Chapter 3: Tools

Brewtarget offers a lot of tools to aid the brewer in writing recipes and on the brew day itself.

OG Correction

This tool helps you to correct the OG when you overshoot or undershoot your anticipated efficiency.

To correct this in the boil, choose Tools->"OG Correction Help". Please note that this tool makes the assumption that you are not going to add any water post boil. Enter the current SG, temperature of sample, and calibration temp of the hydrometer OR the degrees Plato of the wort pre-boil. Then enter the pre-boil volume. Click "Calculate" and 3 fields will populate on the output half of the window. The first shows you the post-boil OG if you take no action. The next shows you how much water to add (or boil off if negative) in order to achieve the planned OG. The last shows how much wort you will end up with if you take this action.

Pitch Rate Calculator

This tool calculates the correct amount of yeast to add.

This tool is located in Tools->"Pitch Rate Calculator". Enter the wort volume, OG and starter OG and select the pitch rate. The pitch rate should be 0.75-1.00 for most ales and 1.50-2.00 for lagers. The output is the number of yeast cells required (in billions), the number of wyeast activator packs or White Labs vials needed without a starter, the amount of dry yeast required (without starter), and the size of the starter needed to reach the cell count at the given starter OG (usually never over 1.030).

Priming Calculator

This tool calculates the correct amount of priming agent for the desired carbonation level in the finished beer.

Tools->"Priming Calculator". Put in the required input values, select a priming agent, and press calculate.

Refractometer

This tool performs several conversions related to refractometers.

Tools->"Refractometer Tools". Here, you can find OG and current SG by using refractometer readings. You must always enter the current Plato and either the original Plato or the OG. If you just want to find out what specific gravity 11.2 Plato corresponds to, enter 11.2 in both the original Plato and current Plato fields.