I feel like I’ve got pretty good control and processes on the cold side of things. Pitching rates, ferm temps, sanatization, etc. Now I’d like to really be able to dial in hitting my gravity numbers. I’m looking at getting a refractometer, and I’m going to re-read some stuff on adjusting with water and dme.
What kind of things do you do, adjust, what are your processes, etc when trying to hit your gravity?
I am almost never under my target gravity, but when I am I try to use DME that closest resembles my base malt. I use Beersmith on the fly to calculate how much Ill need, but a good rule of thumb is 4 pts per pound.
I am over my estimated Pre-boil from time to time and usually adjust with RO water before the boil starts to get my Pre-boil gravity where it needs to be since I know how many points a 60,90,and 120 minute boil are going to give me for my OG.
If you are unsure about what your boil is going to add then you can obviously boil off some water separately and add it to your fermenter or boil up some DME and add that before pitching as well. If I miss my numbers after pitching because I was too intoxicated to take a gravity reading(which hasnt happened yet thankfully!) I would probably just stick with what I got and not adjust.
Beersmith is a great tool to calculate how much top up water or DME you need to hit a target, I’m sure there are others out there too.
As long as your mash pH and temperature are in range, there’s no reason why you can’t hit your target gravity every time. For a given MLT, the lauter efficiency will vary based on the grist mass, but predictably. So as long as you can get (nearly) 100% conversion efficiency in the mash, the overall efficiency will also be predictable.
For batch sparging, Kai’s spreadsheet should be spot on. Batch Sparge and Party Gyle Simulator - German brewing and more
For fly sparging, you’ll need to work out your own efficiency curve by keeping good records.
i have only missed much when i have some method change that alters my efficiency. now i don’t make many drastic changes in method. i don’t do anything to adjust the gravity to hit a target on a particular brew. if it is off it is off.
Thanks Jason, I’ll poke around in Beersmith some more and find those tools.
[quote]As long as your mash pH and temperature are in range, there’s no reason why you can’t hit your target gravity every time. For a given MLT, the lauter efficiency will vary based on the grist mass, but predictably. So as long as you can get (nearly) 100% conversion efficiency in the mash, the overall efficiency will also be predictable.
[/quote]
I haven’t progressed to the point of tinkering with water yet, but I am fairly competent at getting my mash temp where i want it. With the crush at my LHBS I’m getting 80-83% (I am batch sparging, btw) out of my system. The one time I did not was with a morebeer kit and that was considerably lower, around 70% (the crush was visibly coarser than what I’m used to). Which brings me to another question: When I want to brew a recipe based on, say 75% efficiency and I know I’m going to get 82%, how do I adjust from the get go? I understand it would involve reducing the amount of grain, but how much?
Thanks in advance
Beersmith allows you to adjust the efficiency rating. This allows “behind the scene” adjustments in water volumes, grist amounts, etc.
I haven’t progressed to the point of tinkering with water yet, but I am fairly competent at getting my mash temp where i want it. With the crush at my LHBS I’m getting 80-83% (I am batch sparging, btw) out of my system. The one time I did not was with a morebeer kit and that was considerably lower, around 70% (the crush was visibly coarser than what I’m used to). Which brings me to another question: When I want to brew a recipe based on, say 75% efficiency and I know I’m going to get 82%, how do I adjust from the get go? I understand it would involve reducing the amount of grain, but how much?
Thanks in advance
[/quote]
The easy less involved answer is reduce the base malt the appropriate amount. If you have Beersmith its easy just adjust until you hit the OG from the recipe.
The more involved answer. You need percentages. If you have those great. If not plug the recipe into Beersmith at 75% efficiency. That will give you the percentages of each malt. Start a new recipe with your efficiency. Play with reducing each malt until you get the same percentages. Same thing with the AA% of your hops.
Just reduce all the quantities to 75/82 = 91% of what the recipe calls for.
Beersmith has the option to lock the recipe to percentages or change the ingredients by percentages. I do:
Cool didnt know about the slider bar!
[quote]1. Input the recipe at the designed efficiency (75% for brewing classic styles, etc.)
[/quote]
Is this in the “total efficiency” from the recipe page?
That’s the one. Just make sure you equipment is set up right and double check that the volumes all make sense. I usually knock out 6 gallons to plan on losing about a gallon in the kettle and fermenter.
I
What are you getting now? To “dial it in” and “hitting numbers” means to achieve consistency. Unless your current numbers are ridiculously low or wildly all over the place for the same type of beer/recipe you should be able to consistently reproduce. Furthermore, don’t base your efficiency based upon another brewer’s brewing. If they say they get 85% all the time and you consistently get 70% don;t think you are doing something wrong. If you can sort out a problem with the system, technique or chemistry and gain percentage points then that is great but I wouldn’t chase the digits. What’s important is that the beer is good and that you can rely on your own skills and brewing system to produce what you want.
[quote]That’s the one. Just make sure you equipment is set up right and double check that the volumes all make sense. I usually knock out 6 gallons to plan on losing about a gallon in the kettle and fermenter.
[/quote]
I adjusted the “total efficiency” to 77% and it changed the estimated mash efficiency to 82%, which is right about what I get. Volumes look ok, I do about the same as you, 7 gallon boil, 6 at knockout, 5.5 to fermentor and 5 to bottles.
[quote]What are you getting now? To “dial it in” and “hitting numbers” means to achieve consistency. Unless your current numbers are ridiculously low or wildly all over the place for the same type of beer/recipe you should be able to consistently reproduce. Furthermore, don’t base your efficiency based upon another brewer’s brewing. If they say they get 85% all the time and you consistently get 70% don;t think you are doing something wrong. If you can sort out a problem with the system, technique or chemistry and gain percentage points then that is great but I wouldn’t chase the digits. What’s important is that the beer is good and that you can rely on your own skills and brewing system to produce what you want.
[/quote]
I’m getting 82ish% out of my mash. I’m not trying to eek out more efficiency, more like you said, I want to achieve greater consistency, and be able to adjust so that I can hit a target gravity in a recipe.