With 2 BIAB brews under my belt. A American Hefe (which is in the keg force carbing now) and a Honey Brown Ale, that is in ferm cooler, i've noticed one thing.
On my rig, if I use one of the calcs for strike water temp, I'm to high, basically when I add and stir my grain i am not losing that much heat. First batch, I was shooting for 152*, I mashed in a 160, and hit 158* and had to stir and stir to get it down to 154*, I was at 152* in 30 minutes and it held for the remainder of the mash.
2nd attempt. (Honey Brown) 9lb grain bill, wanted to hit 154, so I followed my calc. and strike at 158.6, after grain was stirred in I was at 158*.
So I am thinking my calcs are for 'typical' all grain and is calculating based on the 1 qt:1 lb of grain ratio. Next batch, I am gonna mash in 1 or 2 degree's higher then my desired mash temp and see what happens. Hopefully I will hit it dead on....
Post #2 made 14 years ago
I think you are a little off with your strike temps.First of all you will find that most info on this site will be in metric,which can be a bit of a PIA until you get used to it.just remember that 0C is really cold and 100C is really hot.Most mash temps are around 64C.That being said,you are a little high on your strike temp.You will only drop about 3 or 4 deg when doughing in.Search the forums for strike temps and you will find all you need,from more knowledgeable brewers than me.I can't figure out though,how on you 2nd attempt that there was no temp drop at all? 
AWOL
Post #4 made 14 years ago
Yes,
I haven't worked out how accurate the new beersmith is but I find doughing in a degree C or 2 above my mash temp works. Afterall it's easier to heat the mash than to cool it
I haven't worked out how accurate the new beersmith is but I find doughing in a degree C or 2 above my mash temp works. Afterall it's easier to heat the mash than to cool it
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #5 made 14 years ago
With my system, a 4 ringed burner & 50 litre keggle, I turn the gas off at strike temperature. By the time I have doughed in and stirred the grains in, the temperature will still be at strike temp.
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."
Post #6 made 14 years ago
A patch of BeerSmith2 will be out within a day or two. The strike temperatures are reading quite well in the patch but you should adjust your mash tun weight and/or specific heat field in 'Equipment Profile' to get it spot on.stux wrote:I haven't worked out how accurate the new beersmith is but I find doughing in a degree C or 2 above my mash temp works.
I personally do the same as stux but all pots are different. Some pots with heavy bases and stands (like hashies) will continue to heat the pot after the flame is turned off. Thin set-ups will lose heat immediately.
1 C to 2 C above what you want is a good place to start with BIAB.
Cheers,
Pat
Last edited by Pat on 23 Jun 2011, 19:05, edited 5 times in total.
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Post #7 made 14 years ago
The new build of BS2 was released overnight. I downloaded and installed it this morning, although I haven't had a chance yet to look at what's different.
"It's beer Jim, but not as we know it."
Post #8 made 14 years ago
I think with beersmith you want to un-check the box that adjusts the temp based on the equipment mass. If your dropping your grains into an already hot kettle then you would overshoot. I know last weekend I used the recommended 160 for the strike water and had to put in a good 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of cold water to bring it down to 149 that I was shooting for. When I un-checked the box that adjusts the water temp to your equipment it had me at 154 which would have put me real close to what I was aiming for.
I'm still really inexperienced so someone else that's been doing more batches maybe can confirm this. I'll be re-trying the same recipe this weekend after dialing the equipment in and hope to be much closer this time.
I'm still really inexperienced so someone else that's been doing more batches maybe can confirm this. I'll be re-trying the same recipe this weekend after dialing the equipment in and hope to be much closer this time.
Post #9 made 14 years ago
The "Adjust Mash for Equip" checkbox... good one.CadKing wrote:I think with beersmith you want to un-check the box that adjusts the temp based on the equipment mass. If your dropping your grains into an already hot kettle then you would overshoot. I know last weekend I used the recommended 160 for the strike water and had to put in a good 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of cold water to bring it down to 149 that I was shooting for. When I un-checked the box that adjusts the water temp to your equipment it had me at 154 which would have put me real close to what I was aiming for.
I'm still really inexperienced so someone else that's been doing more batches maybe can confirm this. I'll be re-trying the same recipe this weekend after dialing the equipment in and hope to be much closer this time.
When I untick that BS predicts a 2C drop instead of a 4C drop, which is much more realistic
It really comes down to we're *not* doing an infusion, rather we are raising to temperature and then doughing in...
With an infusion do you normally place your grains in a tun (cooler/esky?) and then add your pre-heated water?
Last edited by stux on 24 Jun 2011, 14:26, edited 5 times in total.
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #10 made 14 years ago
The other way to do it is to set the specific heat of your mash tun to 0.0 instead of say 0.12 for stainless steel.stux wrote:The "Adjust Mash for Equip" checkbox... good one.CadKing wrote:I think with beersmith you want to un-check the box that adjusts the temp based on the equipment mass. If your dropping your grains into an already hot kettle then you would overshoot. I know last weekend I used the recommended 160 for the strike water and had to put in a good 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of cold water to bring it down to 149 that I was shooting for. When I un-checked the box that adjusts the water temp to your equipment it had me at 154 which would have put me real close to what I was aiming for.
I'm still really inexperienced so someone else that's been doing more batches maybe can confirm this. I'll be re-trying the same recipe this weekend after dialing the equipment in and hope to be much closer this time.
When I untick that BS predicts a 2C drop instead of a 4C drop, which is much more realistic
It really comes down to we're *not* doing an infusion, rather we are raising to temperature and then doughing in...
With an infusion do you normally place your grains in a tun (cooler/esky?) and then add your pre-heated water?
This makes a lot of sense as the specific heat is basically how much heat will be taken out of the infusion water by the pot. but if you kettle is pre-heated then I guess that would be close to zero, and we only need to worry about the grain contribution.
So, I'm thinking that BIAB equipment profiles should actually have the specific heat set close to 0, if not in fact zero! Which would mean the weight probably doesn't matter either
Last edited by stux on 24 Jun 2011, 14:29, edited 5 times in total.
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #11 made 14 years ago
AND, in respect to temperatures re mashing, what is the temperature of your grains at the doughing-in stage? Do you control/adjust the same? AND, what about the temperature of your 'lagging' material? (if you use the same) eg. in winter I use a portable hair dryer to pre-warm the two sleeping bags I use to insulate my kettle during the mash period.
Post #12 made 14 years ago
I keep my grain indoors and assume ambient is 22C.thylacine wrote:AND, in respect to temperatures re mashing, what is the temperature of your grains at the doughing-in stage? Do you control/adjust the same? AND, what about the temperature of your 'lagging' material? (if you use the same) eg. in winter I use a portable hair dryer to pre-warm the two sleeping bags I use to insulate my kettle during the mash period.
In reality its more likely 12-16C at the moment. Essentially I don't care as long as my dough-in is under and not over temperature, I can quickly and rapidly correct it
My climate is not freezing so I don't bother with a sleeping bag. I prefer just to check the mash every 30 mins, give it a good stir and possibly apply a bit more heat
Last edited by stux on 24 Jun 2011, 17:02, edited 5 times in total.
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III
5/7/12
Post #13 made 14 years ago
I would recommend the free software BrewMate - it has heaps of built in calculators, has a BIAB mode, and you can run it in metric or pounds/fahrenheit/fathoms/leagues etc 
Never lets me down.
Never lets me down.
Last edited by Beachbum on 26 Jun 2011, 11:21, edited 5 times in total.
Post #14 made 14 years ago
I think that may be the issue....My calc isn't figuring total volume of water.
Post #15 made 14 years ago
This is something I missed somehow during the beta testing - there was actually a lot of stuff to keep track of, many posts/emails etc and things rapidly accelerated towards the release date. We only adjusted the weights and specific gravities of the tuns on Build 40 so this is something I missed.
The solution needs to be done in the equipment profile so I think the best solution for now is as stux mentions of setting the specific heat to zero. That looks to be working well. I'll ask Brad to change this on future builds.
I'll also make a note of this tomorrow in BeerSmith2 Initial Feedback and Questions thread. Please make sure you use that thread to suggest any improvements as it is easy for me to miss things otherwise.
Cheers,
Pat
The solution needs to be done in the equipment profile so I think the best solution for now is as stux mentions of setting the specific heat to zero. That looks to be working well. I'll ask Brad to change this on future builds.
I'll also make a note of this tomorrow in BeerSmith2 Initial Feedback and Questions thread. Please make sure you use that thread to suggest any improvements as it is easy for me to miss things otherwise.
Cheers,
Pat
Last edited by Pat on 27 Jun 2011, 23:25, edited 5 times in total.
Are you a "Goodwill Brewer?" Pay forward and Buy Some BIPs
