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Author Topic: Odd efficiency boost?  (Read 1109 times)

Offline BrodyR

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Odd efficiency boost?
« on: April 21, 2014, 08:34:34 pm »
Today I brewed an IPA I plugged into beer smith and the efficiency calculations confused me.

When I took a gravity reading pre-boil I was at the volume & gravity I wanted to be for the 70% efficiency I was targeting. Post-boil the volume was spot on at 3gallons yet my gravity was through the roof and I ended up measuring 85% efficiency... Am I correct in assuming this makes no sense? I did cool the wort down to 60f before taking the readings.

Offline Stevie

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Odd efficiency boost?
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2014, 08:58:16 pm »
Could be that you are confusing mash and brew house efficiency. Personally, I only care about mash efficiency.

Edit - are you entering your pre-boil and post boil in the correct spot?
« Last Edit: April 21, 2014, 09:34:13 pm by Steve in TX »

Offline BrodyR

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Re: Odd efficiency boost?
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2014, 05:00:37 pm »
Could be that you are confusing mash and brew house efficiency. Personally, I only care about mash efficiency.

Edit - are you entering your pre-boil and post boil in the correct spot?

That's the brewhouse numbers - I got the figure first when I entered the 'into the boiler' gravity & volume at 4.53g/1.042 which was on track for 70%. Afterwards, measured batch size & OG were 3 gallons at 1.066. If I set the efficiency to 85% the estimated OG/batch size line up but I'd be 9 points under the expected into the boiler gravity. Seems odd.. with the gravity not being stronger due to a lower volume I'm trying to figure it out. Maybe it's from the minor drippings (I brew BIAB) that drained from the bag that I added to the kettle after taking the volume/gravity?

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Odd efficiency boost?
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2014, 05:11:59 pm »
Are your volume measurements accurate?

From the figures you supplied, the basic math says you should have had a final volume of 2.89 gallons which assume the gravity and preboil volume measurements were accurate. I am a bit confused but it seems like there could be an error in one of the inputs on the software.
On Tap/Bottled: IPL, Adjunct Vienna, Golden Stout, Honey Lager
Fermenting: IPA
Up Next: mexi lager, Germerican pale ale

Offline BrodyR

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Re: Odd efficiency boost?
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2014, 08:55:34 pm »
Are your volume measurements accurate?

From the figures you supplied, the basic math says you should have had a final volume of 2.89 gallons which assume the gravity and preboil volume measurements were accurate. I am a bit confused but it seems like there could be an error in one of the inputs on the software.

Volume should be good, was from a measured bucket, I hit maybe a hair over 3gallons final. Odd indeed.