Newbie - Equipment and Mash help

General discussion on BeerTools Pro Software.
Post Reply
caskconditioned
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:37 pm

Newbie - Equipment and Mash help

Post by caskconditioned »

Hi everyone,

I just purchased BTP. I've been using ProMash for the last 5 or so years and decided to switch. Anyways, I'm hoping for some help on setting up my Equipment so that I can accurately predict my strike temp.

I use a converted sanke keg with a false bottom (Sabco) for my MT and a sanke keg for my HLT. The MT does not have direct heat. The HLT is heated via a propane burner.

In ProMash, my "Mash Tun Thermal Mass" setting was set to 0.720. I guess my first question is if there's a way to set up my MT in BTP knowing that number? If not, are these the steps I must take to properly calibrate everything:

1) Add a new vessel for my MT and do the calibration.
2) Add a new vessel for my HLT and do the calibration.
3) Under the "Schedule" add a Mash-In step, setting the "Mash Vessel" to #1 above, the "Heating Vessel" to #2 above, and leaving the "Heat Source" as None.

Does this sound correct?

TIA for all your help.
User avatar
bzwrxbz
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:04 am
Location: The Cold North
Contact:

Post by bzwrxbz »

Sounds about right.

While you are setting up the HLT and MT, you can create and setup a heat source as well, but, it is not required for the mash in step. It will predict how long it will take to heat your water though.

cheers!
Fermenting : Ordinary Bitter, Hefe
Bottled : Too many bottles

WinXP PentiumIV Res:1920x1200 120DPI

Blog: http://hobbybrau.blogspot.com
caskconditioned
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:37 pm

Post by caskconditioned »

I just tried calibrating everything but the strike temp prediction is 15 degrees lower than what ProMash is computing. BTP is saying a stike temp of 172* while ProMash is saying 187* (that's the strike temp I used for my last batch and hit my temps perfectly).

My Calibration parameters for the MT:

Ambient: 84*
6 Gallons @ 120*
After five minutes - 117*

So I'm wondering if it's the test that's faulty. Let me explain, when I mash-in I slowly pour the grain in while mixing w/ water. This takes about 5-10 min. and I have the lid open. So, I'm wondering if I'm loosing a lot of heat via my mash-in technique and the calibration test cannot really accommodate for this. Hope I'm making sense.

Any ideas greatly appreciated. I may back-into the parameters by changing them until BTP says 187??
User avatar
bzwrxbz
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:04 am
Location: The Cold North
Contact:

Post by bzwrxbz »

That is a huge difference. What was the temperature after 65 minutes, for your calibration?

Are you sure you are using the same amount of grains in your promash vs. BTP recipes?

cheers!
Fermenting : Ordinary Bitter, Hefe
Bottled : Too many bottles

WinXP PentiumIV Res:1920x1200 120DPI

Blog: http://hobbybrau.blogspot.com
dfrancis80
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:52 am

Post by dfrancis80 »

When I switched from Promash to BTP I typed in a recipe from promash
that I had brewed and played with the vessel numbers until they produced
what my actual recorded results were. It took some doing but I have now
done about 5 BTP brews and the results are right on. I just couldn't bring
myself to heating and transferring plain water, It has to be beer! :D
Post Reply