[Bel Air Brewing]

All this talk about Oktoberfest / Festbier motivated me to brew up 10 gallons.
Here is the grain bill for this Festbier:

16 lbs Weyermann floor malted Bohemian Pils
4 lbs Ireks Vienna
4 lbs Ireks Munich

The OG came in at 1.071, Brix 17.2

My recipe calculator predicted OG of 1.056.

Triple step infusion mash, with a 30 minute rest at 122, 20 minutes at 148, 20 minutes at 156, and mash out at 170.

Any idea what happened?

[mchrispen]

That's a a lot of malt. Off the top of my head, I count 64 points of gravity... Pushing toward a 7% beer depending on attenuation.

My efficiency is about 62% so if yours is higher expect a higher OG.

I’d dilute that to your desired gravity.


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[Bel Air Brewing]

Yes it is a lot of malt. But pretty standard for us, brewing 10 gallons. Our grain normally runs 20 - 24 pounds.
But we have not used the Floor Malted Bo-Pils that much. And the triple step infusion is somewhat new to us.

The Brewer’s Friend calculator predicted 1.056.

[mchrispen]

I get 2-3 extra points with intense step mashing. If you normally see 75% efficiency, I can see you pushing 80 with that mash schedule.

I run 11 gallon batches myself on a BrewEasy. I run more toward 20-21 lbs for a 5% target.

Maybe double-check your water volume?

Just spitballing here.


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[Bel Air Brewing]

I get 2-3 extra points with intense step mashing. If you normally see 75% efficiency, I can see you pushing 80 with that mash schedule.

I run 11 gallon batches myself on a BrewEasy. I run more toward 20-21 lbs for a 5% target.

Maybe double-check your water volume?

Just spitballing here.

Water was 18 gallons, 9 gallons mash, 9 gallons HLT. Probably 2 gallons not utilized.
Perhaps Brewer’s Friend is not accurate?

[mchrispen]

I use Beer Smith and now toying with Brew Father.

Did you use a different equipment profile by chance?

Beer Smith and Brew Father pretty much agree when my profile is similar.


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[Bel Air Brewing]

I use Beer Smith and now toying with Brew Father.

Did you use a different equipment profile by chance?

Beer Smith and Brew Father pretty much agree when my profile is similar.

I just used the all grain recipe calculator. Nothing entered for equipment. All stainless steel, not that it makes any difference.
This is the first time this problem has happened. Normally, we fall a point or two short of predicted gravity.

[fredthecat]

All stainless steel, not that it makes any difference.

actually it does. my brewing software includes material heat conductivity

[dmtaylor]

By the software I use (StrangeBrew.ca), I'd have to assume a crappy brewhouse efficiency of 62% to hit 1.056.

I'm thinking you got a great crush of the malt, AND your calculation on Brewer's Friend was somehow messed up.  And the step mash didn't hurt and might have helped as well.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Well...here it is. Have a look, see where I messed up!
I really want to know why it came in at 1.071.
Stopped the sparge at 1.024. By then I had the 12.5 gallons in the boil kettle.
The calculator below shows the grain bill, and the predictions for OG. This is the first time the recipe calculator was so far off.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1195136/festbier

[tommymorris]

Well...here it is. Have a look, see where I messed up!
I really want to know why it came in at 1.071.
Stopped the sparge at 1.024. By then I had the 12.5 gallons in the boil kettle.
The calculator below shows the grain bill, and the predictions for OG. This is the first time the recipe calculator was so far off.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1195136/festbier

Your PPG numbers seem low for all 3 malts. That would explain a few points. If your efficiency was higher than normal that would explain a few more points. Finally, if you boiled off more than normal (had less than 10.5 gallons after boil) then that would explain a few more points.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Well...here it is. Have a look, see where I messed up!
I really want to know why it came in at 1.071.
Stopped the sparge at 1.024. By then I had the 12.5 gallons in the boil kettle.
The calculator below shows the grain bill, and the predictions for OG. This is the first time the recipe calculator was so far off.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1195136/festbier

Your PPG numbers seem low for all 3 malts. That would explain a few points. If your efficiency was higher than normal that would explain a few more points. Finally, if you boiled off more than normal (had less than 10.5 gallons after boil) then that would explain a few more points.

The original recipe was based on an 11 gallon final volume. It ended up slightly less, closer to 10.5.
Must have lost a little more during the boil.
At any rate, this was planned as an entry in an upcoming competition. Going to be a do-over…dang it!

[Malthopper]

I'm wondering if you didn't accidentally weigh/use more grain than intended. Is it possible the scale was in the wrong mode? Was it used on a level surface that was stable? In need of new batteries if digital? Forget to tare the bag, bowl, or whatever you use to contain the grains you're weighing out? Or possibly labled one or more bags of weighed grain incorrectly? Grabbed the wrong sack of barley on brewday?

[Iliff Ave]

Helles Bock!

[Bel Air Brewing]

The digital scale works great, and is only a few months old. Yes, the tare weight for my measuring cup is 1 oz.
When measuring the grain, each pound is recorded with pen & paper, otherwise I would lose count!
The grain was brand new, each in 55 lb bags.

My neighbor said..."Imperial Festbier!"