PPG Sources

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Hi Brewers Friend Team -- I've been converting several of my recipes into Brewers Friend and I have noticed that the calculated original gravities seem to been off. After looking into it further, I noticed that the PPG for several base malts seem to be much higher than what I would expect so I dug even deeper and after calculating the PPG values from the values found either on the maltster's website or the distributor's website the values in Brewers Friend seem to be higher than what I calculated. I'm curious if these values are maintained in any way or what the original source was that might explain the differences.

As an example;
Bestmalz Pilsner Malt
Brewers Friend PPG = 37
Calculated PPG using numbers from Best Malz Website = 34

Calculation is as follows;
PPG = 46 * Extract Course Grind, As Is / 100
Extract Course Grind, As Is = Extract Course Grind, Dry Basis * (1 - Moisture Content)
Extract Course Grind, Dry Basis = Extract Fine Grind, Dry Basis - Fine-Course Difference

For BestMalz Pilsner Malt, the typical values are;
Extract Fine Grind, Dry Basis = 80.5
Fine-Course Difference = 2
Moisture Content = 0.049

So using the formula's above;
Extract Course Grind, Dry Basis = 80.5 - 2 = 78.5
Extract Course Grind, As Is = 78.5 * (1 - 0.049) = 74.7
PPG = 46 * 74.7 / 100 = 34.3

Out of the 4 malts that I examined, the BF PPG numbers all seem to be higher than the calculated PPG. This includes Bestmalz Best Pils, Franco-Belges - Pilsen Malt, Bestmalz Vienna and Briess Pilsner Malt.
 
Unfortunately not all maltsters, manufacturers, and suppliers are always as forthcoming as to provide the FGDB extract, fine-course difference, and moisture content, the last of which will also be dependent on storage conditions by brewer, not just maltster/supplier/retailer. Unless you have a lot spec sheet, which is also going to vary lot to lot and year to year to some degree.

I'm nearly certain, and correct me if I'm wrong @Yooper if you remember, that all PPGs are determined with the assumption that any provided extract that would need to be converted was done so assuming it was coarse ground with no adjustment for moisture content.

Making that assumption, you end up with 80.8 extract potential => 37.03 PPG for that above example of BestMalz Pilsner Malt. I'll open a ticket to track this so it doesn't end up forgotten, we should revisit and make sure the potentials are as accurate as possible, starting with the ones used most frequently in recipes.
 
I fully realize that there is variability in the lot to lot but I think its prudent to use the most conservative (or minimum) numbers published when determining PPG and ultimately formulating recipes. It is always better to air on the side of being conservative and ending up with a higher than expected gravity versus one that comes in below expectations.

Most base malts will range conservatively between 34 and 35 ppg. In the case of BestMalz, they do publish the fine grind number which is clear on their website and once adjusted to coarse it ends up being 34 ppg. I think you'll find that most, if not all popular malting companies will publish their minimum specs and will tell you if they are measuring fine versus coarse. And in general, you can tell by looking at the number if its fine or coarse. Anything over 80 is probably fine. Anything below is probably coarse. I do recognize tracking this information down is a pretty big burden. Maybe some of the distributors (CMG & BSG) can provide you with the bulk of it, however,
 
Good points @Brewer #368362, I've saved this thread for a reference when we get to reviewing and updating this information.
 
I realize that this thread is old, but it's the same question I have. Example...Briess spec sheets for their LMEs show 36 PPG vice 37.6 in your ingredients catalog. Briess shows their DME as 43 PPG vice the 44.7 that you list. Not only does this obviously make a difference in ABV, but my experience with brews shows my measured OGs much closer when I use the Briess PPGs. What this forces me to do is always make a Custom addition, which is more time consuming. Thanks for your must current response to this issue.
 
I realize that this thread is old, but it's the same question I have. Example...Briess spec sheets for their LMEs show 36 PPG vice 37.6 in your ingredients catalog. Briess shows their DME as 43 PPG vice the 44.7 that you list. Not only does this obviously make a difference in ABV, but my experience with brews shows my measured OGs much closer when I use the Briess PPGs. What this forces me to do is always make a Custom addition, which is more time consuming. Thanks for your must current response to this issue.

Thanks for the information- We can definitely update new information when new spec sheets come out. I will look at Briess' items today and update.
 
I realize that this thread is old, but it's the same question I have. Example...Briess spec sheets for their LMEs show 36 PPG vice 37.6 in your ingredients catalog. Briess shows their DME as 43 PPG vice the 44.7 that you list. Not only does this obviously make a difference in ABV, but my experience with brews shows my measured OGs much closer when I use the Briess PPGs. What this forces me to do is always make a Custom addition, which is more time consuming. Thanks for your must current response to this issue.

I went through all of our Briess items- none of the ones I see show LME at 37.6 or 44.7 for DME. Can you show me where you are seeing this?
 

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