Need help please, something just not clicking in my brain.

[K.C.]

I finally started producing again and feel very comfortable making body butter and foaming sugar scrubs without much issue. I made a batch of anhydrous whipped body butter yesterday and it was just perfect. 3 ingredients(13oz) plus EO makes 6-4 oz jars.
I have a few orders for a different fragrance so I figured I would just double my batch. Everything measured correctly as I'm phasing out a previous butter and was worried I wouldn't have enough cocoa butter wafers while waiting for my latest delivery. The oil was correct as well as I finished a large bottle perfectly and my OCD was happy. The final whip was good, same pastry bag, same tip but it was a bit fuller body than yesterday. I was getting 3.15-3.45 in a jar even with tamping and only a total of 8 jars.
Here's the rub, even with a slight difference in the whip what am I missing that my end total is 25.5 vs 24 yesterday with a double batch?

This pics are yesterdays color free and today in pink, pic 1 tamped pic 2 not tamped

I know I have a headache all day but I have a dual science degree (many moons ago) that is being outweighed by a giant brain blip!! Help!!

 

[AliOop]

It sounds to me like you just whipped the second batch a bit fluffier than the first. I've done exactly that and found it so frustrating because it messes with my labeling!

 

[K.C.]

It sounds to me like you just whipped the second batch a bit fluffier than the first. I've done exactly that and found it so frustrating because it messes with my labeling!

that's what I thought also but then why is my overall batch weight the same for a doubled recipe?

 

[Ford]

"13oz, plus eo" Doubled would've weighed more than 26oz. So, you are under???

 

[K.C.]

"13oz, plus eo" Doubled would've weighed more than 26oz. So, you are under???

no I'm just about even. I have 25.5 in 8 jars of 3oz+ a little bit and about 1.5oz left over that I put in small sample jars. That's what's confusing, if it deflated, never had that happen, I would imagine it would be about the same before and after but the fact that its so full and whipped that im only getting 3oz per jar vs the usual 4oz per jar because the volume and fullness more than the norm.

 

[AliOop]

that's what I thought also but then why is my overall batch weight the same for a doubled recipe?

Because the weight doesn’t track 1:1 with the volume change. In other words, you whipped more air into this batch, so it takes up more space. But that extra air doesn’t add much if any weight to the product. So you end up with the same weight, but bigger volume, which means less product can fit into the same size jar.

Think of it this way: the difference in weight between a deflated party balloon and an inflated one is minimal. You can fit lots of deflated balloons in a small bag, yet not one inflated balloon will fit into that same bag.

PS - this is exactly why we add our ingredients by weight, and not by volume. The weight of a "cup" of flour or brown sugar is going to vary significantly, depending on how tightly or loosely packed it may be.

 

[K.C.]

Because the weight doesn’t track 1:1 with the volume change. In other words, you whipped more air into this batch, so it takes up more space. But that extra air doesn’t add much if any weight to the product. So you end up with the same weight, but bigger volume, which means less product can fit into the same size jar.

Think of it this way: the difference in weight between a deflated party balloon and an inflated one is minimal. You can fit lots of deflated balloons in a small bag, yet not one inflated balloon will fit into that same bag.

PS - this is exactly why we add our ingredients by weight, and not by volume. The weight of a "cup" of flour or brown sugar is going to vary significantly, depending on how tightly or loosely packed it may be.

I understand this which is why adding more air to this batch should have given me an even greater number of jars. Standard batch = 6/4oz jars double batch if equal air should be 12/4 oz jars, this batch of additional air(volume) is only 8/3+oz jars.
If this batch has more air than the overall number of jars should be even greater to accommodate to batch weight plus additional volume

I discussed this at length with my brother who is a chemical engineer and dust explosion specialist. Even with the additional volume of air the overall energy input was lost due to whipping time/speed to allow for the increase in ingredients.

Long story short I'm most annoyed at the time, energy, and amount of ingredients used leaving me with less than the desired number of jars to fill my orders and have reserve inventory. Lesson learned, for this product and technique I will stick with my original formula and be confident in my final outcome.

Thank you all for using up some valuable brain cells on this minor issue. Onward and upward!!

 

[jcandleattic]

PS - this is exactly why we add our ingredients by weight, and not by volume. The weight of a "cup" of flour or brown sugar is going to vary significantly, depending on how tightly or loosely packed it may be.

Exactly this!! I always use the analogy - which weighs more - 1lb of bricks or 1lb of feathers??
Well they both WEIGH 1 pound, however, the feathers will take up a ton more volume...

6/4oz jars double batch if equal air should be 12/4 oz jars, this batch of additional air(volume) is only 8/3+oz jars.

I see where you are coming from, however, how will you determine how much air is in each jar? Air is uncalcuable in this scenario. Air has no form, nor weight, so how will you know how much air is in each jar? You would still have to put 4oz of product in the 12 jars, and then fluff them individually in order to get the volume you want for the same weight of product.
Because it's uncalcuable and not exact, that's why the end result was not what you expected.

 

[AliOop]

I see where you are coming from, however, how will you determine how much air is in each jar? Air is uncalcuable in this scenario. Air has no form, nor weight, so how will you know how much air is in each jar? You would still have to put 4oz of product in the 12 jars, and then fluff them individually in order to get the volume you want for the same weight of product.
Because it's uncalcuable and not exact, that's why the end result was not what you expected.

Agreed, and I don't think there's any reliable way to know exactly what size our batches will be, no matter how careful we are with measurements. We don't have temperature controlled or humidity controlled environments, nor are our mixing machines calibrated at exactly so many RPMs, nor are our ingredients exactly identical from batch to batch. It's part of hand-crafting vs. commercial production.

 

[K.C.]

I understand the difference between weight and volume. I do also know that air isn't measurable and these are hand crafted items. I think we are saying the same thing in two different ways, thanks again for all your help.

 

[AliOop]

I understand the difference between weight and volume. I do also know that air isn't measurable and these are hand crafted items. I think we are saying the same thing in two different ways, thanks again for all your help.

Totally agree, and I didn't mean to sound argumentative - just commiserating. I'd love to preprint all labels with correct weights but that just doesn't work for me. So instead, I have my messy handwriting on them instead, darn it.

 

[K.C.]

Totally agree, and I didn't mean to sound argumentative - just commiserating. I'd love to preprint all labels with correct weights but that just doesn't work for me. So instead, I have my messy handwriting on them instead, darn it.

its the labeling that can ruin all the fun!!