Efficiency - Adjusting Hop Additions

[Alphaacid]

If you calculate your recipe for 75%, but end up getting, say 95% efficient, how do you adjust your hop additions to make up for the difference in efficiency?

[mpilchuk]

If you calculate your recipe for 75%, but end up getting, say 95% efficient, how do you adjust your hop additions to make up for the difference in efficiency?

Interesting question. You could use a liquor back calculation and adjust your gravity back to where you wanted it, but that would not help you with hop additions.

How on earth did you increase your efficiency that much? New equipment with an old recipe?

[Alphaacid]

My system's efficiency swings all over the place, because I don't mill my own grain, is why I assume.

I was told to adjust for efficiency you do this:

(Actual Volume / Planned volume) X Original Hop Weight = Adjusted Hop Weight

[mpilchuk]

hmmm

My system's efficiency swings all over the place, because I don't mill my own grain, is why I assume.

I was told to adjust for efficiency you do this:

(Actual Volume / Planned volume) X Original Hop Weight = Adjusted Hop Weight

I've not seen wild swings from milling.

That formula makes little sense. How can you adjust your hop weight AFTER you find your actual volume? Wouldn't the hops already be in your wort when you know the actual volume? You'd need a time machine.

[soia1138]

I've not seen wild swings from milling.

That formula makes little sense. How can you adjust your hop weight AFTER you find your actual volume? Wouldn't the hops already be in your wort when you know the actual volume? You'd need a time machine.

Do you not measure volume at kettle full (pre boil)? As for the op's question, how do you calculate for your original hop addition? This is pretty much how you would make an adjustment of its necessary. Are you topping the kettle with water for increased efficiency? Do you use software? Do you just roll with whatever gravity you get? Is every beer a one off? Adjusting hop additions is pretty basic stuff.

[mpilchuk]

Do you not measure volume at kettle full (pre boil)?

Were you asking this question to me or the OP?

Mitch

[soia1138]

Were you asking this question to me or the OP?

Mitch

I thought it was clear, my apologies. I was asking you the first question, the latter is for the OP.

[mpilchuk]

I thought it was clear, my apologies. I was asking you the first question, the latter is for the OP.

Yes I do take the final boil volume measurement. Need that to know the efficiency and if needed to liquor back to get to the gravity I want.

I don't see how the OPs formula would work though.

The OPs formula:
(Actual Volume / Planned volume) X Original Hop Weight = Adjusted Hop Weight

How can you adjust the hops after they have been added to the boil? You wouldn't know what the actual volume vs the planned volume was until the end of the boil. All you can do is add late addition hops at this point, No?

[soia1138]

Yes I do take the final boil volume measurement. Need that to know the efficiency and if needed to liquor back to get to the gravity I want.

I don't see how the OPs formula would work though.

The OPs formula:
(Actual Volume / Planned volume) X Original Hop Weight = Adjusted Hop Weight

How can you adjust the hops after they have been added to the boil? You wouldn't know what the actual volume vs the planned volume was until the end of the boil. All you can do is add late addition hops at this point, No?

I believe that is referring to actual pre boil volume vs planned pre boil volume, Say you plan to collect 8bbls of wort at a given gravity and your efficiency increases on a particular batch and you continue to run off an additional bbl or maybe top with liquor. 8bbl is planned, 9bbl is actual. The reality is, other than extreme differences, the effect on ibu contribution is inconsequential at best.

[mpilchuk]

I believe that is referring to actual pre boil volume vs planned pre boil volume, Say you plan to collect 8bbls of wort at a given gravity and your efficiency increases on a particular batch and you continue to run off an additional bbl or maybe top with liquor. 8bbl is planned, 9bbl is actual. The reality is, other than extreme differences, the effect on ibu contribution is inconsequential at best.

Agreed.

The formula does nothing, unless somehow you could use it to plan for the next brew except that you can't plan for an accidental increase in efficiency again.

[Rooh]

Use the same formula for your original IBU calc, just change the volume in the equation, this will give you the new weight. If the alpha the hops are really close, just multiply weight by increase or decrease in batch size.

Rich
rich@thebrewinglair.com

[Alphaacid]

I was saying if you are suppose to get 5bbls but end up with 6bbls then use that formula to adjust your hop weights. The wort volume is preboil volume, the you adjust hop weights. I know what I'm going to boil off so that won't change my efficiency. Except in winter when I boil off 10-20% more due to the dry and cold weather.