![]() ![]() Hopefully I can answer a few of these questions, but let’s just start with trying to make it compatible with your setup. Do you want open-source where you could potentially change the source code or do you just want it to work out of the box?.Do you want to run it from your computer (web-based or desktop app)? Do you have a Mac, PC, or Linux?.Do you want to use it from your phone or tablet (web-based or app)? Do you have an IOS or Android based device?.One of your foremost deciding factors when it comes to the type of software you will choose will be the format in which you can use it. Compatibilityįirst let’s look at compatibility. Using this information should help you in making a somewhat enlightened choice when choosing your brewing software. My goal here is not to tell you which one is best that BrewFather is the best (just sayin), but rather to give you a high-level overview and to point out some of the key features between the most popular options. Though many out there have relied on the “ ole’ standby” Beersmith2, there are a plethora of choices.īut its the 21st century now, and we want connectivity, we want syncing across devices, we want brewing software that integrates with out current, modern devices. Save for the nostalgic, most homebrewers use some kind of software to figure out their numbers. PS If there's any support for this idea then I'll alert Phrak as he has some skills in co-ordinating collaborative computer efforts.For many brewers, long gone are the days of doing recipe calculations on pen and paper. I'm sure many people would really enjoy contributing and I'd certainly love to see the end result! Be great fun and a real notch under AHB's belt. If they can do it then why can't the wealth of IT people on this forum collaborate and produce something that excels these programs? ![]() In fact, from memory, I think Phrak and Adamt actually solved the above hop problem in that little spreadsheet. At the moment you have to type in your grams and see how many IBU's you score in a totally dedicated window! It's like a game of twenty questions though you do get better at it.Īfter seeing what just one or two people did here (Phrak and AdamT) with the BIAB spreadsheet in such a short time, I'm sure that AHBrs, as a collaborative effort, could come up with something far superior to Beersmith or Promash. I reckon a good program should enable you to type in your desired IBU's (in Recipe View), your AA rating and then for it to tell you how many grams of hops are needed. How annoying is that? I find myself having to write down answers from a tool with pen and paper and then re-type them in an appropriate section. You cannot even open a tool without having to close your recipe view. ![]() (So you can't compare two or more recipes or anything to do with them on screen.)Ģ. You cannot open two or more recipes at once. I have written some database-based programs for some awkward businesses in the past just using Microsoft Access and so I'm a little surprised that these brewing programs have some very basic flaws.ġ. Promash I never got my head around but I was educated by Beersmithers. I downloaded both trial versions and ended up buying BeerSmith. MOST importantly, use it to improve your beer, to be consistent, to approach things analytically, not just 'Hey, lets try this for shits and giggles this time'.Įven more importantly, if you are going to swing by the Steam Exchange, drop off a stubby - down here we get heaps of old codgers telling us how fantastic their beers are (apparently you can use a kilo of home brand sugar instead of the official CSR stuff, and its just as good :huh: ), but aren't willing to actually give us a sample. If it records what you did, lets you plan what you want to do, and keeps a track of what you have in stock, then use it. When discussing brew ideas, pretty well all experienced microbrewers I have been fortunate to have met can do a lot of the calcs to a reasonable standard in their remaining brain cell anyway. (Sorry).Ĭould be familiarity - what is the norm in the past/pretty well bombproof/if it ain't broke don't fix it.Ĭould be that because the Men In Black in Excise (If you've been been visited by them you'll know exactly what I mean) are happy with Promash as an approved suitable data management system from an excise perspective, naturally you would have all this data stored in hard/paper Excise approved format (of course, we dare not think otherwise).ĭon't use it just because the pro's do, though. Interestingly most (OK, all I have met) professional (who truly do it and only IT for a living) microbrewers use Promash. A number cruncher and a database, that's all. Beersmith or Promash - it doesn't matter squat - YOU brew the beer not the program. ![]()
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