BCS Oktoberfest Efficiency?

[TimmyR]

Weird thing with BeerTools (I know switch to ProMash or BeerSmith...) when I plug the BCS recipe in. I have to bump the efficiency from 70% to 74% to match all Jamil's numbers. Any thoughts? Usually all the numbers line up perfectly.

Thanks....

[robert4136]

I have noticed this too, theres got to be some internal calculation going on perhaps with the malt analysis numbers and the way the program calculates extracted sugars. Secondly, I love beer tools and would never switch to promash or beersmith.

[TimmyR]

I have noticed this too, theres got to be some internal calculation going on perhaps with the malt analysis numbers and the way the program calculates extracted sugars. Secondly, I love beer tools and would never switch to promash or beersmith.

Right on Robert....I am with you...I tried BeerAlchemy for a while, loved the parent recipe/batch functionality but you cannot customize water for every batch and it locks your ingredients after you adjust inventory...not as flexible as I'd like. Beer Tools I love, period.

In the end I hit my normal high end efficiency number of 83% and diluted during the boil with extra strike water....should have trusted my system history and planned about 78%.

In any case, both batches are fermenting like crazy at 50F and reek of sulfur so all is well.

[robert4136]

I usually have pretty high efficiency as well and most of the time i have to dilute with water. Now that i know this happens pretty consistently i'm starting to decrease my grain bill so i don't have to keep on diluting. I also got a refractometer so i could make adjustments on the fly while boiling.

[TimmyR]

I usually have pretty high efficiency as well and most of the time i have to dilute with water. Now that i know this happens pretty consistently i'm starting to decrease my grain bill so i don't have to keep on diluting. I also got a refractometer so i could make adjustments on the fly while boiling.

Likewise...when I plan 70% efficiency, I am usually getting closed to 84% (batch sparge). Last time I planned around 77% I was REALLY close to that. I've been using a refractometer for a while and finally have it figured out to give consistent numbers. I just load my HLT up to the top and keep it really hot or even start boiling what's left when I start my boil and keep track of the total GUs as I boil. I am planning to play with a fly-sparge next time since I just installed and AutoSparge on my mash tun.