted in the Extract Potential Adjustment Section which is found bottom right of the main sheet. Sugar is 100% FGDB and 0% moisture. (well in my book)

File attached so you can see the difference it makes.

Yeasty

Cheers Yeasty;
i hoped it would be as simple as that

Joco wrote:All right, now I've got the file, seems like there was a problem to get the file using tapatalk, when I logged in with my browser I could download it. My employer has blocked any websites containing discussions about alcohol.

Maby I should work instead of figuring out biabacus B-)

Thanks for the help Pat

Don't you just hate Bosses like that, I recon you should buy him a Pot and a Bag. Then at least you will have something to talk about at the office party.

mally and Joco, thanks a heap for letting us know that some of our posts have been of help. BIABrewer.info has offered people like Yeasty, Lambert and myself a profit share for doing recipe conversions here. The low dogs have tricked us though . We now have to send them money every month .

...

Just received a PM from Joco and he's going to let us know if he has any problems otherwise he's brewing on Saturday. Good on him!

It's great that you guys are so enthusiastic and are taking the time to study the BIABacus and seem to be finding it fairly easy. If you have already bought or use another program, this is a big ask. It's a bit like asking a three-vessel brewer to have a go at BIAB. At the end of the day, the BIABacus, new forum structure etc and guys like you will result in brewers being able to access safe, high integrity recipes. (Part of the new site structure the guys are planning involves a new recipe forum.)

It's also great when we see brewers like yourselves studying some of the problems of recipe conversion as not many people are even aware of how many major problems exist in the area and how the BIABacus prevents and/or solves them. The more people that understand this, the more likely it is that brewers everywhere (and other software) will start using a better 'language' as it were.

Anyway, please save any recipes you have so they are ready for the new structure. The real PITA with the BIABacus is that every time we come up with a new version, you have to re-type the whole recipe in. There might be a way around this down the track. Fingers crossed!

Extract Potential Adjustemnts

Yeasty's file above made me aware of a 'useability' error in that section. There should be no need to type the adjustments in twice unless a grain/fermentable with a different potential has been substituted. Unfortunately atm you do have to type it in twice. I'll see if I can fix that for the next version. I might need to have a few beers to fix that - the formulas underneath there are long and scary .

Glad Yeasty answered that question. I have a suspicion I would have given a very long and confusing answer. Thanks Yeasty .

Graham Wheelers Guinness Extra Stout.

There is a bit of banter relating to Guinness so here is a recipe on the Biabacus thanks to Graham Wheeler. I've not brewed it myself but as always I want to now !!

I think that the difference between extra stout and the draught version is the serving gasses with draught use a nitrogen co2 mix. There is also some debate over the practice of mixing young brew with old to produce the sour note. The brewery will not confirm that this happens.

Don't forget to change the profile to match your equipment !

Enjoy !!

[Edit: If you are after Guinness info don't miss the post Yeasty just did above! The post below is more about feedback on a new lay-out. If you get time, please post your opinion.]

I wasn't sure where to post this and I know that most readers aren't too interested in how the BIABacus was/gets developed, they just want it .

I'm assuming those interested will be following this thread as well as the BIABacus Pre-Release - Your First Impressions thread. You'll be aware that there is one major area we are not happy with - the layout and wording of the first sections.

Here's what the Pre-Release currently looks like...Here's a different lay-out...There's a lot of things that go on in these sections but the most important question to ask here is...

Q. What picture above looks easiest?


PP

The 1st one...

I like this because it gets you putting the critical info into the sheet first. By section D it all should be there. From a recipe converting point of view I have always liked that the sheet is broken down into small sections, A,B,C etc. This makes it easier to explain to someone where to look and what to change.

Not sure what the integrity tool will do ? the recipe credit is a nice touch.

Yeasty

Sheet 1

[My opinion, Yeasty's and Lylo's should be ignored as we have been looking at the BIABacus for way too long. This means we can become blind to what is important/natural for the new user. The best opinions will come from first time users. To balance Yeasty and Lylo's post above, I'll give my opinion, which is the opposite ]

The 2nd one...

I like this because the critical info is asked for gradually and is only asked for in the relevant section. For example, the EOBV-A question and IBU question are only relevant to the Hop Bill.

I also think when it comes to answering questions, the new lay-out is easier to explain and write help for. For example, the user can see that OG is important for the Grain Bill and that EOBV-A or Tinseth IBU's are important for the Hop Bill.

[The Integrity Tool and the Integrity Result should be ignored when forming your opinion. They are just a germ of an idea atm but, if incorporated, will only be explained fully to experienced BIABacus users such as Yeasty, Lylo etc.]

So, please ignore our thoughts and post your own!
PP

PistolPatch wrote:........ The post below is more about feedback on a new lay-out. If you get time, please post your opinion.]

Q. What picture above looks easiest?

PP

I like the 2nd image better, PP.

I would like to see a "liquor to grain mashing ratio" displayed, to know what that ratio is, and be able to adjust it 'slightly', if needed, for bigger brews, and a red warning pop-up if out of bounds.

I like the Looks of #2 better. It just looks cleaner. But...

For me it's #1. I think, it will still be easier for me.

It is telling me that I need to enter "The Source Recipe's Fermentables" and enter "The Source Recipe's Hop Bill." I am finding it easy to use. I cant tell you how difficult the calculator was for me, The Biabacus data entry process seems to really work for me.

I also think that a tremendous amount of time and thought was spent on the current Biabacus design . Is it time to discount those decisions already?

trout

Morning all,

I'm looking to scale a recipe and am just a little confused as to what is the best spreadsheet to use. I assume that it is the BIABacus? does this mean that the old 'The Calculator' and 'MAXI-Calculator' files are now redundant?

Apologies if this is an odd question, first time BIABer and my head is spinning a little from all the info.

Also where do I download the BIABacus from. And I WILL be donating to this fantastic site - truly awesome!


Cheers,

Lee

Hi Lee and welcome

Use the Biabacus as the Calculator is going out of fashion..

You can find a copy Here download both copies as the APA is a great recipe and will let you see what a completed sheet looks like.

and post if you have questions.

Yeasty

Thanks Yeasty!!

I do like the look of that recipe and upon first impressions the BIABacus looks very straight forward.

I see that your're a fellow Boltonian! I grew up around Daubhill and Deane. I do miss good pint, If I could produce anything like a real ale (Banktop Brewery style) I'd be one happy chappy. Although it's a little warm here in Australia at the moment so not sure how I'd go

Thanks again for your help,

Lee

Hi again,

Just working through the BIABacus to scale the following recipe to a 12ltr brew length:

Black Sheep Ale
Batch Size: 21.00 L
Boil Size: 29.68 L
Estimated OG: 1.046 SG
Estimated Color: 28.2 EBC
Estimated IBU: 35.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients: Amount Item Type % or IBU

3600.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 82.76 %
400.00 gm Wheat Malt, Pale (Weyermann) (3.9 EBC) Grain 9.20 %
300.00 gm Crystal, Medium (Bairds) (170.0 EBC) Grain 6.90 %
50.00 gm Roasted Barley (Bairds) (1199.7 EBC) Grain 1.15 %

40.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 22.5 IBU
15.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (20 min) Hops 5.1 IBU
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.40 %] (20 min) Hops 5.0 IBU
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.40 %] (5 min) Hops 1.6 IBU
15.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
0.50 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min)
Misc 1 Pkgs Ringwood Ale (Wyeast Labs #1187)

and am uncertain of what to put in the 'EOBV-A' box as the recipe doesn't state this? Have I missed something glaringly obvious?

Thanks,
L

Where did you get the recipe from Lee ? Book? Forum? can you post a link?

Sure, the link is

http://www.hopandgrain.com/englishale.aspx

it's recipe ID 108 (you need to click through manually for some reason.

I found it linked from the 'Jim's Brew Kit' site.

The original recipe states a brew length of 21 ltrs but the EOBV is different to this isn't it?