Beersmith Vs Beer Tools

[Fents]

So now im all AG, which program do people use most..

What's the con's and pro's ??

Beer Tools - $24.95

Beer Smith - $19.95

Price isnt really an issue, just wanna find out which is best. B)

 

[shotduck]

So now im all AG, which program do people use most..

What's the con's and pro's ??

Beer Tools - $24.95

Beer Smith - $19.95

Price isnt really an issue, just wanna find out which is best. B)

To put it as simply as possible, BeerTools is easier / Beer Smith can do more (or so I've heard... I don't use Beer Smith myself).

Cheers,
TSD

EDIT: Sorry for the short reply... will post more when I get home, if someone else hasn't already.

 

[peas_and_corn]

ProMash

 

[Voosher]

The contest is generally one between ProMash and Beersmith.
You can trial both. ProMash on a limited version; Beersmith on 21 day trial.
I suggest you download both and try them.
If you're still unsure go searching. This has been discussed before almost ad nauseum.

 

[shotduck]

ProMash

I do like ProMash, but I prefer the interface of BeerTools, and furthermore I believe that given a little more time BeerTools will include most if not all (and then some) of the features found in both ProMash and BeerSmith. The same goes for BeerSmith in regards to the interface. I hate the BeerSmith interface, and am not too fussed on the ProMash interface - love the BeerTools one. I guess it all comes down to what you would prefer in a brewing software package - ease of use or sometimes-useful-but-rarely-used features. I think BeerTools has most of the features you really need for a homebrew setup, and as I have already said it will only get better with time (they have already had a some updates and it has only been out a few weeks now).

Cheers,
TSD

Verbal-Waffler Extrordinaire
Brewer of sea-water. Sulfiter of yeast.

 

[shotduck]

Hmm... bloody flood control thing keeps stopping me from replying to Vooshers comments - even after a five minute period of non-posting...

At any rate I agree with Vooshers comments regarding the war between BeerSmith and ProMash. It seem BeerTools is the independant trying to get a few votes in a two-party system. I'm afraid it will remain that way until Jeff and Lathe decide to go with a trial of their software. Until then, there are too many wary computer users out there to try to compete without putting a trial on the market - even with the inherent piracy problems these invoke.



Cheers,
TSD

 

[Ray_Mills]

Hi
Before you compare what the software does, have a good look at where the software will be in the long run. I see only 2 really out there. Promash and Beertools.
The Beertools guys are not new kids on the block. Their online software is second to none and they will be around for some time to come. (back to them later).
I have Promash and have used it now for years and i dont really have a problem with it. I have had the software now for 3 years and in that time i have never had a software update. This tells me the programe will never change and what you see is what you get from now on.
Beertools has a very good online package that generates recipes from guidelines and ingredients. Its very good has proven itself over the years.
Their site must have over 4,000 recipes or more on their database. Anyone can view and print out these recipes (I have Heaps if you do a search under "ray") nothing is hidden.
With BeertoolsPro you have the ability to download any recipe from the database and modify it to suit your engredients and brewhouse specifications. This is something the others do not have.
In the long run, the beertools guys are their and very active and will dominate the brewing software for some time.
Cheers
Ray

 

[PostModern]

I'm a Promash (free edition) user myself, but have heard a lot of good about Beertools Pro recently. I think that's the direction I'll be thowing some cash too.

 

[///]

Well you need to slow down there Ray, as what are you trying to achieve with the SW.

Promash is a program by brewers who learnt something about SW. Beertools is by a programer who learnt something about beer.

Beertools (i was not allowed into the Pro trial) is a recipe generator and that is it. It is a database not a SW solution - and that is a critical difference.

We use Beersmith in the brewery not to generate recipe's but for calc's and adjustments. We draft a recipe, run it thru and then see how where we are at in real time versus the SW. We are now 100% insync with Beersmith for efficency and what our outcome are - and the buet thing is when we are over or under gravity, need to understand what change we need to make with a hop addition due to a shortage or similar, Beersmith always pulls thru.

Promash is extremly clunkie on user interface and does not have the ease of use that Beersmith does. It is also horrifically out of date with no changes for eons. Beertools, well that is a database as I said, and the HB version I have used adds little value.

Dont confuse a DB with a unique SW package, and from looking at Beer Tools Pro stuff, it misses the mark as I want my package to give me adjustment values, affects of changes in te brew house and reporting, which a DB cannot do. If I cannot cut a recipe using grey matter as a Pro then there is something wrong .... dont need no software to design a beer for me...

Scotty

 

[dr K]

I can only but agree with Scotty.
I personally prefer the Beersmith interface, but only because I feel comfortable with it, I know others are more comfortable with Pro_Mash..they are both great tools, but tools are what they are.
I need to know what is happening in my brew day, not be told what to do. Years ago I did an excel based sheet called KurtzKalc, I still use it..I put in my target gravity, IBU and volume and worom there, it has temp/SG calibration, its simple, its dumb, but it works.
Recipes will not not produce consistent results in inconsistent breweries..Jack Sprats prize winning ESB may not (will not) be the same from your set up
About 5 years ago a group of more than a dozen Canberra Brewers started off with the same pack of cracked mixed grain, the same salts, the same hops , the same yeast and the same instructions...the resulting beers were almost unbelieveably different, sort of Kolsh and Kreik..well not quite but getting there !!

K

 

[Ross]

Beersmith gets my vote as well - it's interface is a pleasure to use & it will take a far better programme than Beertools in its current form to get me to switch....

cheers Ross

 

[peas_and_corn]

OK, I use promash and I bought it after using the trial version. I chose it because it makes sense (to me, anyway) and has all the functions I want it to. Overall I just find it to be an easy piece of software to use and understand.

I'd say look at the trial versions of both and make up your own mind

 

[bindi]

Beersmith gets my vote as well - it's interface is a pleasure to use & it will take a far better programme than Beertools in its current form to get me to switch....

cheers Ross

Must agree with Ross.

OK, I use promash and I bought it after using the trial version. I chose it because it makes sense (to me, anyway) and has all the functions I want it to. Overall I just find it to be an easy piece of software to use and understand.

I'd say look at the trial versions of both and make up your own mind

Did the trial versions and bought Beersmith in Dec 04 and have not had a good look at any new programs except a quick look at Beer tools, whatelse is out there that's any good? I am just lazy and use what I [think] know. Beersmith is doing the job for me [for now].

 

[blackbock]

I have not seen Beertools, but between the other two I choose Beersmith for its large range of options and better interface. There is still a lot of room for improvement though methinks.

 

[BrissyBrew]

Beersmith should fix up the loss to trub and boiler calculations, be sure to set it to zero.

I have tried promash, way too much jumping around, clunky interface etc. I have looked at beertools but just dont see the depth in fuctionality. I would love to see some extra features such as IBU to gravity ratios as discussed in the book "designing great beers".

 

[KoNG]

I would love to see some extra features such as IBU to gravity ratios as discussed in the book "designing great beers".

Agreed.
i'm a beersmith user too and that is one thing i have always wanted when preparing recipes (i know its only a quick calc/ratio), but i would like to be able to pick my grist and hop additions and then alter the Bu:Gu which in turn would alter the hop bittering additions or base malt depending on your preference.
i do it in my head now fairly easily, but it would be nice to have.

 

[Screwtop]

Fents, in a side by side comparison there are pro's and cons for all three of the popular players. I prefer the recipe generator in BeerToolsPro for tweaking a recipe to style, simply because the graphic display provides instant feedback on adjustments to ingredient values. When it comes to Promash I like being able to open a tools window while keeping the recipe or session open which you can't do with Beersmith. All that said, I prefer to use Beersmith because of it's accuracy once the equipment values are ironed out, as Scotty said. Horses for Courses.

 

[Fents]

:canofworms:

Right, so im gonna download both, smith and tools, seems to me tho beersmith looks like the go for fixing up calculations and the like.