[center]ADMIN NOTE: BeerSmith2 is no longer available from BIABrewer.info but can be purchased directly from BeerSmith. For more details read this BIABrewer post.[/center][center]A Pre-Release Version of "The BIABacus" is available in this thread.[/center]

Note: You may help support the site by purchasing your BeerSmith2 key through BIABrewer.info. More details here.

[center]Beersmith2 for BIABrewers.[/center]

BeerSmith2, now also available for Mac and Linux users, fully supports BIAB brewing. Brad Smith, the developer of BeerSmith, has enthusiastically involved BIABrewer in the beta testing of BeerSmith2. stux from BIABrewer.info has also spent hours writing complex formulas that agree with the mathematics of BeerSmith2 and that will soon be employed in The Calculator.

Being able to move from the simplicity of The Calculator to the power of BeerSmith2 is a major breakthrough.

BeerSmith2 as Compared to BeerSmith1

As stux and ianh will tell you, the mathematics of brewing software gets exponentially more complex as more features are added. This means that all brewing software to date, including BeerSmith1, has weaknesses and limitations and that users have to learn these faults. BeerSmith2 is full of advanced features and is very transparent, meaning that like, 'The Calculator,' one can easily see how a change affects the end result. This transparency allows the brewer to really understand what they are doing rather than just pressing buttons.

BeerSmith2 Definitions and Terminology

BeerSmith2 has quite clear definitions and a hover feature so that hovering over a brewing term will describe it. This combined with more transparency enables brewers to start talking a common language just as we have always tried to do here.

'Instantaneous' Conversion of Recipes

One annoying and very time-consuming thing for brewers is converting recipes to suit your equipment. Using 'The Calculator' can take an hour of detective work and typing to get what might be a good conversion but there can be no guarantees. Any recipe posted in BeerSmith2 format can be converted with three quick mouse clicks.

Four, maybe Five BIAB Equipment Profiles

BIABrewer has written four equipment profiles for BeerSmith2...

1. Pot (5 Gal/19 L) - Mini-BIAB: (3 Gal/11.5 L) into Fermenter.

2. Electric Urn (10 Gal/40 L) - BIAB: (5 Gal/19 L) into Fermenter.

3. Pot (13 Gal/50 L) - BIAB: (6 Gal/23 L) into Fermenter.

4. Pot (18.5 Gal/70 L) - BIAB: (10 Gal/38 L) into Fermenter.

Anyone can use or modify the above profiles to fine tune them. All the profiles work on an 81% Efficiency into Kettle and a 70% Efficiency into Fermenter (BeerSmith's Brewhouse Efficiency) with the exception of Mini-BIAB which is 5% lower.

5. Maxi-BIAB: As stux will tell you, Maxi-BIAB is, mathematically very complex. BeerSmith and BIABrewer made efforts to include this in the release but time has not permitted. The current thinking is that it will be included in a later build.

BeerSmith2 Sample Recipes

Owning BeerSmith 2 allows you to brew over 300 recipes all downloadable at no cost. 19 sample recipes come with the program and one third of these have been supplied by various brewers under the name of BIABrewer.info. These recipes are robust or best of show winners. Some are both such as, "Dr Smurto's Golden Ale".

Four of the six sample recipes supplied are linked to the BIAB Equipment profiles linked above. Two have been linked to traditional equipment to show users how easy it is to scale a recipe to suit their own equipment.

BIABrewer.info Add-On

BeerSmith2 will support a BIABrewer.info 'Add-On' where users can click to download recipes we support here on BIABrewer. BIABrewer will create a new thread that publishes any recipes in the add-on in the format of a BIABrewer Recipe Template and 'The Calculator' file.

BIABrewer imagines that it will also be possible to include Equipment Profiles in this add on.

Multiple Windows

BeerSmith2 allows unlimited windows. This means you can compare/adjust several recipes, profiles etc. In the old days of BeerSmith 1, you either needed two copies of the program or pen and paper!

The Calculator/BeerSmith2 Study

To understand brewing calculations, software and logic, you need to set aside a few hours of study. You'll need to set aside more than this if you want to be a master. There is no 'miracle cure' out there that can convert garbage recipes into great ones. There are also no 'miracle cures' out there that can convert 'great recipes' on someone else's equipment to your equipment (unless they have published it in BeerSmith2 format).

BIABrewer.info recommends that all brewers commit some time to understanding the logic behind any software they use.

Should A BIABrewer use 'The Calculator' or BeerSmith2?

BIABrewer would not recommend you buying BeerSmith2 until you can fully understand the logic of the first sheet of 'The Calculator.' Once you have understood the 'Volumes' sheet of 'The Calculator,' you should take on a 21 day trial of BeerSmith2 and simultaneously commit time to exploring and understanding stux's 'Hop Bill' page of his Maxi-BIAB Calculator. Doing these two things will teach you the most.

Once you are at this stage, you'll see that BeerSmith2, is the easiest program to work from day to day but, dubious recipes requiring detective work are far more quickly solved in spreadsheet form if you know what you are looking for.

What Do I Get if I Purchase my BeerSmith2 Key from BIABrewer.info?

We think BIABrewer.info is the best place to get your key from because besides supporting the site...

1. We will automatically upgrade you to an 'Enthusiast.' This changes your username to bright green which is a sign that you have actively supported BIABrewer.info.

2. We will shortly create a forum for Enthusiasts only. Here you will be given the opportunity to actively assist in projects being undertaken by BIABrewer.info.

3. Being an Enthusiast will also sometimes result in you being invited to contribute more actively to the site's day to day maintenance. Do not accept these invitations - they are nothing but hard work!

Cheers,
BB

[center]Downloading BeerSmith2[/center]

BeerSmith2 comes with a 21 day free trial. Download your copy from...

PC Users go here
Mac Users go here
Temporary additional servers can be found here

[center]Purchasing BeerSmith2 through BIABrewer.info[/center]

Once you have made a decision to purchase, an activation key can be obtained for $27.95 USD from BIABrewer.info using the Buy Now button at the top right hand of the page.

[center]Initial Feedback and Questions[/center]

Please use this thread to give initial feedback or ask any questions on BeerSmith2. Please read the first post of that thread before posting.

[center]Setting Up BeerSmith2[/center]

Please carry out the following steps to get started with exploring BeerSmith2...

A. Go to Tools/Options

1. Type in your name.
2. Change 'Brew Type' to 'All Grain'.
3. For now, choose one of the four BIAB Equipment Profiles that most closely matches your equipment. (You'll return here and change this shortly.) In this thread, we'll use the 'Pot (13 Gal/50L) - BIAB' profile for any examples.
4. Go to 'Units' and choose 'English', 'Metric' or 'Imperial'.
5. Go to 'Look and Feel' and set, 'Recipes' to 'Open in New Window.' This will enable you to compare two recipes side by side on the same screen.
6. Tick the box, 'Confirm changes to an item before closing it'.
7. Click OK

B. Make a Copy of the Sample Recipes

Go to Beersmith2 Samples and select and copy all 19 recipes. Now paste these into the 'My Recipes' folder. Use the copied recipes to experiment with BeerSmith2. This will ensure that you don't accidentally change the original Sample Recipes. The first time you open up any of these duplicated sample recipes, add the prefix, 'Play', to the recipe name so as you don't get it mixed up with the original sample recipes.

C. Make a Copy of the Equipment Profile

Go to 'Profiles' / 'Equipment' and copy and paste the BIAB Equipment Profile you chose in step A3 above. Rename it by adding the prefix 'Play' to it. For example, 'Play Pot (13 Gal/50L) - BIAB'.

Now repeat step A3 above and change your default equipment profile to the play one you have just created which in our example is 'Play Pot (13 Gal/50L) - BIAB'. Later, in this thread, we'll look at how to 'tune up' your equipment profile and/or create additional ones.

You are now ready to Play

Play around with your duplicated sample recipes. (Remember to add the prefix, 'Play,' to the recipe before you make any changes.)

Before you go any further, make sure you are able to answer the following question:

What happens to the 'Recipe' (ingredient amounts, original gravity, IBU's etc) when the following are done?

1.) 'Water Volumes', 'Efficiency', 'Batch Size,' 'Boil Time' or 'Equipment Profile', are changed manually within a Recipe?

2.) The 'Scale Recipe' button is used instead?

It is very important that you become familiar with the effects of the above and this will take a bit of concentrated attention. Having two 'Recipe' windows open, one being the original Sample Recipe and the other being your duplicate will help you understand this faster and get you to the stage where you can answer this very important question...

How would you use these differences to scale a recipe from an outside source to your own equipment?

Remember to use this thread to help each other out for now. But! Make sure you also put the time into the study.

[center]When You Can't Find an Answer[/center]

BeerSmith2 has extensive support accessible through the 'Help' button. Most questions should be able to be answered by spending a little time watching the videos or searching the online help guide.

Your BeerSmith2 key can be used on two computers for personal use so, if you can, install it on your laptop and main computer. Use one copy for experimenting and one as a clean copy whilst you explore the program. This will accelerate the learning curve.

Often the best way to learn is to spend time finding answers for yourself but there are certainly things that can be confusing even after considerable study. So, feel free to use this thread when you find yourself doing or .

Note: A step by step example of how to set up an equipment profile may be found here.

[center]Setting Up a BeerSmith2 Equipment Profile[/center]
Most of the steps in setting up an equipment profile in BeerSmith2 are self-explanatory and information on this can be found in the online help along with a video here.

However, BeerSmith is one of the few programs (if not only program) that centres itself around 'efficiency into fermenter' rather than 'mash efficiency.' This can lead to difficulty and confusion in setting up or adjusting an equipment profile. Not having a thorough understanding of how the program works in this area will lead to incorrect inputting of recipes from outside sources.

BIABrewer hopes that Beersmith will be able to introduce an option to work from 'mash efficiencies' in the future but for now the program does not and we need to work around that.

How the Sample BIAB Profiles were Calculated.

You will note in each of the BIAB Equipment profiles the following sentence...

The above assumes loose pellet hops and only clear, chilled wort transferred from the kettle using no trub management techniques. Experienced brewers should adjust 'Loss to Trub and Chiller' and 'Brewhouse Efficiency' accordingly to suit their trub management techniques.

So, the BeerSmith2 sample BIAB profiles are based on the same philosophy as The Calculator (soon to be updated).

In other words, the profile assumes that things such as whirlpooling and hopsocks are not used. It also allows you some 'breathing space'.

The profiles are based on an 81.7% 'End of Boil Efficiency' which translates into an 'Efficiency into Fermenter' of 70% i.e. BeerSmith2's 'Brewhouse Efficiency'.

Open up The Calculator and on the first sheet, 'Volumes', change the following to read as follows...

Brew Length = 21.3
End of Boil Efficiency = 81.7
Diameter of Kettle = 40

Now, open up the BeerSmith2 sample equipment profile called, 'Pot (13 gal/50L) - BIAB' and you will notice firstly that (given a few decimal points)...

'Brew Length' in The Calculator is the same as 'Bottling Volume' in BeerSmith2
'Fermenter Trub' is the same as 'Fermenter Loss'
'Volume into Fermenter' is the same as 'Batch Size'
'Kettle Trub & Buffer' is the same as 'Loss to Trub and Chiller'

At time of writing you will see discrepancies in the end of boil and pre-boil volumes. This is due to The Calculator not allowing for the expansion of wort at 100 C. This and many other areas will be fixed shortly by stux and BIABrewer including some terminology changes.

Finally, if you look at the last sheet 'Efficiency Calculator' of 'The Calculator' you will see that...

'Efficiency into Fermenter' is the same as 'Brewhouse Efficiency' i.e. 70%.

What Happens to 'Brewhouse Efficiency' when I Change 'Loss to Trub & Chiller'?

Take the time now to save your open copy of The Calculator under a different name as we will now over-write a formula...

In your duplicate copy, over-write the 3.83 'Kettle Trub & Buffer' figure (Cell B8 on 'Volumes') with the number 1.5. Now go to the 'Efficiency Calculator' and look at Cell B21. What has happend to your 'Brewhouse Efficiency?'

It has jumped from 70% to 76.7%.

Why? Because you have effectively managed to get 2.33 L more wort at the same gravity into your fermenter.

This is the hard part of having a program centre itself around 'Brewhouse Efficiency'. Basically, any time you make a change to 'Loss to Trub and Chiller' you need to also alter your 'Brewhouse Efficiency' for your recipe calcs to work correctly.

Using 'The Calculator' like this, makes working out your BeerSmith2 profile a much easier task. I have attached another spreadsheet below called 'BeerSmith2 Equipment Profile Set-Up helper 1.3' which also helps with this. Sigurdur has emulated this helper in an online tool that can be found here.BIABrewer is aware that this is a difficult area. Make sure that once you have studied the above carefully, that you feel free to ask questions in Beersmith2 - Initial Feedback and Questions.

Advisories will also be made in that thread on any other unobvious/grey aspects of BeerSmith2 and appended to Post #1 of that thread.

Next we'll look at how once you have your equipment profile set up, recipes can be scaled to your equipment with the click of a few buttons.

[center]Converting BeerSmith Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment[/center]
Now that you have your own equipment profile set up, it is extremely easy to scale other BeerSmith recipes to suit your particular set up.

Copy and rename the sample recipe 'NRB's All Amarillo APA' to 'NRB's All Amarillo APA - Scaled'. Open the scaled copy and you'll see that the recipe is set up for batch sparging mashing and equipment.

To scale the recipe to your equipment...

1. Click on the 'Scale Recipe' button at the top left of the window.
2. Click on where it says 'Pot (18.5 Gal/70 L) and Cooler (9.5 Gal/40 L) - All Grain' and a drop down list will appear.
3. Double-click on your equipment profile and then press okay.

Converting the mash profile to BIAB...

The following step is unnecessary if the recipe you are converting already has a BIAB mash profile. This recipe does not so...

1. Click on 'Single Infusion, Medium Body' towards the bottom left of the 'Recipe Design' tab and a drop down list will appear.
2. Double-click on 'BIAB, Medium Body'.

Job done!

Later we'll look at how to scale recipes from outside sources but before that, we'll take a look at how the IBU calculation in BeerSmith2 varies from BeerSmith1.

[center]BeerSmith1 IBUs Compared to Beersmith2 IBUs[/center]
Some of you will have noticed that your BeerSmith1 recipes are now reading higher in BeerSmith2. For example, the BeerSmith1 sample recipe 'English County FWHfb' had a biiterness of 29.7 IBU's. Now in BeerSmith2, the IBUs are reading as 35.1.

BeerSmith2's bitterness calculation now focuses on the end of boil volume just as we do here in 'The Calculator'. BeerSmith1's formula focussed on the volume into fermenter however and was generally regarded as too low. You'll find now that the new calculation lines up very well with many more external recipes.

The good news is that all BeerSmith1 recipes when opened in BeerSmith2 will have their IBUs automatically re-calculated on the BeerSmith2 formula.

Next we'll have a look at how to import recipes from external sources correctly into BeerSmith2.

[center]Converting 'External' Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment - Part 1[/center]

As you can see by now, once you have your Equipment Profile set up correctly, converting a recipe that is already in .bsm or .bsmx format is very simple. However, many recipes you come across and will want to use in BeerSmith2 will come from a variety of sources such as books or 'recipe reports' from other software. Note that 'Recipe reports from other software,' also includes BeerSmith1.

So, recipe conversion is a very difficult area and will take four posts to even address the basics. If you work through these posts however, you will be well on the way to understanding what to be convcerned about and what to ignore. You will actually be way ahead of most brewers.

Can every recipe from an external source be converted successfully?

No. In fact, almost all recipes appearing on the internet as 'recipe reports', simply do not have enough information for them to be accurately converted to anyone else's equipment or brewing method no matter what software they use. Nearly all recipes require at least some guesswork to convert.

Even if given detailed information, it takes quite complex mathematics to convert a recipe. BeerSmith2 has excellent mathematics so let's look at some of the basic information a recipe should contain...

An external recipe should contain at least 7 information keys...

For an external recipe to be converted to an acceptable degree, all of the following information should be stated clearly or be easily deduced.

1. Post-Boil Volume (Ambient): This is the point in the brewing process where original gravity and bitterness can first be established. It is the most common ground existing between every all-grain brewer but a ground that a lot of software, including BeerSmith2, makes it difficult for us to meet on.

2. The Evaporation Rate: This can be determined from the above plus boil time and pre-boil volume (ambient). Most recipes will not provide pre-boil volume so don't hope for it. The reason knowing the evaporation rate makes a recipe conversion better is that a powerful program such as BeerSmith2, will utilise this figure to provide a more accurate conversion of the hop bill.

3. Original Gravity: This is one of the most useful figures available as it should not vary from post-boil to pre-pitching and is also mathematically unambiguous. There is only one correct formula to determine original gravity.

4. The Grain Bill: If the original gravity is given then the grain bill can usually be given in either percentages or weights although both are preferable.

5. The Hop Bill: (AA%, times and weights only): Because there are so many ways of calculating IBU's, the hop bill must include the AA% of the hops, the weight added and the time in the boil at which they were added. (Dry hops, possibly, only need weights supplied.)

6. Mash Times and Temperatures

7. Yeast Used and Fermentation Temperatures

What are the things I should beware of in external recipes?

1. Undefined 'Efficiency': Unless a recipe clearly states, 'Pre-boil efficiency', 'Post-boil efficiency' or 'Efficiency into Kettle', the efficiency figure is meaningless or, at best, will require some deduction to be of use.

'Efficiency into Cube', Efficiency into Fermenter', 'Efficiency into Packaging', 'Brewhouse Efficiency' etc are all quite meaningless unless accompanied with other 'volume' information.

For example, in a BeerSmith1 recipe report, a 'Brewhouse Efficiency' figure of 80% or 60% could mean anything as the recipe writer may have had losses to trub and chiller ranging from zero to however many gallons/litres. These losses do not currently appear on a BeerSmith report.

2. Batch Size: BeerSmith2 defines 'batch size' as volume into fermenter. Some BeerSmith1 users re-defined this due to bitterness calculation errors as 'Volume into fermenter plus loss to trub and chiller.' Other programs define it as 'volume into packaging', 'post-boil volume' or 'volume into fermenter'. It is a very misleading expression now.

3. IBU's: Unless I know what software you are using and what bitterness method you use, IBU's are also useless to me. The last post here showed the difference between BeerSmith1 bitterness calculations and BeerSmith2 calculations. In a later post we'll see just how different the IBUs will read depending on whether the Tinseth or Rager formula is used. A hop bill in a recipe needs the AA%, weights and times.

Unless the above are presented in a way that will help you determine one of the 7 information keys, then they should be entirely ignored.

In Part 2 we'll take a look at how recipes that do come with quality information can be converted to your own equipment using BeerSmith2.

[center]Converting 'External' Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment - Part 2[/center]
BIABrewer would firstly like to thank Kristi Switzer (Publisher, "Brewers Publications"), Jamil Zainasheff and John J. Palmer for their kind permission to use an example recipe from, "Brewing Classic Styles," for this and the following posts.

"Brewing Classic Styles - 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew," has the highest recommendation from BIABrewer.info. The book is very well written and is one of the few recipe books that goes to considerable length in attempting the almost impossible task of defining a recipe's parameters. This means that these recipes can be converted to suit your own equipment with a much higher degree of accuracy than can be expected from other 'external' recipes.

Let's take a look at the, 'BIERE DE L'INDE,' English IPA recipe found on page 183 of, "Brewing Classic Styles," and see if we can find the seven information keys mentioned in the last post that are required for a recipe conversion of an acceptable level...

1. Post-Boil Volume (Ambient): Page 41 of the book contains critical volume information for all recipes contained in the book. The only one we really need though is the post-boil volume which is 6 gallons or 22.7 litres.

2. Evaporation Rate: The pre-boil volume and boil length are stated as 7 gallons or 26.5 L and 60 minutes. Whether this volume is based on the temperature at boiling point or has been adjusted to ambient is unclear but we will assume an evaporation rate of about 1 gallon or 3.8 litres per hour. We will explore this more later.

3. Original Gravity: This is clearly stated at the beginning of the recipe and is 1.062.

4. The Grain Bill: As BIAB is an all-grain method, ignore the 'Extract' part of the recipe and instead look at the, 'Steeping Grains' and 'All-Grain Option,' parts of the recipe. These will tell you to use...

British Pale Ale Malt - 12.25 lbs or 5550 grams
Wheat Malt - 0.5 lbs or 227 grams
Biscuit (25 L) - 0.5 lbs or 227 grams
Crystal (40 L) - 0.5 lbs or 227 grams
Crystal (120 L) - 6 ozs or 170 grams

5. The Hop Bill: The book clearly gives all the information we require on the hop bill...

Challenger (8% AA): 1.43 ozs or 41 grams are added 60 minutes before the end of the boil
Fuggles (5% AA): 1.5 ozs or 43 grams are added 10 minutes before the end of the boil.
Kent Goldings (5% AA): 1.5 ozs or 43 grams are added at the end of the boil when the flame is turned off.

Page 40 of the book also tells us that the hop calculations are made using the Rager formula. Because AA% have been supplied above, this information is unnecessary for a successful conversion but acts as a nice double-check.

6. Mash Times and Temperatures: Page 40 of the book tells us that all mash times are 60 minutes unless stated otherwise and the recipe tells us to mash at 152 F or 67 C.

7. Yeast Used and Fermentation Temperatures: White Labs WLP013 London Ale, Wyeast 1028 London Ale or the dried yeast, Danstar Nottingham, can be used for this recipe. Fermentation should be done at 68 F or 20 C.

So, "Brewing Classic Styles," does provide us with the 7 information keys for a very acceptable recipe conversion. In fact, you will never see better.

In the next post, we'll open up BeerSmith2 and convert the "Brewing Classic Styles" 'BIERE DE L'INDE,' English IPA.

[center]Converting 'External' Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment - Part 3[/center]

This recipe has been supplied with the kind permission of Kristi Switzer (Publisher, "Brewers Publications"), Jamil Zainasheff and John J. Palmer for BIABrewer users. Please make sure you do not distribute this recipe.

It takes some time to convert an external recipe as accurately as possible. The BIAB Calculator is the fastest, easiest converter at time of writing however if have a book like, "Brewing Classic Styles" once you have converted one recipe, the remainder become as easy as the process explained in Converting BeerSmith Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment. BeerSmith2 will also often scale a little more accurately than the BIAB Calculator.

[center]Brewing Classic Styles - BIERE DE LINDE English IPA[/center]
1. Open up BeerSmith2 and click 'Add Recipe'

2. Name the recipe, 'BCS - BIERE DE LINDE'

3. Give appropriate acknowledgement by clicking on 'Notes' and writing "from Brewing Classic Styles" in the 'Asst Brewer' field and under Taste Notes write, "This recipe is from the book, 'Brewing Classic Styles' by Jamil Zainasheff and John J. Palmer. Used on BIABrewer.info with the kind permission of Kristi Switzer (Publisher, "Brewers Publications"). For use by BIABrewer.info members only."

4. Back on the 'Recipe Design' tab change the style to 'English IPA'.

5. Change the mash profile to 'BIAB, Medium Body'. (Make sure the check box 'Adjust Mash for Equip' is not ticked.)

6. Type in the grain bill, hop bill and yeast exactly as is in the book - see previous post for this recipe's details if you do not have the book. (Remember to change the AA% of the hops to what is in the book.

7. Click OK. This will save the recipe and close it.

8. Click on 'Profiles' 'Equipment' 'Add Equip'. Name the profile, 'Brewing Classic Styles'.

9. Type in all the volumes information we have been given. i.e. Fermenter Loss = 1.9L (0.5 US gal), Batch Volume = 20.8 L (5 US gal), 'Loss to Trub and Chiller' = 1.9L (0.5 US gal), 'Boil Off' = 3.8 L (1.0 US gal) and 'Boil Time' = 60 mins.

10. Using the 'BeerSmith2 Equipment Profile Set-Up helper 1.3' attached in this post above, I can see that I need to set my Brewhouse Efficiency 64.14% to equal the 'Mash Efficiency' of 70% given in the book.

11. Click ok and save the profile.

12. Re-open your 'BIERE DE LINDE' recipe and click on Equipment. Select 'Brewing Classic Styles Converter' from the drop down list and press Ok.

13. The Est Original Gravity should read 1.059 and the Est. IBUs as 53.7 if you have BeerSmith2 set to the Rager formula. The book says 1.062 and 50 IBU's.

In the next post we'll look at how to understand and deal with these discrepancies in recipe conversion.

[center]Converting 'External' Recipes to Your BeerSmith2 BIAB Equipment - Part 4[/center]

The above post shows that no matter how good the information supplied with a recipe is, it is very hard to convert and get identical gravity and bitterness readings. You need to become a bit of a detective and also never expect perfection. Some of the reasons that gravity and bitterness won't match on a converted recipe exactly are...

1. Different Grain 'Specifications': With each batch of grain maltsters provide a grain specification sheet. This includes the extract potential and these can vary from batch to batch. So, a recipe written in one year that uses English pale ale malt might well have more or less potential than the same recipe brewed a year or two later.

2. Different Software Formulas: Most software places an interpretation on bitterness formulas as even the standard formulas are open to mis-interpreation. 'Brewing Classic Styles' recipes were calculated using ProMash but unless I own that program and know how to use it, my readings are unlikely to ever match.

3. Missing or Inadequate Recipe Information: As discussed in Part 1, most recipes are not even supplied with anywhere near the information needed for an adequate conversion.

[center]So, what should we do?[/center]

The first thing is to be confident. The Palexperiment shows that 35 brewers mailed identical ingredients and instructions to brew a recipe came up with 35 wildly different tasting results. So, be confident in your recipe and realise that the enjoyment of you and whoever else drinks your beer is the most important thing in judging your beer.

Recipes provided from respected sources are also robust. In other words, given that you understand basic brewing principles and possess accurate measuring equipment (especially your mashing thermometer), it is very hard to brew a bad beer from these recipes even if you do make a mistake on the ingredient amounts.

In our example above, BeerSmith2 is showing gravity as too low and bitterness as too high. If I were converting this as a single recipe from the book, I would now simply press the 'Scale Recipe' button and scale the recipe to my own equipment profile. I would be very happy with that result. However...

[center]Finding A Balance[/center]

Many new brewers naturally want, and expect, all brewing figures in a recipe conversion to add up. We have now seen that they never do, no matter how good the information provided.

As 'Brewing Classic Styles' is a book I commonly use and recommend, I have entered 8 recipes from the book and experimented with a BeerSmith2 equipment profile that scales them, on average, most adequately. The BIERRE DE L'INDE recipe actually shows the most variance of any recipe to date using the profile I have attached here, 'Brewing Classic Styles Converter - v1.3' however I would still have no hesitation in brewing the recipe when scaled from this profile.

The profile is identical to the one you have created above except that the Boil Off has been set to 2.89 L (0.76 US gal).

Three BeerSmith files are attached here...

1. 'Brewing Classic Styles Converter - v 1.3' - Use this as your equipment profile before scaling the recipe to your own equipment.

2. 'BCS - BIERRE DE L'INDE' - This is the recipe as it should appear before scaling. So, all the ingredient weights are identical to the book.

3. 'BCS - BIERRE DE L'INDE - 13 Gal(50L)' - This shows the recipe when converted (scaled) to the 'Pot (13 Gal/50L) - BIAB' sample equipment profile.

In summary, recipe communication, conversion and translation is a difficult area and requires some skill. Despite this, working with recipes from brewers you trust, puts you in very safe territory.

This post is the last of the 'BeerSmith2 Guide for BIABrewers'. If you have ideas for additional posts then please post them in this thread for now.

Cheers,
BB