Beersmith, as a widely known digital tool for brewing is getting more and more popular among homebrewers. With its database, an infinite number of beer recipes can be remade, customized or designed from scrap.
To appropriately use Beersmith, however, users need many details about their equipment – from the size of its starting batch to any loss of water it produces. So, to have a recipe adjusted to Brewie, you will need to previously add these details.
To save Brewie as a standard brewing device, you have to open the Insert/Equipment wizard or the Insert/Add equipment menu. Whichever you choose, you have to fill in the following questions:
Batch volume: The amount of the batch left before fermentation depends on the recipe, the added water during the brewing and the boil off (which depends on the position of the lids). If the maximum amount of water was added, it’s 23 liters (27 liters of water is being used overall).
Fermenter Loss: This depends on mainly your own fermenting equipment, so we advise to conduct measures with a previously tested recipe.
Top Up Water: Again, this is your own setting: if you wish to add water to the pre-fermentation wort, fill it with the appropriate amount.
Loss to Trub and Chiller: If you use only the standard draining, which leaves sediment at the bottom of the boiling tank, about 3l of wort will remain. If you choose drain all, you can salvage all the loss, leaving 0l in the tank.
Boil time: It is absolutely recipe-dependent – you can boil for 20 minutes as well as 120 minutes.
Boil Off: With closed lids, Brewie boils away about 2 litres of water (about 13% to be more specific) – if the lids are open, it can go up to 4l.
Large Batch Hop Util: Since Brewie has a less than 76L volume, you should leave it at 100%.
Whirlpool Time: This is also recipe-dependent. In case of a Rusty Rex, the temperature is above 85C for 15+30+3 minutes.
Brewhouse Efficiency: This also depends on the actual recipe – it varies between 62-72%.
Mash Tun Volume: The mashing tank’s volume is 27 liters, while to boiling tank’s is 23 liters. However, you should prepare your recipe to not exceed 22 liters with adding the malt and the mashing water.
Mash Tun Weight: Since the Brewie is an unseparable brewing device, the weight of the mashing tun is insignificant.
Mash Tun Specific Heat: With Brewie’s stainless steel frame, this is 0,12 Cal/gram-deg C.
Mash Tun Addition: This is absolutely your call: if you wish to fill up the tanks, there’s no technical obstacle to do this, but you have to take care not – it shouldn’t spill over!
The data regarding the mash tune are approximates with a 0,5-1 kg or liter margin.
Lauter Tun Losses: About 1 liter for every kg of malt used.
